Hwarang segi was a historical record of the
HwarangThe Hwarang, or "Flower Boys"., were an elite group of male youth in Silla, an ancient Korean kingdom that lasted until the 10th century. There were educational institutions as well as social clubs where members gathered for all aspects of study, originally for arts and culture steeped mainly in...
(lit. flower boys) of the
SillaSilla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
kingdom in ancient
KoreaKorea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. It is said to have been written by
SillaSilla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
historianA historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
Kim Daemun 金大問 (
fl.Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
704) in the reign of Seongdeok the Great (r. 702~737).
The
Hwarang segi survived to the time that Kim Busik 金富軾 (1075–1151) compiled the
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...
, but is believed to have been lost since the 13th century, because no reference to the
Hwarang segi was made after reference to the text found in monk Gakhun's 覺訓
Haedong goseung jeon 海東高僧傳 (Lives of Eminent Korean Monks, ca. 1215). Two handwritten manuscripts of a text titled
Hwarang segi were found in 1989 in
GimhaeGimhae, also commonly spelled Kimhae, is a city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Gimhae is known to locals as "The Paris of Gyeongsangnamdo." It is the seat of the large Gimhae Kim clan, one of the largest Kim clans in Korea...
,
South KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. The first manuscript, which was made public in 1989, is typically called the "extract" (
balchwebon, 발췌본, 拔萃本), and contains a preface and short accounts of the first fifteen
pungwolju (풍월주, 風月主) or leaders of the
hwarang. The second manuscript, which was not made public until 1995, is usually called "the mother text" (
mobon, 모본， 母本). Because the first part of the manuscript is damaged and missing, it begins with a fragmented but fuller account of the fourth
pungwolju, continues with more detailed accounts of the first fifteen
pungwolju, and concludes after an account of the thirty-second and final
pungweolju. Both manuscripts are in the handwriting of Bak Changhwa 朴昌和(1889–1962), who was skilled in literary Chinese and also worked for the Imperial Library in Tokyo during the Colonial period. The historical validity of these
Hwarang Segi manuscripts is a subject of great controversy among scholars of early Korea and
Korean studiesKorean studies is an academic discipline, focusing on the study of Korea. Areas commonly included under this rubric include Korean history, Korean literature, Korean art, Korean music, Korean language, Korean sociology, Korean political science, Korean economics, Korean folklore, and Korean...
. Most scholars think of this as a
forgeryForgery is the process of making, adapting, or imitating objects, statistics, or documents with the intent to deceive. Copies, studio replicas, and reproductions are not considered forgeries, though they may later become forgeries through knowing and willful misrepresentations. Forging money or...
although some argue for its authenticity.
For those who argue for the authenticity of the manuscripts, the importance of
Hwarang segi is that is one of the scarce historical works about
SillaSilla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
by a person of
SillaSilla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
himself, and it is free from
ConfucianConfucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
dogma and morality. If the
Hwarang segi manuscripts are authentic, later historians have based their understanding of
Three Kingdoms eraThe Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium...
on
Goryeo DynastyThe Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
sources like
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...
and
Samguk yusaSamguk Yusa, or Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms, is a collection of legends, folktales, and historical accounts relating to the Three Kingdoms of Korea , as well as to other periods and states before, during, and after the Three Kingdoms period.The text was written in Classical Chinese, which was...
.
The manuscript known as the
Hwarang Segi extract is made of 16 parts; one for the introduction and the fifteen for the biographies of fifteen pungwolju leaders of the
hwarangThe Hwarang, or "Flower Boys"., were an elite group of male youth in Silla, an ancient Korean kingdom that lasted until the 10th century. There were educational institutions as well as social clubs where members gathered for all aspects of study, originally for arts and culture steeped mainly in...
. They are:
- Introduction
- Wihwarang
- Mijinbu
- Morang
- Ihwarang
- Sadaham
- Sejong
- Seolwonrang
- Munno
- Biborang
- Miseng
- Hajong
- Bori
- Yongchun
- Horim
- Kim Yusin
See also
- Three Kingdoms of Korea
The Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium...
- History of South Korea
The history of South Korea formally begins with the establishment of South Korea on 15 August 1948, although Syngman Rhee had declared the establishment in Seoul on 13 August....
- List of Korea-related topics