Taejong, Lord Chunchu太宗春秋公

Taejong, Lord Chunchu.

Great King Taejong, the twenty-ninth king, had the name Chunchu and the surname Gim.

He was the son of Yongsu〔Also called Yongchun.〕, of the rank of gakgan, who was given the posthumous title Great King Munheung. His mother was Lady Cheonmyeong, the daughter of Great King Jinpyeong.

His queen was Empress Munmyeong, Munhui, the youngest sister of Lord Yusin.

At first Bohui, Munhui's elder sister, dreamed that she climbed the Western Peak and made water, and it filled the whole capital.

In the morning she told the dream to her younger sister. Munhui heard it and said, "I will buy this dream."

The elder sister said, "What will you give for it?" She said, "Will a silk skirt do?" The elder sister said, "Good."

The younger sister opened the front of her robe to receive it, and the elder sister said, "I pass last night's dream over to you."

The younger sister paid for it with a silk skirt.

Ten days later Yusin and Lord Chunchu, on the shunned Horse day of the first month〔See the matter of "Shooting the Zither Case" above. This is the account of Choe Chiwon.〕, played kickball in front of Yusin's house.〔The people of Silla called kickball the game of playing with beads.〕

Yusin stepped on Chunchu's robe on purpose and tore the tie of his collar, then asked, "Come into my house and have it sewn."

The lord agreed.

Yusin told Ahae to take up the needle, but Ahae declined, saying, "How could I go near a noble young lord so lightly over such a small matter?"〔Old books say she did not come because she was ill.〕

So he told Aji to do it.

The lord understood Yusin's intent and at last became close to her, and from then on he came and went often.

When Yusin learned that she was with child, he scolded her. "You are with child without telling your parents. What is this?"

Then he spread word through the country that he was going to burn his sister.

One day, waiting until Queen Seondeok went out to Namsan, he piled up firewood in the courtyard and set it alight, sending up smoke.

The queen saw it and asked, "What is that smoke?" The attendants said, "It seems Yusin is burning his sister."

The queen asked the reason, and they said, "Because his sister is with child and has no husband."

The queen said, "Who did this?" At that moment the lord was in attendance close by, and his face changed greatly.

The queen said, "This is your doing. Go quickly and save her."

The lord received the command, galloped off, conveyed the queen's will, and stopped it. After this the marriage was held openly.

When Queen Jindeok died, he ascended the throne in the fifth year of Yonghui, a gapin year.

After governing the state for eight years, he died in the first year of Longshuo, a sinyu year, at the age of fifty-nine. He was buried east of Aegong Temple, and there is a stele.

The king, together with Yusin, planned with divine skill and gave all his strength to unite the Three Han as one, and had great merit toward the altars of the state. So his temple name was Taejong.

The crown prince Beommin and Inmun, Munwang, Nocha, Jigyeong, and Gaewon, all of the rank of gakgan, were all born of Munhui. The sign of the dream she bought showed itself here.

By lesser wives he had Gaejimun, of the rank of geupgan, Chadeuk, Lord Yeong, and Madeuk, of the rank of agan, together with five daughters.

The king's table each day was three mal of rice and nine cock pheasants. After Baekje was destroyed in the gyeongsin year, he did away with the midday meal and took only morning and evening.

Even so, by reckoning it came to six mal of rice, six mal of wine, and ten pheasants a day.

In the markets of the capital a bolt of cloth was worth thirty or even fifty seok of grain, and so the people called it a holy age.

While he was crown prince, wishing to attack Goguryeo, he went to Tang to ask for troops.

The Tang emperor praised his bearing and called him a divine and holy man. He wished to keep him there in attendance, but Chunchu asked earnestly and was allowed to return.

At that time Uija (義慈), the last king of Baekje, was the eldest son of King Mu.

He was bold and fierce and had courage. He served his parents with filial devotion and was on loving terms with his brothers, so the people of the time called him the Zengzi (曾子) of Haedong.

