Suro of Geumgwan Gaya
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| Suro of Geumgwan Gaya | |
|---|---|
| Hangul: | 수로왕 |
| Hanja: | 首露王 |
| Revised Romanization: | Suro-wang |
| McCune-Reischauer: | Suro-wang |
Suro, or Sureung (수릉, 首陵), (r. 42 - 199) was the legendary founder and king of the state of Geumgwan Gaya in southeastern Korea. According to the founding legend of Geumgwan Gaya, King Suro was one of six princes born from eggs that descended from the sky in a golden box. Suro was the leader among the princes, who went off to found the other states of Gaya, asserting the leadership of the Gaya confederacy.
Also according to legend, King Suro's queen Heo Hwang-ok was a princess from the Indian country of Ayuta (아유타, 阿踰陀). She is said to have arrived in Gaya by boat in the year 48. They had ten sons in all, two of whom took the mother's family name. Ayuta is today often identified with Ayodhya in India, and the tale has gained modern significance in the light of the modern-day relations between Korea and India [1] [2]. This legend was recorded in the chronicle Garakguk-gi (가락국기, 駕洛國記), and reproduced in the 13th century chronicle Samguk Yusa.
The legend as a whole is seen as indicative of the early view of kings as descended from heaven. Notably, Goguryeo is also said to have been founded by a king born from an egg. Aspects of the legend have been mined for information about the customs of Gaya, of which little is known. For example, Lee (1984, p. 7) cites the legend of his being raised to the kingship as one among various "embellished accounts of ... selecting a tribal leader." Kwon (2003) analyzes the tale of Queen Heo to gain information about the types of clothing worn at the time.
A tomb attributed to King Suro is still maintained in modern-day Gimhae. Members of the Gimhae Kim clan, who continue to play important roles in Korean life today, trace their ancestry to King Suro, as do members of the Gimhae Heo clan.
[edit] References
- Kwon, J.-h. (2003). 가야인의 삶과문화. (Gayain-ui salm-gwa munhwa/Life and culture of the Gaya people). Seoul: Hyean. ISBN 89-8494-221-9
- Lee, K.-b. (1984). A new history of Korea. Tr. by E.W. Wagner & E.J. Schulz, based on the Korean rev. ed. of 1979. Seoul: Ilchogak. ISBN 89-337-0204-0
[edit] See also
| Preceded by: none |
King of Gaya 42-199 |
Succeeded by: Geodeung Wang |
