King Munseong文聖王

King Munseong ascended the throne. His name was Gyeongeung (慶膺). He was the crown prince of King Sinmu, and his mother was Lady Jeonggye.

In the eighth month there was a great amnesty. The king gave out a decree saying, "Gungbok, the daesa of Cheonghaejin, once helped my late father with his soldiers and destroyed the great brigand of the former court. Can such merit be forgotten?" Thereupon he was appointed General Jinhae, and a robe of office was bestowed on him as well.

In the second year, in spring, the first month, Yejing was made sangdaedeung, Uijong sijung, and Yangsun was given the rank of ichan. From the fourth month of summer to the sixth month it did not rain.

Wenzong of the Tang sent down an order to the honglusi, and the hostages and the students whose years were full and who were to go back to their country, one hundred and five men in all, were released and sent home. In winter there was famine.

In the third year, in spring, a pestilence went about the capital. Hongpil of the rank of ilgilchan plotted a revolt. The matter came out and he fled to an island in the sea, and they hunted him but did not take him.

In autumn, the seventh month, Wuzong of the Tang sent down an order. Kim Ungyeong, an official of Silla going back to his country, who had earlier gone into Silla as vice envoy of consolation, who had been sama of the governorate of Yanzhou and had been given the scarlet fish pouch, was made jangsa of Zizhou and then made envoy. He invested the king as grand minister with honors equal to the three offices, acting grand commandant, commissioner bearing the tally and grand governor, commander of all military affairs of Gyerimju, and concurrently commissioner bearing the tally for all military affairs of Yeonghae, Pillar of State, and King of Silla, and the king's wife of the house of Bak was made queen.

In the fourth year, in spring, the third month, he took the daughter of Wiheun of the rank of ichan and made her queen.

In the fifth year, in spring, the first month, Uijong the sijung was relieved for illness, and Yangsun the ichan was made sijung. In autumn, the seventh month, five tigers entered the garden of the Singung.

In the sixth year, in spring, on the first day gabin of the second month, the sun was eclipsed. Taebaek trespassed on Jinseong, the planet Saturn (鎭星). In the third month hail fell on the capital. Yangsun the sijung withdrew, and Kim Yeo of the rank of daeachan was made sijung. In autumn, the eighth month, Hyeolgujin was set up, and Gyehong of the rank of achan was made head of the garrison.

In the seventh year, in spring, the third month, he wished to take the daughter of Gungbok, the daesa of Cheonghaejin, as his second queen. A subject of the court remonstrated, saying,

"The way of husband and wife is the great bond of men. Therefore the Xia rose through the lady of Tushan and the Yin flourished through the lady of Shen, while the Zhou perished through Baosi and the Jin fell into disorder through Liji. The standing or the falling of a state rests here. Can we fail to be careful? Now Gungbok is a man of an island in the sea. How can his daughter be matched with the royal house?"

The king followed these words.

In winter, the eleventh month, it thundered and no snow fell. On the first day of the twelfth month three suns came out side by side.

In the eighth year, in spring, Gungbok of Cheonghae resented that the king had not brought in his daughter, and he held the garrison and revolted. If the court struck him, they feared there would be some trouble they could not measure; if they let him be, his crime could not be pardoned. They worried and fretted and did not know what to plan.

A man of Muju called Yeomjang, known in his day for courage and vigor, came and told the king, "If the court will be so good as to listen to me, I will not trouble a single soldier. With my bare fists I will cut down Gungbok and present him." The king followed his words.

Yeomjang pretended to turn against the country and went over to Cheonghae. Gungbok loved men of vigor, and having nothing to suspect or doubt he drew him in as a chief guest and drank with him in great delight. When Gungbok was drunk, Yeomjang snatched his sword and cut him down. Then he called his followers together and talked to them, and they bowed down and dared not stir.

In the ninth year, in spring, the second month, the two halls Pyeonguijeon and Imhaejeon were built anew. In summer, the fourth month, Yangsun the ichan and Heungjong of the rank of pajinchan and others revolted, and they were put to death.

In autumn, the eighth month, a son of the king was invested as crown prince. Kim Yeo the sijung died, and Wiheun the ichan was made sijung.

In the tenth year, in spring and summer, there was drought. Wiheun the sijung withdrew, and Kim Gyemyeong the pajinchan was made sijung. In winter, the tenth month, there was a sound in the sky like thunder.

In the eleventh year, in spring, the first month, Yejing the sangdaedeung died, and Uijeong the ichan was made sangdaedeung. In autumn, the ninth month, Kim I the ichan and Daeheun and others revolted and were put to death, and Heunrin of the rank of daeachan was punished as one bound up with them.

In the twelfth year, in spring, the first month, Toseong, the planet Saturn (土星), entered the moon. Earth rained on the capital, and a great wind pulled up trees. Of the prisoners in the jails, all but those held for capital crimes were pardoned.

In the thirteenth year, in spring, the second month, Cheonghaejin was done away with and its people were moved to Byeokgol commandery. In summer, the fourth month, frost fell. Wonhong of the rank of achan, the envoy who had gone into the Tang, came bringing Buddhist scriptures and a tooth of the Buddha, and the king went out to the outskirts to meet him.

In the fourteenth year, in spring, the second month, Jinryang of the rank of pajinchan was made governor of Ungju. There was a fire in the Jobu. In autumn, the seventh month, the Myeonghangnu was built anew. In winter, the eleventh month, the crown prince died.

In the fifteenth year, in summer, the sixth month, there was a great flood. In autumn, the eighth month, there were locusts in the ju and the commanderies of the southwest.

In the seventeenth year, in spring, the second month, envoys were sent out to comfort the people of the southwest. In winter, the twelfth month, there was a fire in the Jingakseong. Toseong entered the moon.

In the nineteenth year, in autumn, the ninth month, the king was unwell, and he sent down a testamentary decree saying,

"I have held a high seat with the slightest of means. Above, I feared to take guilt upon myself before the mirror of Heaven; below, I worried lest I fail the hopes of men's hearts. Night and day I have gone in such care as one who crosses deep water or ice. Leaning on the three great officers and the many lords and officials who upheld me on the left and on the right, I have not let the heavy vessel fall.

"Now of a sudden I have taken a sickness, and it has gone on ten days. In this dimness I fear I shall go before the morning dew. Only, the great work of the ancestors cannot be without a master, and the ten thousand affairs of the army and the state cannot be laid down even for a moment.

"When I look about me, Uijeong the seobulhan is the fair grandson of the former king and my own uncle. He is dutiful and brotherly, clear and quick, generous and deep, benevolent and kind. Long has he held the seat of chief minister and helped make the king's government bright. Above, he is fit to serve the ancestral shrine with reverence; below, he is fit to soothe and nourish the people. So I lay down the heavy burden and give it over to one of worthy virtue. Since I have found the man to entrust it to, what regret can there be?

"Moreover, to be born and to die, to have a beginning and an end, is the great term of all things; to live long or to go early, to be given much or little, is the constant portion of life. The one who goes may reach through to the reason of it, and those who remain need not grieve overmuch. You many gentlemen, spend your strength and give your full loyalty. In sending off the one who goes and serving the one who lives, do not by any chance go against the rites. Proclaim this through the country, and let my heart be clearly known."

Seven days later the king died. He was given the posthumous name Munseong (文聖), and he was buried at Gongjakji.