Chimnyu of Baekje

King Chimnyu (died 385) (r. 384–385) was the fifteenth king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.

Background

He was the eldest son of the 14th king, Geungusu and Lady Ai of the Jin clan. He became king upon Geungusu's death in 384 which was the 10th year of his reign.

Reign

Samguk sagi:

• 384 AD, autumn, seventh month. Messengers were dispatched to the Jin court with tribute. Ninth month. The western monk Malananda came from Jin. The king received him, and kept him in the palace. All cordialities were extended to him. This was the first transmission of the Buddhist dharma to Baekje.
• 385 AD, spring, second month. They built a Buddhist temple at Mt. Hansan, and 10 people became monks. Winter, eleventh month. The king died.

Legacy

He was the first Baekje king to officially recognize Buddhism. According to the Samguk sagi and Samguk yusa, the two oldest extant histories of Korea, Buddhism was officially introduced to Korea during the 4th century during the Three Kingdoms period. In 384, the Indian Buddhist monk Marananta came to Baekje from Eastern Jin. King Chimnyu welcomed him into the palace, and shortly thereafter adopted Buddhism. Archaeological discoveries have corroborated these assertions of the early introduction of Buddhism into Korea with the discovery of Goguryeo tomb murals with Buddhist motifs and the excavation of lotus shaped roof tiles dated to the 4th century.