He ascended the throne in the fifteenth year of Zhenguan, a sinchuk year, but he sank into wine and women, the government grew careless, and the state was in danger.

Seongchung (成忠), of the rank of jwapyeong〔A Baekje official title.〕, remonstrated with all his might, but the king would not listen and threw him into prison.

Wasted and worn and near death, he sent up a letter.

"A loyal subject does not forget his lord even in death. I ask to leave one word and then die.

I once studied the changes of the times, and there will surely be war.

In using troops, one must examine and choose the ground. If you meet the enemy upstream, you can keep the state whole.

If the troops of another country come, do not let them pass Tanhyeon〔Also called Chimhyeon, a strategic point of Baekje.〕 by the land road, and do not let their navy enter Gibeolpo〔That is Jangam, also called Sonnyang, and also written Jihwapo or the Baekgang.〕 by the water road.

Only by relying on those steep and narrow places to hold them off can it be done."

The king paid no heed.

In the fourth year of Xianqing, a gimi year, at Ohoe Temple in Baekje〔Also called Ohap Temple.〕 there was a great red horse that walked around the temple day and night at the six hours.

In the second month a pack of foxes came into King Uija's palace, and a white fox sat on the desk of the jwapyeong.

In the fourth month a hen in the crown prince's palace mated with a small sparrow.

In the fifth month a great fish came out on the bank of the Sabi〔The name of a river at Buyeo.〕 and died. It was three gil long, and all who ate it died.

In the ninth month a pagoda tree in the palace cried like a person weeping, and at night a ghost wept on the road south of the palace.

In the spring of the fifth year, a gyeongsin year, in the second month, the well water in the capital turned the color of blood. On the western seashore small fish came out and died, and the people could not eat them all. The water of the Sabi turned the color of blood.

In the fourth month tens of thousands of toads gathered in the trees.

The people in the markets of the capital fled in fright for no reason, as if someone had come to seize them. More than a hundred fell down in terror and died, and countless numbers lost their goods.

In the sixth month the monks of Wangheung Temple all saw something like the mast of a ship come in through the temple gate along with a flood.

A great dog like a wild deer came from the west to the bank of the Sabi and barked toward the royal palace, and then no one knew where it had gone.

The dogs of the fortress gathered on the road, some barking and some howling, and scattered after a long while.

A ghost came into the palace and cried out loud, "Baekje will fall, Baekje will fall." Then it went straight into the ground.

The king thought it strange and had men dig about three cheok into the ground, and there was a tortoise.

On its back was writing: "Baekje is a round full moon, and Silla is like a new moon."

When he asked, a shaman said, "A round full moon is full, and what is full must wane. What is like a new moon is not yet full, and what is not yet full gradually fills."

The king was angry and killed him.

Someone said, "A round full moon is flourishing, and what is like a new moon is weak. I think it means the state flourishes and Silla grows ever weaker."

The king was pleased.

Taejong heard that there were many strange portents in the state of Baekje, and in the fifth year, a gyeongsin year, sent Inmun as envoy to ask for troops.

Gaozong of Tang appointed Su Dingfang, General-in-Chief of the Left Martial Guard and Duke of Jing, as Commander-in-Chief of the Shenqiu Route, leading Liu Boying, General of the Left Guard, Feng Shigui, General of the Left Martial Guard, Pang Xiaogong, General of the Left Valiant Guard, and others, to command one hundred thirty thousand soldiers and come to attack.

〔The native record says the army was one hundred twenty-two thousand seven hundred and eleven men and one thousand nine hundred ships, but the Tang history does not say in detail.〕

Chunchu, King of Silla, was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Uyi Route to lead the troops of his state and join forces with them.

Su Dingfang led his troops from Chengshan across the sea and reached Deongmul Island west of the country. The King of Silla sent General Gim Yusin with fifty thousand crack troops to go to meet him.

When King Uija heard of it, he gathered his ministers and asked their counsel on whether to fight or defend.

