Samguk sagi

Samguk sagi () is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla. Completed in 1145, it is well-known in Korea as the oldest surviving chronicle of Korean history.

The Samguk sagi is written in Classical Chinese, the written language of the literati of ancient Korea. Its compilation was ordered by King Injong of Goryeo (r. 1122–1146) and undertaken by a government official and historian named Kim Pusik with his team of junior scholars. The document has been digitized by the National Institute of Korean History and is available online with Modern Korean translation in Hangul.

Description

Samguk sagi is critical to the study of Korean history during the Three Kingdoms and Unified Silla periods. Not only because this work, and its Buddhist counterpart Samguk yusa, are the only remaining Korean sources for the period, but also because the Samguk sagi contains a large amount of information and details. For example, the translation tables given in Books 35 and 36 have been used for a tentative reconstruction of the former Goguryeo language.

Background

There were various motivating factors behind the compilation of the Samguk sagi in the 12th century. These may roughly be categorized as ideological and political. The ideological factors are made manifest in the work's preface, written by Kim Busik, where the civil historian states,

<blockquote>"Of today's scholars and high-ranking officials, there are those who are well-versed and can discuss in detail the Five Classics and the other philosophical treatises... as well as the histories of Qin and Han, but as to the events of our country, they are utterly ignorant from beginning to end. This is truly lamentable."</blockquote>

Sources for the text

The Samguk sagi was written on the basis of the Gu Samguksa (舊三國史, Old History of the Three Kingdoms), and other earlier historical records such as the Hwarang Segi (花郞世記, Annals of Hwarang), most of which are no longer extant.

Concerning external sources, no references are made to the Japanese chronicles, like the Kojiki (712) or the Nihon Shoki (720), chronicles of Japan. It is possible Kim Busik was ignorant of them or scorned to quote a Japanese source. In contrast, he lifts generously from the Chinese dynastic chronicles and even unofficial Chinese records, most prominently the Records of the Three Kingdoms (280–290), Book of Wei (554), Book of Jin (648), Old Book of Tang (945), New Book of Tang (1060), and the Zizhi Tongjian (1084).

Contents

The Samguk sagi is divided into 50 books. Originally, each of them was written on a scroll (). They are listed as follows:

Silla's Records

12 scrolls, Nagi/Silla bongi, 나기/신라 본기, 羅紀/新羅本紀.

. Geoseogan Hyeokgeose, Chachaung Namhae, Isageum Yuri, Talhae, Pasa, Jima, Ilseong

. Isageum Adalla, Beolhyu, Naehae, Jobun, Cheomhae, Michu, Yurye, Girim, Heulhae

. Isageum Naemul, Silseong, Maripgan Nulji, Jabi, Soji

. Maripgan Jijeung, King Beopheung, Jinheung, Jinji, Jinpyeong

. Queen Seondeok, Jindeok, King Taejong Muyeol

. King Munmu - Part One

. King Munmu - Part Two

. King Sinmun, Hyoso, Seongdeok

. King Hyoseong, Gyeongdeok, Hyegong, Seondeok

. King Wonseong, Soseong, Aejang, Heondeok, Heungdeok, Huigang, Minae, Sinmu

. King Munseong, Heonan, Gyeongmun, Heongang, Jeonggang, Queen Jinseong

. King Hyogong, Sindeok, Gyeongmyeong, Gyeongae, Gyeongsun

Goguryeo's Records

10 scrolls, Yeogi/Goguryeo bongi, 여기/고구려 본기, 麗紀/高句麗本紀.

. Sage King Dongmyeong, Bright King Yuri,

. King Daemusin, Minjung, Mobon,

. Great King Taejo, King Chadae

. King Sindae, Gogukcheon, Sansang

. King Dongcheon, Jungcheon, Seocheon, Bongsang, Micheon

. King Gogukwon, Sosurim, Gogugyang, Gwanggaeto, Jangsu,

. Illustrious King Munja, King Anjang, Anwon, Yangwon, Pyeongwon,

. King Yeongyang, Yeongnyu

. King Bojang - Part One

. King Bojang - Part Two

Baekje's Records

6 scrolls, Jegi/Baekje bongi, 제기/백제 본기, 濟紀/百濟本紀.

