Bak Jesang朴堤上

Bak Jesang was a descendant of Hyeokgeose, the founding ancestor, and a fifth generation descendant of Pasa Isageum. His grandfather was Ado Galmunwang, and his father was Mulpum, who held the rank of pajinchan. Jesang served in office and became the gan of Samnyangju.

Before this, in the first year of King Silseong, an imin year, when Silla was making peace with the country of Wa, the king of Wa asked that Misaheun, a son of King Naemul, be given as a hostage. The king had long borne a grudge that King Naemul had sent him to Goguryeo as a hostage, and he thought to loose that resentment upon King Naemul's son, so he did not refuse and sent him.

Again, in the eleventh year, an imja year, Goguryeo also wished to have Bokho, the elder brother of Misaheun, as a hostage, and the great king sent him as well.

When King Nulji ascended the throne, he thought to find a man of ready speech and send him to bring them back. He heard that three men were wise and clever, Beolbomal the gan of Sujuchon, Gurinae the gan of Illichon, and Paro the gan of Iichon, and he called them and asked them. "My two younger brothers are hostages in the two countries of Wa and Goguryeo, and for many years they have not come home. Because they are my brothers I cannot stop myself from thinking of them. I wish to have them come back alive. How may this be done?"

The three answered together. "Your servants have heard that Jesang, the gan of Samnyangju, is firm and brave and has a plan in him. He can loosen Your Majesty's care."

So the king summoned Jesang before him, told him what the three officers had said, and asked him to go.

Jesang answered. "Though your servant is foolish and of no worth, how should he dare not receive the command with respect?"

Then he went into Goguryeo with the courtesies of a state visit and spoke to the king. "Your servant has heard that the way of dealing with a neighbor state is sincerity and good faith, nothing more. If states exchange hostage sons, that does not reach even to the five hegemons. It is truly the business of a fallen age. Now the beloved younger brother of my lord has been here nearly ten years. My lord, with the mind of the wagtail on the plain, holds him always in his heart and cannot stop. If the great king is kind and sends him home, it will be as one hair falling from nine oxen, and nothing will be lost. Yet my lord will hold the great king's goodness beyond all measure. Let the king think on it."

The king said, "Very well," and gave leave for them to go home together.

When they reached the country, the great king was glad and comforted him and said, "I think of my two brothers as my left arm and my right. Now I have only one arm. What shall I do?"

Jesang replied. "Though your servant is of poor stuff, he has already given his body to the country, and in the end he will not shame the command. But Goguryeo is a great state and its king too is a wise ruler, and for that reason your servant could open his mind with a single word. As for the people of Wa, they cannot be persuaded with mouth and tongue. It must be done by a trick, and so the prince can be made to come home. When your servant goes there, let it be put about that he has turned his back on the country, and let them hear it."

Then he swore to himself by death. He did not see his wife and children, but went to Yulpo, launched a boat, and turned toward Wa.

His wife heard of it and ran to the mouth of the harbor, and looking at the boat she cried out loud. "Come home safely."

Jesang looked back and said, "I go bearing a command into an enemy country. Do not set any day for seeing me again."

Then he went straight into the country of Wa as though he had turned traitor and come over, and the king of Wa doubted him.

A man of Baekje had gone into Wa before and slandered Silla, saying that Silla was plotting with Goguryeo to invade the king's country, and so Wa sent soldiers to patrol and guard outside the borders of Silla. It happened that Goguryeo came to raid and took the Wa patrol along with the rest and killed them, and the king of Wa then held the Baekje man's words to be true.

He also heard that the king of Silla had imprisoned the households of Misaheun and Jesang, and he thought Jesang truly a traitor.

So he sent out an army to fall upon Silla, and he appointed Jesang and Misaheun as generals and made them guides as well.

They went as far as a mountain island in the middle of the sea, and the generals of Wa took secret counsel. After they had destroyed Silla they would seize the wives and children of Jesang and Misaheun and carry them back.

Jesang came to know this. He went out in a boat with Misaheun as though they were catching fish and ducks, and the people of Wa saw it and were glad, saying the two had no other thought. Then Jesang urged Misaheun to slip away home to his own country.

Misaheun said, "I serve you, general, as I would my father. How can I go home alone?"

Jesang said, "If the two of us set out together, I fear the plan will not succeed."

Misaheun held Jesang by the neck and wept and took his leave and went.

Jesang slept alone in the room and rose late, so that Misaheun might get far away. The others asked, "General, why do you rise so late?"

He answered, "Yesterday I was on the boat and grew tired and worn, and I could not get up early."

When he came out they knew that Misaheun had fled, and so they bound Jesang and put out a ship and gave chase.

It happened that the smoke and mist were dark and thick, and they looked but could not reach him.

They brought Jesang back to where the king was, and he was banished to the island of Mokdo. Before long the king had men burn his limbs with a brushwood fire until the flesh was charred away, and after that they beheaded him.

The great king heard of it and grieved and wailed. He gave him the rank of daeachan after his death and made rich gifts to his house, and he had Misaheun take Jesang's second daughter to wife, to repay him.

At the first, when Misaheun came home, the king ordered the six bu to go far out and meet him, and when they saw him they took his hands and wept together. The brothers gathered and set out wine and took their joy to the full, and the king himself made a song and a dance to spread out what was in his heart. The Usikgok (憂息曲) of the native music today is this.