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Samguk Yusa, or Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms, is a collection of legends, folktales, and historical accounts relating to the Three Kingdoms of Korea
Three Kingdoms of Korea

The Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean empire of Goguryeo, and kingdom of Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium CE....
 (Goguryeo
Goguryeo

Goguryeo or Koguryo was an ancient Koreans Empire located in the northern and central parts of the Korean peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Primorsky Krai....
, Baekje
Baekje

Baekje , or Paekche , was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
 and Silla
Silla

Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and the longest sustaining dynasty in Asian history. Although it was founded by King Bak Hyeokgeose of Silla, who is also known to be the originator of the Korean family name Park , the dynasty was to see the Kyungju Kim clan hold rule for most of its 992-year history....
), as well as to other periods and states before, during, and after the Three Kingdoms period.

The text was written in Classical Chinese
Classical Chinese

Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese based on the grammar and vocabulary of ancient Chinese, making it different from any Chinese spoken language....
, which was used by literate Koreans at that time. It was compiled, at least in part, by the Buddhist monk Iryeon (1206 - 1289) at the end of the 13th century, a century after the Samguk Sagi
Samguk Sagi

Samguk 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 King Injong and undertaken by the government official and historian Kim Busik and a team of junior scholars....
.

Unlike the more factually-oriented Samguk Sagi
Samguk Sagi

Samguk 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 King Injong and undertaken by the government official and historian Kim Busik and a team of junior scholars....
, the Samguk Yusa focuses on various folktales, legends, and biographies from early Korean history.






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Samguk Yusa, or Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms, is a collection of legends, folktales, and historical accounts relating to the Three Kingdoms of Korea
Three Kingdoms of Korea

The Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean empire of Goguryeo, and kingdom of Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium CE....
 (Goguryeo
Goguryeo

Goguryeo or Koguryo was an ancient Koreans Empire located in the northern and central parts of the Korean peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Primorsky Krai....
, Baekje
Baekje

Baekje , or Paekche , was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
 and Silla
Silla

Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and the longest sustaining dynasty in Asian history. Although it was founded by King Bak Hyeokgeose of Silla, who is also known to be the originator of the Korean family name Park , the dynasty was to see the Kyungju Kim clan hold rule for most of its 992-year history....
), as well as to other periods and states before, during, and after the Three Kingdoms period.

The text was written in Classical Chinese
Classical Chinese

Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese based on the grammar and vocabulary of ancient Chinese, making it different from any Chinese spoken language....
, which was used by literate Koreans at that time. It was compiled, at least in part, by the Buddhist monk Iryeon (1206 - 1289) at the end of the 13th century, a century after the Samguk Sagi
Samguk Sagi

Samguk 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 King Injong and undertaken by the government official and historian Kim Busik and a team of junior scholars....
.

Unlike the more factually-oriented Samguk Sagi
Samguk Sagi

Samguk 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 King Injong and undertaken by the government official and historian Kim Busik and a team of junior scholars....
, the Samguk Yusa focuses on various folktales, legends, and biographies from early Korean history. Many of the founding legends of the various kingdoms in Korean history are recorded in the book. Illyeon covered legends from many Korean kingdoms, including Gojoseon
Gojoseon

Gojoseon was an ancient Korean kingdom, considered the first proper nation of the Korean people. According to the Samguk Yusa and other Korean medieval-era records, Gojoseon is said to have been founded in 2333 BC by the legendary Dangun, who is said to be the grandson of Heaven ....
, Wiman Joseon
Wiman Joseon

Wiman Joseon was the part of the Gojoseon period of Korean history. It began with Wiman of Gojoseon's seizure of the throne from Gojoseon's King Jun of Gojoseon and ended with the death of Ugeo of Gojoseon who was a grandson of Wiman....
, Buyeo
Buyeo (state)

Buyeo, Puyo , was an ancient Koreans kingdom located from today's Manchuria to northern North Korea, from around the 2nd century BC to 494....
, Goguryeo
Goguryeo

Goguryeo or Koguryo was an ancient Koreans Empire located in the northern and central parts of the Korean peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Primorsky Krai....
, Baekje
Baekje

Baekje , or Paekche , was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
, Silla
Silla

Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and the longest sustaining dynasty in Asian history. Although it was founded by King Bak Hyeokgeose of Silla, who is also known to be the originator of the Korean family name Park , the dynasty was to see the Kyungju Kim clan hold rule for most of its 992-year history....
, and Gaya
Gaya confederacy

Gaya was a confederacy of territorial polities in the Nakdong River basin of southern Korea, growing out of the Byeonhan confederacy of the Samhan period....
.

This is the earliest extant record of the Dangun
Dangun

Dangun Wanggeom was the legendary founder of Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom, around present-day Liaoning, Manchuria, and the Korean Peninsula....
 legend, which records the founding of Gojoseon
Gojoseon

Gojoseon was an ancient Korean kingdom, considered the first proper nation of the Korean people. According to the Samguk Yusa and other Korean medieval-era records, Gojoseon is said to have been founded in 2333 BC by the legendary Dangun, who is said to be the grandson of Heaven ....
 as the first Korean nation.

Editions

  • Ilyeon (2006) Overlooked Historical Records of the Three Korean Kingdoms, translated by Kim Dal-Yong. Jimoondang: Seoul, Korea. ISBN 8988095944
  • Ilyon (1972; 2006) Samguk Yusa: Legends and History of the Three Kingdoms of Ancient Korea, translated by Tae-Hung Ha and Grafton K. Mintz. Yonsei University Press: Seoul, Korea. ISBN 1596543485
  • ?? (1996) ????. Somun munhwasa: Seoul. ISBN 8970040021.
  • ?? (2002) ????. translated by Kim Won-jung. Eulyu munhwasa: Seoul. ISBN 8932460833.


See also

  • List of Korea-related topics
    List of Korea-related topics

    This is a list of articles on Korea-related people, places, things, and concepts. For help on how to use this list, see the #Introduction below....
  • History of Korea
    History of Korea

    The history of Korea stretches from Lower Paleolithic times to the present. The earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 8000 BC, and the Neolithic period began before 6000 BC, followed by the Bronze Age around 2500 BC....
  • Three Kingdoms of Korea
    Three Kingdoms of Korea

    The Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean empire of Goguryeo, and kingdom of Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium CE....


External links

  • (Links to full text of Samguk Yusa in literary Chinese)