Uijik, of the rank of jwapyeong, came forward and said, "The Tang soldiers have crossed the sea from afar and are not used to the water, and the Silla men trust in the help of the great state and take the enemy lightly. If the Tang men see that things go badly, they will surely grow doubtful and afraid and will not dare to press forward. So I know that it is right to fight the Tang men first."

Sangyeong, of the rank of dalsol, and others said, "Not so. The Tang soldiers have come from afar and want to fight quickly. Their edge cannot be withstood.

The Silla men have been beaten many times by our army, so now when they look on the might of our troops they cannot help but be afraid.

Today's plan should be to block the road of the Tang men and wait for their army to tire, and first send a part of the army to strike Silla and break its keen spirit. Then, watching for the right moment, fight them together. In that way the army can be kept whole and the state preserved."

The king hesitated and did not know which to follow.

At that time Heungsu (興首), of the rank of jwapyeong, had been found guilty and banished to Gomamyeoji County. The king sent a man to ask him, "The matter is urgent. What should be done?"

Heungsu said, "In general, it is as jwapyeong Seongchung said."

The chief ministers did not believe him and said, "Heungsu is in bonds. He resents his lord and does not love the state. His words cannot be used.

It is better to let the Tang soldiers into the Baekgang〔That is Gibeolpo.〕, where they cannot bring their ships abreast as they follow the current, and to let the Silla army climb Tanhyeon, where on the narrow path they cannot ride their horses abreast.

At that moment, if we loose our troops and strike, they will be like chickens in a cage and fish in a net."

The king said, "So be it."

But then he heard that the Tang and Silla armies had already passed the Baekgang and Tanhyeon.

He sent General Gyebaek (偕伯) with five thousand soldiers resolved to die out to Hwangsan to fight the Silla army.

Four times they clashed and each time they won, but the soldiers were few and their strength gave out. In the end they were defeated and Gyebaek died.

The armies advanced, joined, and drew near the mouth of the ford, camping by the river.

Suddenly a bird circled above Su Dingfang's camp.

He had a man divine it, and the answer was, "It will surely harm the commander-in-chief (元帥)."

Su Dingfang was afraid and meant to withdraw his troops and stop. Yusin said to Su Dingfang,

"How could you go against the time of Heaven because of a strange bird in flight? We answer Heaven and follow the people in attacking one who is utterly without humanity. What ill omen could there be?"

Then he drew his divine sword and pointed it at the bird. It was torn apart and fell before his seat.

At this Su Dingfang came out on the left bank and drew up his line with the mountain at his back. They fought together, and the Baekje army was badly defeated.

The royal army rode the tide, ships following one another stern to bow, and advanced with drums beating.

Su Dingfang led foot and horse straight toward the capital and halted about thirty li from it.

The whole army in the fortress came out to hold them off, but was defeated again, and the dead were more than ten thousand.

The Tang men, riding their victory, closed on the fortress. The king knew he could not escape and sighed,

"I regret that I did not use the words of Seongchung and so came to this."

At last he fled to the northern border with the crown prince Yung〔Some copies write Hyo, but this is wrong.〕.

Su Dingfang surrounded the fortress. The king's second son Tae (泰) set himself up as king, led the people, and held out firmly.

Munsa (文思), the son of the crown prince, said to King Tae, "The king and the crown prince have gone out, and my uncle has made himself king on his own. If the Tang soldiers withdraw, how can we come through safely?"

He led his followers and let themselves down by rope over the wall, and the people all followed him. Tae could not stop them.

Su Dingfang had his soldiers climb the battlements and set up the Tang banners. Tae, cornered and desperate, opened the gates and begged for his life.

Then the king, the crown prince Yung, the prince Tae, the chief minister Jeongbok, and all the fortresses surrendered.

Su Dingfang sent King Uija, the crown prince Yung, the prince Tae, the prince Yeon, eighty-eight chief ministers and officers, and twelve thousand eight hundred and seven of the people to the Tang capital.

