Biryu (?-?) was the second son of Jumong and
So Seo-noLady So Seo-no was the wife of King Dongmyeong , and remembered as a key figure in the founding of both Goguryeo and Baekje...
, and older brother of
OnjoOnjo was the founding monarch of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. According to the Samguk Sagi, he was the ancestor of all Baekje kings.- Background :...
, the traditionally recognized founder of
BaekjeBaekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
(18 BCE–660 CE), which was one of the
Three Kingdoms of KoreaThe Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean kingdom of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium CE...
. In an alternate legend, Biryu himself is described as the founder of Baekje.
The Korean history compilation
Samguk SagiSamguk Sagi is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla. The Samguk Sagi is written in Classical Chinese and its compilation was ordered by Goryeo's King Injong Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms) is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of...
presents two founding legends of Baekje, one crediting Onjo, and an alternate crediting Biryu.
Biryu (?-?) was the second son of Jumong and
So Seo-noLady So Seo-no was the wife of King Dongmyeong , and remembered as a key figure in the founding of both Goguryeo and Baekje...
, and older brother of
OnjoOnjo was the founding monarch of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. According to the Samguk Sagi, he was the ancestor of all Baekje kings.- Background :...
, the traditionally recognized founder of
BaekjeBaekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
(18 BCE–660 CE), which was one of the
Three Kingdoms of KoreaThe Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean kingdom of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium CE...
. In an alternate legend, Biryu himself is described as the founder of Baekje.
The Record of Baekje Founding
The Korean history compilation
Samguk SagiSamguk Sagi is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla. The Samguk Sagi is written in Classical Chinese and its compilation was ordered by Goryeo's King Injong Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms) is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of...
presents two founding legends of Baekje, one crediting Onjo, and an alternate crediting Biryu. The
Samguk Sagi relays only Onjo's descendents, not Biryu's, as the royal dynasty of Baekje. However, Biryu's descendents are thought to have maintained enough influence in Baekje for this legend to survive.
Biryu and Onjo were sons of
JumongKing Dongmyeong of Goguryeo , "Dongmyeongseongwang" also known by his birth name Jumong, was the founding monarch of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. In the Gwanggaeto Stele, he is called Chumo-wang . In the Samguk Sagi and the Samguk Yusa, he is recorded as Jumong, with...
, the founder of the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms,
GoguryeoGoguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
. Biryu was recognized as successor of the throne but when Jumong's first wife and Yuri, son of Jumong and his first wife, came and succeeded Jumong, Biryu and Onjo left Goguryeo.
According to the main account given in the
Samguk Sagi, Biryu settled in
MichuholIncheon, officially the Incheon Metropolitan City, is South Korea's third largest metropolis, after Seoul and Busan. As the largest seaport on the west coast and home to the country's largest airport, Incheon International Airport, Incheon is South Korea's most important transport hub...
, thought to be today's
IncheonIncheon, officially the Incheon Metropolitan City, is South Korea's third largest metropolis, after Seoul and Busan. As the largest seaport on the west coast and home to the country's largest airport, Incheon International Airport, Incheon is South Korea's most important transport hub...
,
South KoreaSouth Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often simply referred to as Korea, is a country in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, the second largest...
.
Onjo settled in Hanam (meaning "south of the river")
WiryeseongWiryeseong was the name of two early capitals of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Both are believed to have been in the modern-day Seoul area...
in or near today's
SeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest city of South Korea. With a population of over 10 million, it is one of the world's largest cities. The Seoul National Capital Area, which includes the major port city of Incheon and most of Gyeonggi-do, has 24.5 million...
.
When the Michuhol land proved to be inhospitable, Biryu and his people went to Onjo, demanding that he be the King of
ShipjeBaekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
. After Onjo refused, Biryu declared war and attacked Hanam, but failed to conquer it and committed suicide. Later, the two groups merged to become Baekje.
Biryu is also recorded in the
Haedong goseungjeon ( / ). A river and a statelet absorbed into Goguryeo shared his name. The 11th king
BiryuBiryu of Baekje was the 11th king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. According to the Samguk Sagi, he was second son of the 6th king Gusu and the younger brother of the 7th king Saban...
and the 20th king
BiyuBiyu of Baekje was the 20th king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.According to the Samguk Sagi, he was the eldest son of the 19th king Guisin. The traditional dates of Biyu's rule are based on the Samguk Sagi. On the basis of more contemporaneous Chinese records, Best has suggested...
of Baekje also apparently took their names from him.