. King Onjo (Dynastic Founder), Daru, Giru, Gaeru, Chogo

. King Gusu, Saban, Goi, Chaekgye, Bunseo, Biryu, Gye, Geunchogo, Geungusu, Chimnyu

. King Jinsa, Asin, Jeonji, Guisin, Biyu, Gaero

. King Munju, Samgeun, Dongseong, Muryeong, Seong

. King Wideok, Hye, Beop, Mu

. King Uija

Chronological Tables

3 scrolls, Yeonpyo, 연표, 年表.

.

.

.

Monographs

9 scrolls, Ji, 지, 志.

. Rites and music

. Vehicles, clothing, and dwellings

. Geography of Silla (1)

. Geography of Silla (2): Former territory of Goguryeo

. Geography of Silla (3): Former territory of Baekje

. Geography of Goguryeo and Baekje

. Silla government offices.

. Silla government offices.

. Silla government offices.

Biographies

10 scrolls, Yeoljeon, 열전, 列傳.

. Kim Yusin (1)

. Kim Yusin (2)

. Kim Yusin (3)

. Ŭlchi Mundŏk 을지문덕, Geochilbu , Geodo , Yi Sabu 이사부, Kim Immun 김인문, Kim Yang 김양, Heukchi Sangji 흑치상지, Chang Pogo 장보고, Jeong Nyeon 정년, Prince Sadaham 사다함공

. Ŭl P'aso 을파소, Kim Hujik , [nog zhēn] 祿真, Milu , Nyuyu 纽由, Myeongnim Dap-bu 명림답부, Seok Uro , Park Jesang , Gwisan , Ondal 온달

. Scholars. Kangsu , Ch'oe Ch'iwŏn, Seol Chong

. Hwarangs. Haenon , Sona , Chwido 취도(驟徒), Nulchoi , Seol Gyedu , Kim Ryeong-yun 김영윤(金令胤), Gwanchang , Kim Heum-un , Yeolgi 열기(裂起), Binyeongja 비령자(丕寧子), Jukjuk , Pilbu 필부(匹夫), Gyebaek 계백

. Meritorious. Hyangdeok (son), Seonggak (son), Silhye 실혜 (實兮) (poet), Mulgyeja 물계자 (soldier), Teacher Baekgyeol (music), Prince Kim , Kim Saeng (calligrapher) and Yo Gukil, Solgeo (painter), Chiun (daughter), Seolssi (daughter), Domi (wife).

. Overthrows. Ch'ang Chori 창조리, Yŏn Kaesomun 연개소문

. Later Kings. Kung Ye 궁예, Kyŏn Hwŏn 견훤

Translations in Western languages

Portions of the work have appeared in various English language books and articles, notably:

Translation of the whole Silla bongi

Translation of the whole Goguryeo bongi

Translation of the whole Baekje bongji

Isolated translations

• Gardiner, Kenneth H.J. 1982. "Legends of Koguryŏ (I-II): Samguk Sagi, Annals of Koguryŏ." Korea Journal, 22(1): 60-69 and 22(2): 31-48. [translation of book one of the Goguryeo bongi].
• Jamieson, John Charles. 1969. "The Samguk Sagi and the Unification Wars." Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Berkeley. [Translation of books 6 and 7 of the Silla bongi and eleven of the biographies, mostly of men of Silla].
• Lee, Soyun, and Shin Jeongsoo. 2018. "Chapters 44 and 45 of the 'Samguk Sagi': An Annotated Translation of Biography [sic] of Eulji Mundeok and Others." The Review of Korean Studies, 21(2): 165-145. [translations of books 44 and 45 of the biographies section].
• Na, Sanghoon, You Jinsook, and Shin Jeongsoo. 2018. "Chapter 41, 42 and 43 of the Samguk Sagi: An Annotated Translation of [sic] Biography of Kim Yusin." The Review of Korean Studies, 21(1): 191-262.

See also

• Goryeosa
• List of monarchs of Korea
• Placename glosses in the Samguk sagi
• Samguk yusa
• Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty

References

Sources

Books

Papers

• .

External links

• The official website showing the original text as well as the translation in Korean Hangul (National Institute of Korean History)