That state originally had five divisions, thirty-seven commanderies, two hundred fortresses, and seven hundred sixty thousand households. Now it was divided into five protectorates, Ungjin, Mahan, Dongmyeong, Geumnyeon, and Deogan, and chieftains were chosen and made protectors and governors to rule them.

Liu Renyuan, a commandant, was ordered to guard the capital, and Wang Wendu, a commandant of the Left Guard, was made Protector of Ungjin to soothe the remaining people.

Su Dingfang presented his captives to the emperor, who rebuked and pardoned them.

When the king fell ill and died, he was granted the titles of Grand Master of the Golden Seal and Purple Ribbon and Chamberlain of the Guards, and his old ministers were allowed to go and mourn him.

An edict ordered him buried beside the tombs of Sun Hao and Chen Shubao, and a stele set up as well.

The Silla byeolgi says this.

"In the fifth year after King Munmu ascended the throne, an eulchuk year, in autumn, on the gyeongja day of the eighth month, the king led a great army in person to Ungjin Fortress and met the provisional king Buyeo Yung. They built an altar and killed a white horse and swore an oath.

First they sacrificed to the god of Heaven and the spirits of the mountains and rivers, then drank the blood, wrote a text, and swore.

'In days past the former king of Baekje was blind to what goes against and what follows the right way. He did not keep friendship with his neighbors nor harmony with his kin by marriage. He joined with Goguryeo and made contact with the state of Wa, and together they did cruel and savage things. He invaded and wore away Silla, broke its towns, and slaughtered its fortresses, until there was hardly a peaceful year.

Therefore Buyeo Yung, the former King of Baekje and Chief Minister of Agriculture, is set up as Protector of Ungjin, to keep his ancestral sacrifices and preserve his homeland. He shall lean on Silla and long be its ally, and each shall put away old grudges and join in friendship and peace.

If either goes back on this, wavers in his virtue, raises troops, moves his people, and invades the border, may the bright spirits look upon it and send down every calamity.

May his descendants not grow, may the altars of his state lose their sacrifices, may his rites wear away to nothing and leave no remainder.

Therefore this pact, written in gold and engraved in iron, is made and stored in the ancestral shrine. For ten thousand generations let no descendant ever dare break it. May the spirits hear this, receive the offering, and grant blessing.'

When the drinking of blood was finished, the gifts of silk were buried on the north side of the altar, and the text of the oath was stored in the great shrine.

The text of the oath was written by Liu Rengui, Protector of Daifang."

〔Looking at the passage from the Tang history above, Su Dingfang sent King Uija and the crown prince Yung and the others to the Tang capital. Now it says he met Buyeo Yung, so it is clear that the Tang emperor pardoned Yung and sent him back, setting him up as Protector of Ungjin. This is why the text of the oath says so plainly, and it is taken as proof.〕

Also, the Gogi says this.

"In the first year of Zongzhang, a mujin year〔If it was the mujin year of Zongzhang, this was the affair of Li Ji, and the Su Dingfang in the text below is wrong. If it was Su Dingfang, the era should be the second year of Longshuo, an imsul year, the time when he came to surround Pyongyang.〕, the Tang army that the people of the state had asked for camped in the fields at Pyongyang and sent a letter: 'Send military supplies at once.'

The king gathered his ministers and asked, "To enter the enemy's country and reach the place where the Tang army is camped is a perilous thing. Yet the royal army that we asked for has run out of grain, and not to send its provisions is also not right. What shall be done?"

Yusin said, "We can deliver the supplies. May the great king have no worry."

So Yusin, Inmun, and the others led several tens of thousands of men into Goguryeo territory, delivered twenty thousand seok of grain, and came back. The king was overjoyed.

Again they wished to raise troops and join the Tang army, and Yusin first sent two men, Yeongi and Byeongcheon, to ask the day of meeting.

The Tang commander Su Dingfang drew two things on paper, a phoenix and a calf, and sent it back.

The people of the state could not understand its meaning and had Dharma Master Wonhyo asked. He explained,

"It means to bring the army back at once. The drawn calf and the drawn phoenix are to be read as two fanqie spellings."

