Wonseong of Silla

King Wonseong
원성왕
元聖王
Bunhwangsa Hogukyongbyeoneojeong
King of Silla
Reign785–798
Coronation785
PredecessorKing Seondeok of Silla
SuccessorSoseong of Silla
Bornc.730s
DiedFebruary 12, 799/December 29 798, Lunar Calendar
Silla
Burial
Tomb of King Wonseong, Gyeongju
Posthumous name
King Wonseong (元聖王, 원성왕)
Temple name
Liezu (烈祖, 열조)
FatherKim Hyo-yang
MotherLady Gye-o
Wonseong of Silla
Hangul
원성왕
Hanja
元聖王
Revised RomanizationWonseong Wang
McCune–ReischauerWŏnsŏng Wang
Birth name
Hangul
김경신
Hanja
金敬信
Revised RomanizationGim Gyeong-sin
McCune–ReischauerKim Kyŏngsin

Wonseong of Silla (r. 785–798,[1] died 798) was the 38th to rule the Korean kingdom of Silla. He was a twelfth-generation descendant of King Naemul. His father was Kim Hyo-yang, and his mother was Lady Gye-o, the daughter of Park Chang-do. Wonseong's queen was Lady Yeonhwa, the daughter of Gakgan Kim Sin-sul.

Wonseong of Silla ruled out the Resolution of the Ji-jeong with the Yang-sang in 780 before becoming king. He killed Hyegong of Silla and contributed to the throne. From this point of view, he is a figure closely related to his appearance and has been opposed to the monarchy of the royal family since King Gyeongdeok. Hyegong of Silla was appointed to Sangdaedeung in 780 (King Seongdeok 1) for his work to calm down the turmoil at the end of King Hyegong's reign.[2]

In 780, Wonseong fought alongside his kinsman Kim Yang-sang to defeat the rebellion of Kim Ji-jeong. The rebellion left King Hyegong dead, and Kim took the throne as King Seondeok. The new king gave Wonseong the title of sangdaedeung. After Seondeok died without an heir, the nobles chose Wonseong as the new king.[3]

In 787, Wonseong sent tribute to Tang China and requested a title. In 788, he established the national civil service examination for the first time, on the Tang model.

After his death in 798,[4] the king was buried south of Bongdeoksa.

  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 96. Silk Pagoda (2006). ISBN 1-59654-348-5
  2. ^ "원성왕(元聖王)". Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-06-24.
  3. ^ 김, 동완 (July 22, 2020). "[삼국유사 오디세이] 10. 원성왕의 무혈쿠테타". 경북일보. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  4. ^ "[Visual History of Korea] Sogdian traders in Silla, the eastern end of the Silk Road". Korean Herald. October 22, 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2024.

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