Haedong Goseungjeon | |
Hangul | 해동고승전 |
---|---|
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Haedong goseungjeon |
McCune–Reischauer | Haedong kosŭngjŏn |
The Haedong Goseungjeon (translated most commonly as the "Lives of Eminent Korean Monks") was a compilation of mostly Korean Buddhist hagiographies, notably of famous monks from the Three Kingdoms period of Korean history.
It was compiled by the monk Gakhun (각훈, 覺訓) (dates unknown) by order of the Goryeo king Gojong in 1215. Though Gakhun was working in the tradition of Chinese Buddhist historiography (which had a long tradition of compiling lives of eminent monks), as was the case with the compilation of the Samguk Sagi and Samguk Yusa, the composing of the Haedong Goseungjeon was meant to promote native exemplars, in this case of Buddhist piety. It also served to bring prominence and merit to the court that ordered its compilation.
The work, along with the Samguk Sagi and the Samguk Yusa, comprises one of the most important sources for the Three Kingdoms period. The monk Iryeon consulted the work some half a century later when compiling his Samguk Yusa.
It was long thought that the work was lost, until portions of it were rediscovered at a Buddhist temple in Seongju in the early twentieth century. Only two of probably more than ten volumes survive. The extant volumes include biographies of eighteen famous and not–so–famous Buddhist monks from Goguryeo and Silla, as well as India and China. Unfortunately, some of the most famous of Three Kingdoms period Buddhist figures are not included (namely Wonhyo), though they were presumably included in the missing volumes.
Not much is known of the work's chief compiler, except that he served as the chief abbot of Yeongtongsa, i.e. the Yeong Tong Temple (영통사, 靈通寺) in the city of Kaesŏng, North Korea, which was then the capital city of Goryeo. His deeds go unrecorded in the Goryeosa (History of Goryeo). [1]
The work was translated into English by Peter H. Lee in 1969. [2]
The surviving portion of the Haedong Goseungjeon contains the biographies of the following monks (native place):
Goguryeo, also called Goryeo, was a Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Manchuria. At its peak of power, Goguryeo controlled most of the Korean peninsula, large parts of Manchuria and parts of eastern Mongolia and Inner Mongolia.
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Baekje, also called Nambuyeo, was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BC to 660 AD. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla.
The Three Kingdoms of Korea refers to the three kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla. Goguryeo was later known as Goryeo, from which the modern name Korea is derived. The Three Kingdoms period is defined as being from 57 BC to 668 AD.
Silla or Shilla was a Korean kingdom located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of Korea.
Samguk yusa or Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms is a collection of legends, folktales and historical accounts relating to the Three Kingdoms of Korea, as well as to other periods and states before, during and after the Three Kingdoms period. It is the earliest extant record of the Dangun legend, which records the founding of Gojoseon as the first Korean nation. The Samguk yusa is National Treasure No. 306.
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King Mu of Baekje (580–641) was the 30th king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the 4th son of King Wideok.
Bojang of Goguryeo was the 28th and last monarch of Goguryeo the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was placed on the throne by the military leader Yeon Gaesomun. His reign ended when Goguryeo fell to the allied forces of the southern Korean kingdom of Silla and the Chinese Tang Dynasty.
Chumo, posthumously Chumo the Holy (Chumo-Seongwang), was the founding monarch of the kingdom of Goguryeo, and was worshipped as a god-king by people of Goguryeo. Chumo was originally a Buyeo slang for an excellent archer, which became his name later. He was commonly recorded as Jumong by various Chinese literatures including history books written by Northern Qi and Tang—the name became dominant in future writings including Samguk Sagi and Samguk Yusa. Chumo's title was changed to Dongmyeong the Holy (Dongmyeong-Seongwang), literally translated to the Bright Holy King of the East, at some point of time prior to compilation of Samguk Sagi (1145). His other names include Chumong, Jungmo, Nakamu, or Tomo. In Samguk Sagi, he was recorded as Jumong with the surname Go, and was also known as Junghae or Sanghae.
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Choe Chiwon was a Korean philosopher and poet of the late medieval Unified Silla period (668-935). He studied for many years in Tang China, passed the Tang imperial examination, and rose to the high office there before returning to Silla, where he made ultimately futile attempts to reform the governmental apparatus of a declining Silla state.
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Il-yeon was a Buddhist monk and All-Enlightened National Preceptor during the Goryeo Dynasty of Korea. His birth name was either Kim Gyeong-myeong (金景明) or Jeon Gyeon-myeong (全見明), and his courtesy name was Hoe-yeon (晦然).
Malananta was an Indian Buddhist monk that brought Buddhism to the southern Korean peninsula in the 4th century. Multiple romanizations of Malananta's name may be found, including Meghananda (मेघानंदा), Malananda, Maranant'a and Maalaananda. He was among the first to bring Buddhist teaching, or Dharma, to Korea. The Samguk yusa and Samguk yusa record him as the one who brought Buddhism to King Chimnyu of Baekje in 384 CE, along with Sundo in Goguryeo and Ado in Silla. Buddhism, a religion originating in what is now India, was transmitted to Korea via China in the late 4th century.
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