Samguk Sagi is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla. Completed in 1145, it is well known in Korea as the oldest surviving chronicle of Korean history.
Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what its early practitioners saw as inconsistencies within the Mahayana Buddhist traditions that they received from foreign countries. To address this, they developed a new holistic approach to Buddhism that became a distinct form, an approach characteristic of virtually all major Korean thinkers. The resulting variation is called Tongbulgyo, a form that sought to harmonize previously arising disputes among scholars.
Silla, alternatively Shilla, was a Korean kingdom that existed between 57 BCE – 935 CE and located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Silla had the lowest population of approximately 850,000 people, which was significantly smaller than those of Baekje and Goguryeo.
Queen Seondeok of Silla reigned as Queen Regnant of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, from 632 to 647. She was Silla's twenty-seventh ruler, and its first reigning queen. She was the second female sovereign in recorded East Asian history and encouraged a renaissance in thought, literature, and the arts in Silla. In Samguksagi, Queen Seondeok was described as "generous, benevolent, wise, and smart". According to the Legend of Jigwi, she was also beautiful. She developed Buddhist culture, selected great talent, and established diplomacy with the Tang Dynasty, laying the foundation for the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Queen Seondeok is known as a wise and kind monarch, making her one of the most prominent monarchs in Korean history.
Kim Yu-sin was a Korean military general and politician in 7th-century Silla. He led the unification of the Korean Peninsula by Silla under the reign of King Muyeol and King Munmu. He is said to have been the great-grandchild of King Guhae of Geumgwan Gaya, the last ruler of the Geumgwan Gaya state. This would have given him a very high position in the Silla bone rank system, which governed the political and military status that a person could attain.
Kung Ye was the king of the short-lived state of Taebong (901–918), one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea. Although he was a member of the Silla royal family, he became a victim of the power struggle among the royal family members during the late 9th century. He became a rebel leader against the unpopular Silla government, which almost abandoned the affairs of their subjects for the struggle for power among royal family members.
Taejo of Goryeo, personal name Wang Kŏn, also known as Taejo Wang Kŏn, was the founder of the Korean Goryeo dynasty. Taejo ruled from 918 to 943, achieving unification of the Later Three Kingdoms in 936.
Yuri of Silla was the third king of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He is commonly called Yuri Isageum.
Queen Jindeok of Silla (?–654), reigned as Queen of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, from 647 to 654. She was the kingdom's 28th ruler, and its second reigning queen following her predecessor Queen Seondeok. During her reign, Silla jockeyed with Baekje for favor in the Chinese Tang court. She is also known for writing a poem of the Emperor Gaozong of Tang. According to Samguk Sagi, she was voluptuous, beautiful and tall.
Adalla of Silla was the eighth ruler of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He is commonly called Adalla Isageum, isageum being the royal title in early Silla. As a descendant of Silla's founder Hyeokgeose, his surname was Bak.
Jobun of Silla, also known by his title Jobun Isageum, was the eleventh king of the Korean state of Silla. He was the grandson of Beolhyu Isageum, and a member of the Seok clan. He was the son of Goljeong with Lady Ongmo, a daughter of Kim Gudo. Lady Ongmo's brother was Michu Isageum.
Michu of Silla was the thirteenth ruler of the Korean state of Silla. He was the first king of the Kim clan to sit on the Silla throne; this clan would hold the throne for most of Silla's later history. He was the son of Gudo, a leading Silla general, and the sixth-generation descendant of the clan founder Kim Alji.
Yurye of Silla, also known as Yuri or by his official title Yurye Isageum, was the fourteenth ruler of the Korean state of Silla. He was a Seok and the son of King Jobun, but his mother was a Park and a descendant of Bak Hyeokgeose.
Heulhae of Silla, titled Heulhae Isageum, was the sixteenth ruler of the Korean kingdom of Silla. He was a member of the aristocratic Seok clan, which held the throne for much of the early period of Silla. According to the Samguk Sagi, he was the son of the general Uro, who was the son of Naehae Isageum. Although we do not know his year of birth, he was young when he first came to the throne.
Jinpyeong was the 26th king of the Silla dynasty, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. King Jinpyeong followed in the footsteps of his predecessor, King Jinji, by reorganizing the central ruling system of Silla. Upon the onset of a multitude of conflicts between Baekje and Goguryeo, he sent emissaries to improve relations and strengthen ties between Silla and the Chinese dynasties Sui and Tang. He is also known for his promotion of Buddhism as a spiritual guide for the kingdom and encouraging Buddhist teachings. His 54 year long reign is the longest in Silla's history.
King Seondeok of Silla (?–785), personal name Kim Yang-sang, was the 37th ruler of Silla and the 8th ruler of Unified Silla. Prior to that, he served as a Sangdaedeung to King Hyegong of Silla.
Girimsa is a Buddhist temple located on the slopes of Mount Hamwolsan in Gyeongju city, the North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It is a subsidiary temple of Bulguksa, the head temple of the 11th branch of Jogye Order. The temple was first established by Monk Gwangyu from India as Imjeongsa (林井寺) in 643, the period of Queen Seondeok's reign during the Silla kingdom period.
Bidam 毗曇 ? – 26 February 647. He was known for leading a rebellion against Queen Seondeok of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Prior to his rebellion, he held the position of a Sangdaedeung. Details about his birth or achievements are vaguely known as there are no actual records containing them. However, being a Sangdaedeung, could have meant that he was part of the royal nobles or a Jinggol.
Princess Cheonmyeong was a princess of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. She is known as Queen Seondeok's sister and King Taejong Muyeol's mother.