By Robert Neff
In the late 19th century, books written in English about Korean history were often more amusing than informative because they were filled with inaccuracies, folktales, myths and deliberate deceptions. Horace N. Allen, an early American missionary doctor and later the American representative to Korea, was fond of amusing foreign readers on the peninsula ― as well as those abroad ― with his tales of Korea's past.
One of his more interesting tales was published in 1896 and immediately grabs the reader's attention:
"In former times it was believed that a son born of the 5th [day] of the 5th moon must be killed, otherwise he would overthrow the dynasty, if of royal birth, or ruin his father, if of ordinary parentage."
Allen claimed that the last king of Silla had "a son born on that unfortunate date and fearing lest his dynasty might be overthrown by him, he tossed the new-born babe out" into an adjoining courtyard to be devoured by the dogs. But his sinister act was thwarted by the kindness of one of the king's female slaves who rescued the baby and secretly raised it.
Although Allen did not name the king or the child, it is easy to deduce his tale was about Gung Ye. It isn't clear who Gung Ye's father was ― either King Heonan (r. 857-1861) or King Gyeongmun (r. 861-875) ― but his unnamed mother was one of the king's beautiful concubines. The mother clearly loved her son ― despite his inauspicious birthdate and his physical features ― but the father viewed him as a threat and was determined to do away with him.
According to Homer Hulbert, another 19th century narrator of Korean history, Gung Ye "had several teeth when he was born which made his arrival the less welcome." The king commanded that the child be thrown from a window but before this could be accomplished, a court woman (Hulbert describes her as a nurse) rescued the infant and smuggled it away to a place of safety. Unfortunately, as she was carrying the child, "she accidently put out one of its eyes." Another version claims that Gung Ye's mother, knowing that the soldiers were ordered to kill her baby, threw it out the window to her maid who was hiding nearby ― as in the previous version, the maid accidentally damaged the baby's left eye causing it to be lost.
For about 10 years, the woman (slave, nurse, or maid) raised Gung Ye ― presumably as her own ― until her death. The boy, now an orphan, sought shelter at Sedalsa, a Buddhist temple in the mountainous region of the East Coast. Here he adopted the name Sun-jeong and lived and studied as a monk for several years.
It was at about the age of 17 when Sun-jeong realized that "he was by nature ill-fitted for the monastic life" and joined a band of bandits (or rebels ― depending on the source) in Gangwon province.
According to Allen's narrative, Gung Ye "devoted himself to fighting and warlike pursuits generally. When fully grown he led a band of his rough followers to the capital at [Chuncheon] and defeated the king, his father, whom he caused to be put to death. The son was enthroned and ruled vigorously but very harshly."
Allen's description of Gung Ye's rule is rather anemic ― only that "he oppressed the people without mercy so that they diligently plotted his overthrow." However, his supernatural account of the monarch's fall is fascinating and, of course, rather unbelievable ― just the type of tale Allen loved to write about.
Apparently, the chief advisors, fearing the people would revolt, "begged the king, for his own good as well as the best interest of the country" to make reforms but Gung Ye dismissed their fears:
"'My dynasty is permanent,' said the king haughtily. 'Worms, like the people, may eat the heart of the oak and destroy it but my reign is like that of the solid rock. The people can no more harm my dynasty than worms can eat solid rock. When the rocks are worm-eaten then I will think of changing my conduct.'"
The gods heard his challenge and answered. In the middle of the night a "rumbling, grinding sound" was heard coming from the mountain and one of the court officials noticed "countless worms grinding their way into the stones." He promptly reported this to the king. In the morning, the king went to the site and saw with his own eyes that the stones "were all porous and worm-eaten" but he refused to change.
He dismissed the phenomenon and insisted that he would only be impressed if encountered horses with horns. Once again his challenge was accepted. "That night a male gave birth to a colt with horns."
The frightened king fled his palace ― "leaving no one to inherit his throne ― intent on finding safety in the Wonsan region. However, "as he crossed the mountain and saw all the stones worm-eaten, he became so afraid that he committed suicide at the Sam Pang Pass (Three Valley Pass) where he was buried by the people, who erected a little temple by the roadside in front of his grave." Allen insisted that his grave could still "be seen by all travelers."
Allen's tale was just that ― a tale. There are other historical accounts of Gung Ye but determining their veracity is no easy matter. Gung Ye raised an army and, through the military prowess of his trusted general (Wang Geon), conquered a large swath of the Korean peninsula. In 901, according to Hulbert, Gung Ye proclaimed himself king of Goryeo "and emphasized it by slashing with a sword the picture of the king of Silla which hung in a monastery."
Ruling from Songak (modern Gaeseong ― North Korea), Gung Ye's armies continued to enjoy victories on the battlefield adding more territory to his domain and further weakening Silla. In 905, he renamed his kingdom Majin and moved the capital to Cheorwon in Gangwon Province. It was about this time that he rediscovered his religious faith.
