King Heungdeok興德王

King Heungdeok ascended the throne. His name was Sujong (秀宗), which was afterwards changed to Gyeonghwi (景徽), and he was the younger brother of King Heondeok by the same mother.

In winter, the twelfth month, his queen, Lady Janghwa, died, and she was given after her death the title of Queen Jeongmok. The king thought of her and could not forget her, and he was downcast and took no joy in anything. The many officers sent up a memorial begging him to take a queen again, but the king said, "Even a lone bird has grief for its lost mate. How much more, when a man has lost a good mate, could he bear to be so unfeeling as to marry again in haste?" So he did not follow them, and he did not go near the waiting women either. Those who served at his side were only eunuchs.

In the second year, in spring, the first month, the king sacrificed in person at the Singung. When Wenzong of Tang heard that the king had died, he suspended the court, and he ordered Yuan Ji, the taizi zuoyude and also yushi zhongcheng, to bear the tally and to condole and to sacrifice. He then invested the king who had taken up the succession as grand minister with honors equal to the three offices, acting grand commandant, bearing the tally as grand governor in charge of all military affairs of Gyerimju, and also bearing the tally as commissioner of the Ninghai army, King of Silla; and he made the king's mother of the Bak clan Grand Consort, and his wife of the Bak clan consort.

In the third month Gudeok, a monk of Goguryeo, who had gone into Tang, arrived bearing sutras, and the king gathered the monks of the several temples and had them go out to meet him.

In summer, the fifth month, frost fell. In autumn, the eighth month, Taebaek was seen by day. There was a great drought in the capital. Yeonggong the sijung withdrew from office.

In the third year, in spring, the first month, Kim Ujing the daeachan was made sijung. In the second month an envoy was sent into Tang to present tribute. In the third month snow lay three cheok deep.

In summer, the fourth month, Gungbok (弓福), the daesa (great commissioner) of Cheonghae, whose surname was Jang, had gone into Xuzhou in Tang and become a junior general in the army. Afterwards he came back to his country and had audience of the king, and with ten thousand soldiers he guarded Cheonghae.

A sorcerer of Pyocheon county in Hansanju said of himself that he had an art of growing rich quickly, and a good many people were taken in by him. The king heard of it and said, "To punish those who hold to a false way and lead the people astray is the law of the former kings." He cast the man away to a distant island.

In winter, the twelfth month, an envoy was sent into Tang to present tribute. Wenzong called him into the Linde hall and received him face to face, and spread a feast for him and gave him gifts according to his degree. Daeryeom, the envoy who had gone into Tang and come back, brought tea seed with him, and the king had it planted on Mount Jiri. There had been tea since the time of King Seondeok, but at this time it flourished.

In the fourth year, in spring, the second month, Dangeun-gun was made Dangseongjin, and Geukjeong the sachan was sent to guard it.

In the fifth year, in summer, the fourth month, the king was unwell and prayer was made for him, and he then allowed a hundred and fifty men to be ordained as monks. In winter, the twelfth month, an envoy was sent into Tang to present tribute.

In the sixth year, in spring, the first month, the earth shook. Ujing the sijung was relieved of his post, and Yunbun the ichan was made sijung. In the second month the king's son Kim Neungyu and nine monks with him were sent to the court of Tang.

In autumn, the seventh month, Neungyu and the rest of the party, who had gone into Tang to present offerings, sank in the sea and died on their way home. In winter, the eleventh month, an envoy was sent into Tang to present tribute.

In the seventh year there was drought in spring and summer, and the ground was left bare and red. The king left the main hall, cut down the dishes he ate every day, and pardoned the prisoners in the jails within and without. Only in autumn, in the seventh month, did it rain.

In the eighth month there was hunger and a lean year, and robbers rose up everywhere. In winter, the tenth month, the king ordered envoys to go and quiet them.

In the eighth year, in spring, there was great hunger throughout the country. In summer, the fourth month, the king paid his respects at the shrine of the founder. In winter, the tenth month, the peach and the plum blossomed a second time, and many of the people died of plague. In the eleventh month Yunbun the sijung withdrew from office.

In the ninth year, in spring, the first month, Ujing became sijung again. In autumn, the ninth month, the king went to the foot of Mount Seohyeong and held a great review of the troops, and he went to the Mupyeong gate and watched the shooting. In winter, the tenth month, he went round the ju and gun in the south of the country, comforted the aged and the widowers and widows and orphans and those who live alone, and gave them grain and cloth according to their degree.

In the tenth year, in spring, the second month, Kim Gyunjeong the achan was appointed sangdaedeung. Ujing the sijung, because his father Gyunjeong had entered the office of prime minister, sent up a memorial begging to be released from his post. Kim Myeong the daeachan was made sijung.

In the eleventh year, in spring, the first month, on the first day sinchuk, the sun was eclipsed. The king's son Kim Uijong was sent to Tang to give thanks for favour and also to serve in the guard.

In summer, the sixth month, a comet appeared in the east. In autumn, the seventh month, Taebaek trespassed on the moon.

In winter, the twelfth month, the king died. His posthumous name was given as Heungdeok (興德). The court, following his last words, buried him together with Queen Janghwa in her tomb.