Then Yusin turned the army back. As they were about to cross the Paegang he gave the order, "Whoever crosses last will be beheaded."

The soldiers raced to be first, and when half had crossed, Goguryeo soldiers came and killed those who had not yet crossed.

The next day Yusin turned back, pursued the Goguryeo soldiers, and killed several tens of thousands."

The Baekje gogi says this.

"At the north corner of Buyeo Fortress there is a great rock that looks down on the river.

It is handed down that King Uija and his palace women, knowing they could not escape, said to one another, 'Better to die by our own hands than at the hands of others.' They led one another to this place and threw themselves into the river and died. So people call it the Rock of Falling Deaths (墮死岩)."

This is a saying of the common people wrongly handed down.

Only the palace women fell to their deaths. Uija died in Tang, and the Tang history has clear text on this.

Also, the Silla gojeon says: "After Su Dingfang had attacked the two states of Goguryeo and Baekje, he stayed on, plotting to attack Silla as well. Then Yusin, knowing his plan, feasted the Tang soldiers, poisoned them, killed them all, and buried them in a pit."

Now within the borders of Sangju there is a Tang Bridge (唐橋), and this is the place of that pit.

〔Looking at the Tang history, it does not say how he died, but only writes 'he died'. How is this? Was it hidden again, or is the local saying without foundation?

If in the Goguryeo campaign of the imsul year the Silla men had killed Su Dingfang's army, how could there later have been the request for troops to destroy Goguryeo in the mujin year of Zongzhang? From this it is clear that the native tradition is without foundation.〕

After the royal army had pacified Baekje and returned, the King of Silla ordered his generals to pursue and capture the remnants of Baekje, and they camped at Hansan Fortress.

The armies of the two states of Goguryeo and Malgal came, surrounded them, and the two sides fought.

From the eleventh day of the fifth month to the twenty-second day of the sixth month it was not broken, and the Silla army was in great danger.

The king heard of it and consulted his ministers, saying, "What plan shall we make?" But he hesitated and could not decide.

Yusin hurried in and said, "The matter is urgent. Human strength cannot reach them. Only divine arts can save them."

Then he set up an altar on Mount Seongbu (星浮山) and worked his divine arts. Suddenly a light like a great jar came out from the top of the altar and flew off like a star to the north and south.

The soldiers inside Hansan Fortress were bitter that no relief came, and could only look at one another and weep.

Just as the enemy was about to press harder, a light suddenly came from the southern edge of the sky and became a thunderbolt. It struck and shattered more than thirty stone-throwing engines, and the enemy's bows, arrows, spears, and halberds were all smashed.

They all fell to the ground, and only after a long while came to and scattered and went home.

Then the Silla army also returned.

When Taejong first ascended the throne, someone presented a pig with one head, two bodies, and eight feet.

One who discussed it said, "This is surely an omen that he will swallow up all within the six directions."

In this king's reign the dress and cap of China and the ivory tablet were first worn. Dharma Master Jajang had asked the Tang emperor for them, brought them, and handed them down.

In the time of King Sinmun, Gaozong of Tang sent an envoy to Silla, who said,

"My holy father found worthy ministers such as Wei Zheng and Li Chunfeng. They joined hearts and shared virtue and united all under Heaven, and so he became Emperor Taizong.

You of Silla are a small state beyond the sea, yet you have the name Taejong and use the name of the Son of Heaven without leave. In point of duty this is disloyal. Change that name at once."

The King of Silla sent up a memorial.

"Though Silla is a small state, it found the holy minister Gim Yusin and united the three kingdoms. Therefore he was given the title Taejong."

When the emperor saw the memorial, he remembered that when he was crown prince a voice from heaven had cried in the air, 'One of the Thirty-three Heavens has come down to Silla and become Yusin.'

There was a written record of it. He took it out and examined it, and could not stop being startled and afraid.

He sent an envoy again and allowed that the name Taejong need not be changed.