King Hyeokgeose, Founder of Silla新羅始祖赫居世王

In the land of Jinhan (辰韓) there were anciently six villages.

The first was Yangsan Village (楊山村) of Alcheon (閼川). South of it is the present Dameom Temple (曇嚴寺). The village chief was called Alpyeong (謁平). He first came down on Pyoam Peak (瓢嵓峯), and he is the ancestor of the Yi clan (李氏) of Geumnyang Division (及梁部).

The second was Goheo Village (高墟村) of Dolsan (突山). The village chief was called Sobeoldori (蘇伐都利). He first came down on Mount Hyeong (兄山), and he is the ancestor of the Jeong clan (鄭氏) of Saryang Division (沙梁部). It is now called Namsan Division, and the southern villages of Guryangbeol, Madeungo, Dobuk, Hoedeok, and others belong to it.

The third was Daesu Village (大樹村) of Musan (茂山). The village chief was called Guryema (俱禮馬). He first came down on Mount I (伊山), and he is the ancestor of the Son clan (孫氏) of Jeomnyang Division (漸梁部), also called Moryang Division (牟梁部). It is now called Jangbok Division, and the western villages of Bakgok Village and others belong to it.

The fourth was Jinji Village (珍支村) of Jasan (觜山). The village chief was called Jibaekho (智伯虎). He first came down on Mount Hwa (花山), and he is the ancestor of the Choe clan (崔氏) of Bonpi Division (本彼部). It is now called Tongseon Division, and the southeastern villages of Sipa and others belong to it.

Choe Chiwon (崔致遠) was a man of Bonpi Division. Now south of Hwangnyong Temple and south of Mitan Temple there is an old site, and it is said to be the old house of Lord Choe (崔侯). This is almost certain.

The fifth was Gari Village (加里村) of Geumsan (金山). The village chief was called Jita (祗沱). He first came down on Mount Myeonghwal (明活山), and he is the ancestor of the Bae clan (裴氏) of Hangi Division (漢歧部), also written Hangi Division (韓歧部). It is now called Gadeok Division, and the eastern villages of Upper Seoji, Lower Seoji, Naea, and others belong to it.

The sixth was Goya Village (高耶村) of Mount Myeonghwal (明活山). The village chief was called Hojin (虎珍). He first came down on Mount Geumgang, and he is the ancestor of the Seol clan (薛氏) of Seupbi Division (習比部). It is now called Imcheon Division, and the northeastern villages of Muri Village, Ingumyeo Village, Gwolgok, and others belong to it.

Looking at the passage above, the ancestors of these six divisions all seem to have come down from Heaven. In the ninth year of King Norye the names of the six divisions were first changed, and the six surnames were also granted. Nowadays people call Jungheung Division the mother, Jangbok Division the father, Imcheon Division the son, and Gadeok Division the daughter, but the truth of it is not known.

In the first year of Dijie (地節) of Former Han (前漢), an imja year〔Old books say the first year of Jianwu, and also the third year of Jianyuan, but these are all wrong.〕, on the first day of the third month, the ancestors of the six divisions each led their sons and younger brothers and gathered together on the bank of the Alcheon. They took counsel and said,

"We have no ruler above us to govern the people, so the people all do as they please and follow their own desires. Why not seek out a man of virtue, make him our ruler, found a state, and fix a capital?"

Then they climbed to a high place and looked south. Beside the Najeong (蘿井) well below Yangsan, a strange vapor hung down to the ground like lightning, and there was a white horse in the posture of kneeling and bowing.

They went and looked, and there was a single purple egg〔Some say a large blue egg.〕. When the horse saw the men it gave a long neigh and rose up to heaven. They split the egg and found a boy, fine and handsome in form. Astonished and thinking it a wonder, they bathed him in the Dongcheon (東泉) spring〔Dongcheon Temple is north of Sanoeya.〕. His body gave off a radiance, birds and beasts danced along with him, heaven and earth shook, and the sun and moon grew clear and bright.

Because of this he was named King Hyeokgeose (赫居世王).〔This is probably a word of the native tongue. It is also written King Bulgunae, which means ruling the world with brightness. One who tells of it says: "He was born of the Holy Mother of Seosul. So the words with which the Chinese praised the Holy Mother of Seondo, 'she conceived a sage and opened a state', refer to this." And further, when the chicken-dragon showed a good omen and bore Aryeong, how do we know that this too was not the Holy Mother of Seosul appearing?〕

His royal title (位號) was Geoseulhan (居瑟邯).〔Also called Geoseogan. When he first opened his mouth he called himself, saying "Alji Geoseogan rises once," and so he was called this after his own words. From then on it became the honored title for a king.〕

The people of the time vied to congratulate him, saying, "Now the Son of Heaven has come down. We should find a virtuous queen (女君) to be his mate."

On this day, beside the Aryeong Well (閼英井) in Saryang Village〔Also called the Ariyeong Well.〕, a chicken-dragon (雞龍) appeared and bore a girl from its left side〔Some say the dragon appeared and died, and they cut open its belly and found her.〕. Her figure and face were exceedingly lovely.

But her lips were like the beak of a chicken. When they bathed her in the North Stream at Wolseong, the beak fell away. Because of this the stream was named the Balcheon (撥川).

They built a palace on the western slope of Namsan〔The present Changnim Temple.〕 and raised the two holy children with reverence. The boy was born from an egg, and the egg was like a gourd. In the native tongue a gourd is called 'bak', and so his surname was made Bak (朴). The girl was named after the well from which she came.

When the two sages reached the age of thirteen, in the first year of Wufeng (五鳳), a gapja year, the boy was set up as king, and the girl was made queen.

The state was named Seorabeol (徐羅伐), or Seobeol (徐伐)〔This is why nowadays people gloss the character 'gyeong (京)' as 'seobeol'.〕, and also Sara (斯羅), or Saro (斯盧).

Because the first king was born at the Chicken Well (雞井), it is also called the State of Gyerim (雞林國), for the chicken-dragon showed a good omen there. One account says that in the time of King Talhae, when Gim Alji was found, a chicken crowed in the woods, and so the name of the state was changed to Gyerim. In later ages the name was at last fixed as Silla (新羅).

After he had governed the state for sixty-one years, the king rose up to heaven. Seven days later his remains scattered and fell to the ground, and it is said that the queen died after him.

The people of the state wished to gather the remains together and bury them, but a great snake chased them and stopped them. So they buried the five parts separately, making the Five Tombs (五陵), also called the Snake Tomb (蛇陵). This is the tomb north of Dameom Temple. The crown prince, King Namhae, succeeded to the throne.