"He proclaimed himself a Buddha, called himself [Maitreya Buddha], made both his sons Buddhists, dressed as a high priest and went nowhere without censers. He pretended to teach the tenets of Buddhism. He printed a book, and put a monk to death because he did not accept it as canonical."
In 911, he again changed the name of his kingdom, this time to Taebong. Many of his court viewed Gung Ye as a deranged tyrant ― "cruel and capricious" ― and all feared for their lives. The king's family was not exempt from his brutal excesses. Apparently, his wife, Lady Kang, beseeched him to refrain from his violent acts and tried to dissuade him from Buddhism. Her constant nagging infuriated him and so he accused her of adultery and then violated her with a red-hot iron rod. After her death, he killed his "two sons and many other of the people near his person." Hulbert summed it up as Gung Ye "was hated as thoroughly as he was feared."
There was, however, one man who still honored this mad king ― General Wang Geon. Even after being summoned back to the capital, accused of conspiracy against the king ― which, according to Hulbert, he falsely admitted and was subsequently rewarded for his honesty ― the general's loyalty to the throne was unwavering. He was convinced "that it was the worst of crimes to usurp a throne." Yet, despite his conviction, he did usurp the throne but not on his own volition.
According to Hulbert, it was the general's wife who ordered the court officials to take the general by force into the palace and claim the throne. They did just that. "[Bearing] him in their arms they burst through the palace gate" and demanded Gung Ye to yield the throne.
Fearing for his life, Gung Ye "fled naked" from the palace but was eventually caught and beheaded. One source suggests that perhaps he met his death at the hands of a peasant who mistook the mad king for a thief.
Allen concluded that if Gung Ye had "been properly cared for and educated he might have been a better man" and the only good thing that came from his death was "the horrible custom of killing these infants [boys born on the fifth day of the fifth moon] was abolished."
Was Gung Ye really a mad tyrant or merely the victim of his usurper's vilifying pen? Hulbert, who wrote extensively about Korean history, undoubtedly utilized the ancient records and manuscripts provided by his Korean teachers for his account of Gung Ye. Allen, however, did not have access to these sources nor did he have the interest ― he liked to entertain and often published amusing anecdotes about his life in Korea or tales he heard from his Korean acquaintances.
One thing that does seem to be certain is that with Gung Ye's death came the birth of a new era: General Wang Geon became Taejo Wang Geon ― the founder of the Goryeo dynasty.
Robert Neff has authored and co-authored several books, including Letters from Joseon, Korea Through Western Eyes and Brief Encounters.
 |
| A visage of the past ― Gyeongju, the ancient capital of Silla. Postcard, circa 1920s. Courtesy of Diane Nars Collection |
One of his more interesting tales was published in 1896 and immediately grabs the reader's attention:
"In former times it was believed that a son born of the 5th [day] of the 5th moon must be killed, otherwise he would overthrow the dynasty, if of royal birth, or ruin his father, if of ordinary parentage."
Allen claimed that the last king of Silla had "a son born on that unfortunate date and fearing lest his dynasty might be overthrown by him, he tossed the new-born babe out" into an adjoining courtyard to be devoured by the dogs. But his sinister act was thwarted by the kindness of one of the king's female slaves who rescued the baby and secretly raised it.
Although Allen did not name the king or the child, it is easy to deduce his tale was about Gung Ye. It isn't clear who Gung Ye's father was ― either King Heonan (r. 857-1861) or King Gyeongmun (r. 861-875) ― but his unnamed mother was one of the king's beautiful concubines. The mother clearly loved her son ― despite his inauspicious birthdate and his physical features ― but the father viewed him as a threat and was determined to do away with him.
According to Homer Hulbert, another 19th century narrator of Korean history, Gung Ye "had several teeth when he was born which made his arrival the less welcome." The king commanded that the child be thrown from a window but before this could be accomplished, a court woman (Hulbert describes her as a nurse) rescued the infant and smuggled it away to a place of safety. Unfortunately, as she was carrying the child, "she accidently put out one of its eyes." Another version claims that Gung Ye's mother, knowing that the soldiers were ordered to kill her baby, threw it out the window to her maid who was hiding nearby ― as in the previous version, the maid accidentally damaged the baby's left eye causing it to be lost.
 |
| Boldeok-gul Hermitage in the Geumgang Mountains. Postcard, circa 1920s. Robert Neff Collection |
For about 10 years, the woman (slave, nurse, or maid) raised Gung Ye ― presumably as her own ― until her death. The boy, now an orphan, sought shelter at Sedalsa, a Buddhist temple in the mountainous region of the East Coast. Here he adopted the name Sun-jeong and lived and studied as a monk for several years.
It was at about the age of 17 when Sun-jeong realized that "he was by nature ill-fitted for the monastic life" and joined a band of bandits (or rebels ― depending on the source) in Gangwon province.
According to Allen's narrative, Gung Ye "devoted himself to fighting and warlike pursuits generally. When fully grown he led a band of his rough followers to the capital at [Chuncheon] and defeated the king, his father, whom he caused to be put to death. The son was enthroned and ruled vigorously but very harshly."
