Gogurueo in Korean Hisrory 4.- Well-known Goguryeo Personalities

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4. Well-known Goguryeo Personalities


Bubunno: The general of distinguished service for Goguryeo's winning wars with the States of Biryu and Haeng-in during its founding days. Typical of his successful campaigns was the subjugation of a strong enemy, the Seonbi tribe, in 9 B.C. First, his spies infiltrated the Seonbi region to spread disinformation concerning certain vulnerabilities of Goguryeo; then, together with King Yurimyeong, attacked Seonbi's fortress. The troops, led by King Yurimyeong, made the first move, attacking on the main gate. When they encountered a counterattack, they began to retreat, which prompted Seonbi forces to chase after them. Taking advantage of this sortie, Bubunno led his troops and occupied the fortress. Taken aback, Seonbi forces tried to return to their fortress only to face a two-fronted attack. Eventually, they had to surrender. Bubunno was the greatest general of wisdom and valor in Goguryeo's founding years.


Goeyu: A man of humble origins, Goeyu came from the far-off northern seashore, but stood out in martial arts. He was extraordinarily tall, and had a fair and brilliant complexion. In December of A.D. 21 when King Daemusin was about to embark on a conquest of Buyeo, he stepped forward and asked for an opportunity to render his distinguished services for Goguryeo. Once a battle was engaged two months later, Goeyu led in the vanguard of the attack and beheaded King Daeso of Buyeo. As a result of this war Buyeo was thrust into internal dissensions, while Goguryeo became stronger. The Goguryeo people so respected him that when on his deathbed, King Daemusin paid a personal visit to him.


Myeongrip Dapbu: Myeongrip Dapbu came from the Yeonna District. In 165, he killed Goguryeo's 7th King Chadae (A.D. 146-165), who misruled and tormented the people, and through a palace coup he installed Sindae as the new king. King Sindae offered him the highest position of Kuksang (prime minister). In 172, Later Han (of China) came attacking with a great number of forces. Myeongrip Dapbu first had fortress walls constructed and held out his defensive positions until the attackers were worn out. When the enemy began to pull out, he chased after them with thousands of mounted soldiers and annihilated enemy troops at the Jwawon battle. He was also credited with stable management of state affairs and with successfully repulsing many foreign aggressions.


Eul Paso: In 191, King Gogukcheon asked the people to recommend new and promising figures who would assist him with the rightful management of state affairs. In response, the people recommended Ahn Yu, who received the highest vote. But Ahn recommended Eul Paso, saying that Eul Paso was better than him. The king called in Eul Paso, then a mere peasant, and asked him to serve as Jung-oe Daebu, corresponding to today's government minister. He rejected the offer, however. The king, realizing why he refused the post, appointed him to the post of Kuksang, or prime minister, and gave him his full confidence. Based on the king's trust, Eul Paso carried out fair and just politics, overriding aristocrats' objections. In particular, Jindaebeop (relief loan law), enforced in 194, greatly contributed to stabilizing peasants' livelihood. Jindaebeop enabled peasants to borrow grains from state storehouses during the spring famine season, to be repaid after the autumn harvest. Eul Paso was rated the best premier in Goguryeo. Ahn Yu, who recommended Eul Paso, an ordinary peasant, and King Gogukcheon, who gave full confidence to the latter with state affairs, showed the best example of political recruitment.


Mil Woo, Yu Oggu, Yu Yu: In 246, Kuan Chiu Chien of China's Wei Dynasty invaded Goguryeo with powerful armed forces. In the early stage of the war, King Dongcheon was successful in repulsing any invading army with the ironclad cavalry. The over-confident king, however, was routed by enemy forces in the subsequent battle and found himself deserting his palace and heavily pursued by enemy forces. His troops dispersed and he was even unable to find a hideout, when Mil Woo and Yu Yu appeared out of nowhere. They provided the king time to flee, while they engaged in a forlorn effort against the onslaught of enemy forces. Ever grateful, the king asked for someone who would rescue Mil Woo. Yu Oggu volunteered and brought back Mil Woo, who was wounded on the battlefield. But, the enemy's pursuit of the king did not let up. At that critical moment, in a gesture of capitulation Yu Yu approached the enemy commander with food and stabbed him to death. Of course, he was also killed. As soon as the commander died, the Chinese troops began to disperse, allowing the king to find the momentum to counterattack. Goguryeo was able to rise up again thanks to the courageous efforts of the trio.


Changjori: Prime minister Changjori was always unhappy about the wrongful decisions of King Bongsang: The king was engaged in excessive luxuries such as expanding his palace, while the peasants were suffering from deprivation due to natural disasters like drought, earthquakes, frost and hail. His repeated pleas to the king failed to change his wrongful behavior. Saying that a king must look dignified, the king insisted on mobilizing the peasants for the exhaustive work. Changjori was able to persuade his fellow aristocrats into agreeing to dethrone the king. He engineered to install Eulbul as King Bongsang's successor. Eulbul was a nephew of the king, who fell in the king's disfavor, and was drifting around the countryside, hiding his identity. Eulbul was inaugurated as King Micheon. King Bongsang committed suicide, realizing that the people no longer supported him. Changjori was a man of conviction, who believed that even kings could be ousted if they persecuted the people, and he put his conviction into action.


Princess Pyeonggang and Ondal: Princess Pyeonggang was such a crybaby in her infant years that her father, King Pyeongwon, used to tease her, saying that if she didn't stop crying he would marry her off to Fool Ondal. Years later when she came of age, the princess quietly left the palace, searched out Fool Ondal, and married him, against her father's wishes. She taught Ondal to be an outstanding figure. He won a national hunting competition, a feat that earned him the position of general. Moreover, he was accepted as the king's son-in-law for his distinguished services in wars against Silla and China's Northern Zhou. The Ondal episode shows a measure of openness of Goguryeo society, where even a commoner can rise up to become the king's son-in-law.


Eulji Mundeog: Eulji Mundeog was Goguryeo's greatest general endowed with valor and wisdom. In A.D. 612, China's Sui dynasty attacked Goguryeo with 1,133,800 troops. When the Sui main invasion force failed to capture the Liaodung fortress, which hampered their advance, a special detachment of 305,000 took a detour and advanced toward Goguryeo's capital. Eulji Mundeog lured the Chinese detachment into the country and waited until the enemy forces were worn out. With their supply line cut off behind them and confronted with a strong Goguryeo counterattack, the Chinese forces began to retreat. Taking advantage of the retreat, Eulji Mundeog's forces put the Chinese troops to rout at the battle of Salsu River. Of the 305,000 Chinese troops who set foot on Goguryeo, only 2,700 were said to have survived and returned home. Thanks to Eulji Mundeog, Goguryeo was able to renew its prestige as a great power, but the Sui Dynasty ultimately perished as a result of this defeat.