Kung Ye (; – 24 July 918) was the king of the short-lived state of Taebong (901–918), one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea. Kung Ye is alleged to have been a son of either King Heonan of Silla or Gyeongmun of Silla, though the accuracy of such a claim is not fully verifiable. He became a rebel leader against the unpopular Silla government, which almost abandoned the affairs of their subjects for the struggle for power among royal family members.
Birth
The exact date of Kung Ye's birth is unknown, but records assume that he was a son of Heonan of Silla or King Gyeongmun; his mother is said to be a beloved lady of the court. The corrupt government continuously exploited the peasants and tenants, and after a year of famine, massively raised taxes in 889 which led to many revolts and rebellions. Local aristocrats, called hojok () emerged as de facto rulers of many provinces and regions, with the attention of government concentrated on suppression of rebellion and their own power struggles. Among the rebel leaders and local aristocrats, and Yang Kil gained the most power. Kung Ye joined Yang Kil's rebel group in 892, and became leading general of the rebel forces by defeating the local Silla army and other rebel groups. Most of the local aristocrats of Myeongju and Paeseo, including Wang Kŏn, submitted to his force, making him even more powerful than his master Yang Kil. He decided what was needed to unite people under his power was religious faith, and using his previous occupation as a Buddhist monk, he referred to himself as Maitreya Buddha, who came to the world to guide and save the suffering people from all hardship. He changed the name of his kingdom to Taebong in 911. He accused Consort Kang, one of his wives, of being unfaithful to him, and he killed her by shoving a heated, red-hot iron rod into her womb. Their two sons were executed.
Soon thereafter, the Goryeo dynasty was proclaimed, and Wang Kŏn went on to defeat the rivaling Silla and Later Paekche to reunite the three kingdoms in 936.
Alternative theory of origin
Some historians present a theory that states that Kung Ye was, in fact, a direct descendant of Ko Ansŭng, who had been the ruler of Goguryeo-Guk, which had been a failed Goguryeo revival state. Records of Silla reported that Ko Ansŭng was given the surname of the Silla royal family, "Kim." Therefore, Kung Ye's commonly known origin as a prince of Silla was right in a way, but Kung Ye being a son of a king of Silla may have not been true.
Harem
- Wife: Queen Kang (, died 915)
- Son: Kim Ch'ŏnggwang (, died 915)
- Son: Kim Singwang (, died 915)
- Son: Kim Sunbaek ()
Legacy
Even though Kung Ye was not able to keep his rule and achieve the reunification of the Korean peninsula under his rule, many scholars today are attempting to review the true character of Kung Ye. Historical records regarding Kung Ye are negative, since many historians during the Goryeo period tried to justify the coup by Wang Kŏn that dethroned Kung Ye, in order to give legitimacy to the dynasty. However, even after the founding of Goryeo, many people rejected the rule of Wang Kŏn and rebelled against the newly formed dynasty; some even voluntarily defected to Kyŏn Hwŏn's Later Paekche. It can be assumed that many people, even after the coup that crowned Wang Kŏn, favored the rule of Kung Ye and that he was not a total despot as described in history. Some scholars explain Kung Ye's self-proclamation as Buddha as an attempt to strengthen his power, since he, as a royal family member of Silla, had no influence over powerful local landlords and merchants, so he tried to use the power of religion in order to keep his rule, which did not prove to be effective. (2018)
- Omniscient Reader (2018): He appears under the name of One-eyed Maitreya or Maitreya King.
Notes
References
- The Academy of Korean Studies, Korea through the Ages Vol. 1, The Editor Publishing Co., Seoul, 2005.