Allen's description of Gung Ye's rule is rather anemic ― only that "he oppressed the people without mercy so that they diligently plotted his overthrow." However, his supernatural account of the monarch's fall is fascinating and, of course, rather unbelievable ― just the type of tale Allen loved to write about.
Apparently, the chief advisors, fearing the people would revolt, "begged the king, for his own good as well as the best interest of the country" to make reforms but Gung Ye dismissed their fears:
"'My dynasty is permanent,' said the king haughtily. 'Worms, like the people, may eat the heart of the oak and destroy it but my reign is like that of the solid rock. The people can no more harm my dynasty than worms can eat solid rock. When the rocks are worm-eaten then I will think of changing my conduct.'"
 |
| The wilderness of the Geumgang Mountains. Postcard, circa 1920s. Robert Neff Collection |
The gods heard his challenge and answered. In the middle of the night a "rumbling, grinding sound" was heard coming from the mountain and one of the court officials noticed "countless worms grinding their way into the stones." He promptly reported this to the king. In the morning, the king went to the site and saw with his own eyes that the stones "were all porous and worm-eaten" but he refused to change.
He dismissed the phenomenon and insisted that he would only be impressed if encountered horses with horns. Once again his challenge was accepted. "That night a male gave birth to a colt with horns."
The frightened king fled his palace ― "leaving no one to inherit his throne ― intent on finding safety in the Wonsan region. However, "as he crossed the mountain and saw all the stones worm-eaten, he became so afraid that he committed suicide at the Sam Pang Pass (Three Valley Pass) where he was buried by the people, who erected a little temple by the roadside in front of his grave." Allen insisted that his grave could still "be seen by all travelers."
Allen's tale was just that ― a tale. There are other historical accounts of Gung Ye but determining their veracity is no easy matter. Gung Ye raised an army and, through the military prowess of his trusted general (Wang Geon), conquered a large swath of the Korean peninsula. In 901, according to Hulbert, Gung Ye proclaimed himself king of Goryeo "and emphasized it by slashing with a sword the picture of the king of Silla which hung in a monastery."
Ruling from Songak (modern Gaeseong ― North Korea), Gung Ye's armies continued to enjoy victories on the battlefield adding more territory to his domain and further weakening Silla. In 905, he renamed his kingdom Majin and moved the capital to Cheorwon in Gangwon Province. It was about this time that he rediscovered his religious faith.
"He proclaimed himself a Buddha, called himself [Maitreya Buddha], made both his sons Buddhists, dressed as a high priest and went nowhere without censers. He pretended to teach the tenets of Buddhism. He printed a book, and put a monk to death because he did not accept it as canonical."
 |
| The tomb of Gongmin, the 31st ruler of Goryeo (r. 1351-1374), in Gaeseong. Postcard, circa 1910s. Robert Neff Collection |
In 911, he again changed the name of his kingdom, this time to Taebong. Many of his court viewed Gung Ye as a deranged tyrant ― "cruel and capricious" ― and all feared for their lives. The king's family was not exempt from his brutal excesses. Apparently, his wife, Lady Kang, beseeched him to refrain from his violent acts and tried to dissuade him from Buddhism. Her constant nagging infuriated him and so he accused her of adultery and then violated her with a red-hot iron rod. After her death, he killed his "two sons and many other of the people near his person." Hulbert summed it up as Gung Ye "was hated as thoroughly as he was feared."
There was, however, one man who still honored this mad king ― General Wang Geon. Even after being summoned back to the capital, accused of conspiracy against the king ― which, according to Hulbert, he falsely admitted and was subsequently rewarded for his honesty ― the general's loyalty to the throne was unwavering. He was convinced "that it was the worst of crimes to usurp a throne." Yet, despite his conviction, he did usurp the throne but not on his own volition.
According to Hulbert, it was the general's wife who ordered the court officials to take the general by force into the palace and claim the throne. They did just that. "[Bearing] him in their arms they burst through the palace gate" and demanded Gung Ye to yield the throne.
Fearing for his life, Gung Ye "fled naked" from the palace but was eventually caught and beheaded. One source suggests that perhaps he met his death at the hands of a peasant who mistook the mad king for a thief.
Allen concluded that if Gung Ye had "been properly cared for and educated he might have been a better man" and the only good thing that came from his death was "the horrible custom of killing these infants [boys born on the fifth day of the fifth moon] was abolished."
Was Gung Ye really a mad tyrant or merely the victim of his usurper's vilifying pen? Hulbert, who wrote extensively about Korean history, undoubtedly utilized the ancient records and manuscripts provided by his Korean teachers for his account of Gung Ye. Allen, however, did not have access to these sources nor did he have the interest ― he liked to entertain and often published amusing anecdotes about his life in Korea or tales he heard from his Korean acquaintances.
One thing that does seem to be certain is that with Gung Ye's death came the birth of a new era: General Wang Geon became Taejo Wang Geon ― the founder of the Goryeo dynasty.
Robert Neff has authored and co-authored several books, including Letters from Joseon, Korea Through Western Eyes and Brief Encounters.
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