Gyeongmun of Silla

Gyeongmun of Silla
Hangul	경문왕
Hanja	景文王
Revised Romanization	Gyeongmun wang
McCune–Reischauer	Kyŏngmun wang
Birth name
Hangul	김응렴
Hanja	金膺廉, also 金凝廉
Revised Romanization	Gim Eung-ryeom
McCune–Reischauer	Kim Ŭng-ryŏm

Monarchs of Korea Silla (Post-unification)

Munmu 661–681 Sinmun 681–691 Hyoso 692–702 Seongdeok 702–737 Hyoseong 737–742 Gyeongdeok 742–765 Hyegong 765–780 Seondeok 780–785 Wonseong 785–798 Soseong 798–800 Aejang 800–809 Heondeok 809–826 Heungdeok 826–836 Huigang 836–838 Minae 838–839 Sinmu 839 Munseong 839–857 Heonan 857–861 Gyeongmun 861–875 Heongang 875–886 Jeonggang 886–887 Jinseong 887–897 Hyogong 897–912 Sindeok 912–917 Gyeongmyeong 917–924 Gyeongae 924–927 Gyeongsun 927–935

Gyeongmun of Silla (841 - 875) (r. 861–875) was the 48th ruler of the Korean kingdom of Silla.^[1] He was the grandson of King Huigang, and the son of the ichan Kim Gye-myeong. His mother was Lady Gwanghwa, the daughter of King Sinmu. Gyeongmun married Queen Munui, who was the daughter of King Heonan.

Gyeongmun's reign saw intensifying internal strife and rebellion. He sought to strengthen the kingdom within and without, but was generally unsuccessful. Famine was widespread. In 869, he sent the Crown Prince (who would become King Heongang) to Tang China together with Kim Yun.

The Samguk Yusa tells that Gyeongmun became a Hwarang with 18 years.^[2]

The Samguk Yusa also portrays a story which is similar to that of king midas' ears. A royal crownmaker appears instead of the barber. The crownmaker shouted the secret at a bamboo forest. Following the crownmaker's death, the king noticed that when the wind blows, his secrets echo from the forest. He immediately felt unpleasant and destroyed the bamboo forest and planted dogwoods.

His daughter, Jinseong, would later become Silla's 51 ruler and its 3rd and last reigning queen in 887.

See also

• List of Korean monarchs
• List of Silla people
• Unified Silla

References

1. Il-yeon: Samguk Yusa: Legends and History of the Three Kingdoms of Ancient Korea, translated by Tae-Hung Ha and Grafton K. Mintz. Book Two, page 104. Silk Pagoda (2006). ISBN 1-59654-348-5
2. Il-yeon: Samguk Yusa: Legends and History of the Three Kingdoms of Ancient Korea, translated by Tae-Hung Ha and Grafton K. Mintz. Book Two, page 104. Silk Pagoda (2006). ISBN 1-59654-348-5