| Hogong | |
| Hangul | 호공 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 瓠公 |
| RR | Hogong |
| MR | Hogong |
Hogong was a minister of Silla in the age of nation-building. It is recorded that he was originally from the Wa people of Japan,though his family name or clan name was unknown to the compiler of the Historical Records of the Three Kingdoms. [1]
He was called "Hogong" (meaning Duke Bottle Gourd) because he was wearing one or more bottle gourds on his waist when he first came across the sea. He was a very important person in initial Silla because he appeared in stories of primogenitors of all royal families. In fact,the Sino-Korean 瓠ho meaning 'gourd' is a synonym of native Korean "박 bak ". The "gong" in his name was most likely a title,as the Sino-Korean "公gong" is from the Chinese "公gōng" meaning 'duke;husband;male;public,communal;fair,equitable.',ultimately making Hogong's name mean "Duke gourd".
Scholars such as Kim So-un [ ko ] (김소운),a pro-Japanese Korean historian,posited that Hyeokgeose was Hogong,a Japanese individual who was Hyeokgeose's personal minister,based on the fact that the characters for "Park (朴)" and Hogong's surname "Ho (瓠)" all shared the meaning of "gourd". [2] However,this theory is considered unlikely as the sources claim that both individuals existed concurrently and provide accounts of the two interacting with one another.
Another theory suggests that Yi Al-pyeong [ ko ] (李謁平/이알평),one of the village leaders that became the foundation for Silla and the founder of the Gyeongju Lee clan;the second largest Lee clan in Korea,was none other than Hogong. It postulates that Al-pyeong's real name,"Pyo-am (瓢巖/표암)" which has the word "pyo (瓢/표)" a character that means 'calabash' (a species of gourd),was represented as "Pyogong (瓢公/표공)" meaning "Duke Pyo (calabash)" during his time as the leader of his village. [3] By comparing the similarities of their names,"Hogong-Pyogong" and both individuals having a character that meant 'gourd/calabash',it is stated that Yi Al-pyeong,the founder of the Gyeongju Lee clan,was in fact Hogong. However,this theory is not supported due to historical inconsistency such as Al-pyeong existing much prior to Hogong's naturalization.