Jang Bogo
Encyclopedia
Jang Bogo also known as Gungbok, rose to prominence in Korea in the late Unified Silla
period as a powerful maritime figure who for several decades effectively controlled the West Sea (Yellow Sea
) and Korean coast between southwestern Korea and China's Shandong
peninsula. His impressive fleet of ships was centered around the island of Wando off Korea's southwestern tip. So influential a figure did Jang become in late Silla politics that he was granted official office as Maritime Commissioner of the Cheonghaejin
Garrison (on Wando) and came near to marrying his daughter into the Silla Royal House before his assassination in 846.
, Jang Bogo's origins are unknown. One of the few sources on his life is the 12th century Samguk Sagi
("A History of the Three Kingdoms"), which contains a brief biography of Jang compiled three centuries after his death. The biography relates that Jang Bogo was adept in martial arts and that Jang's companion Jeong Yeon (정년, 鄭年) could swim five li (about 2.5 km) underwater without taking a breath. The history further records that as young men the two companions, Jang Bogo and Jeong Yeon, traveled to Tang China and their skills in horsemanship and the handling of spears soon won them military office. They were both named Junior Generals of Wuning District (武寧軍小將) (in what is today Jiangsu
province).
, whose journal constitutes one of the other rare sources on Jang Bogo.
Apparently, while in China Jang Bogo had become incensed at the treatment of his fellow countrymen, who in the unstable milieu of late Tang often fell victim to coastal pirates or inland bandits. In fact, Silla subjects living in Tang had become a favored target of bandits, who sold their captives into slavery. In 823 the Tang emperor went so far as to issue an edict stopping the slave trade and ordering the return of all abducted Koreans to Silla. Shortly after returning to Silla around 825, and by now in possession of a formidable private fleet headquartered at Cheonghae (Wando), Jang Bogo petitioned the Silla king Heungdeok
(r. 826-836) to establish a permanent maritime garrison to protect Silla merchant activities in the Yellow Sea. Heungdeok agreed and in 828 formally established the Cheonghae (淸海, "clear sea") Garrison at what is today Wando island off Korea's South Jeolla province. The Samguk Sagi
further relates that Heungdeok gave Jang an army of 10,000 men to establish and man the defensive works. The remnants of Cheonghae Garrison can still be seen on Jang islet just off Wando's southern coast.
The establishment of Cheonghae garrison marked the apex of Jang's career. From that moment he can be viewed in the context of the numerous private warlords arising outside the Silla capital who were often backed by formidable private armies. Jang's force, though nominally bequeathed by the Silla king, was effectively under his own control. Jang became arbiter of Yellow Sea commerce and navigation. Another rare account of Jang and his garrison comes from the journal of the Japanese monk Ennin
(Jikaku), who in 840 made a pilgrimage to Tang in search of Buddhist scriptures and relied upon the maritime abilities of Jang to reach China and return. The best evidence of Jang's now high fortunes is his involvement in the volatile factional politics of the Silla court.
In 839 Jang proved instrumental in the seizure of power by Silla's King Sinmu
following the overthrow of King Minae
. Kim Ujing (later King Sinmu) approached Jang for help in taking the throne from the usurper who had killed Ujing‘s father. Jang is purported to have replied, “The ancients had a saying, ‘To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage.’ Though I am without ability, I shall follow your orders.” Thereupon Jang dispatched a force of 5000 men under the command of his closest companion and adviser Jeong Yeon (who had since also returned from Tang) in support of Sinmu's claim. The success of Sinmu's power grab won Jang Bogo the spot of Prime Minister.
. In 845 Jang overplayed his hand when he maneuvered to marry his daughter to King Munseong
(ruled 839-857), son of Sinmu. Aristocratic factions at court, no doubt fed up with the machinations of Jang (a man in all likelihood from obscure provincial origins outside Silla's aristocratic order), then plotted to have him killed. The Samguk Yusa
, a late 13th century Korean book that mixes history and tales of marvels and popular legend, relates that the Silla king was pressured by aristocrats to deny Jang his marriage and that as a result Jang began to conspire against the king. Whether it was the Silla king or the aristocracy that was behind Jang's demise is unclear. However, both the Samguk Sagi
and Samguk Yusa
relate that in 846 Jang was assassinated at his Cheonghae garrison headquarters by Yeomjang
(염장, 閻長), an emissary from the Silla court who had arrived concealing a knife in his garments. Gaining Jang's confidence by pretending he had fled from the Silla capital, he then attacked Jang as they shared wine. However, the Japanese history book, Shoku Nihon Kōki
(續日本後紀) (Later Chronicle of Japan, Continued), gives Jang's date of death as 841.
In 851 the Cheonghae garrison was disbanded and its troops dispersed. The location of Jang Bogo's burial spot remains unknown.
Unified Silla
Unified Silla or Later Silla is the name often applied to the Korean kingdom of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, when it conquered Baekje in 660 and Goguryeo in 668, unifying the southern portion of the Korean peninsula...
period as a powerful maritime figure who for several decades effectively controlled the West Sea (Yellow Sea
Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...
) and Korean coast between southwestern Korea and China's Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
peninsula. His impressive fleet of ships was centered around the island of Wando off Korea's southwestern tip. So influential a figure did Jang become in late Silla politics that he was granted official office as Maritime Commissioner of the Cheonghaejin
Cheonghaejin
Cheonghaejin was a major military headquarters and trading hub located on nowadays Wando island, South Jeolla province of South Korea established by Korean general, Jang Bogo in 828 ACE during the Silla kingdom period...
Garrison (on Wando) and came near to marrying his daughter into the Silla Royal House before his assassination in 846.
Early years
Though he was a man of SillaSilla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
, Jang Bogo's origins are unknown. One of the few sources on his life is the 12th century 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's King Injong Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms) is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of...
("A History of the Three Kingdoms"), which contains a brief biography of Jang compiled three centuries after his death. The biography relates that Jang Bogo was adept in martial arts and that Jang's companion Jeong Yeon (정년, 鄭年) could swim five li (about 2.5 km) underwater without taking a breath. The history further records that as young men the two companions, Jang Bogo and Jeong Yeon, traveled to Tang China and their skills in horsemanship and the handling of spears soon won them military office. They were both named Junior Generals of Wuning District (武寧軍小將) (in what is today Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
province).
Rise to power
By the ninth century thousands of Silla subjects were living in Tang, centered mostly around merchant activities in coastal Shandong and Jiangsu provinces, where they established their own Silla communities often led by Silla officials. Wealthy benefactors (including at one point Jang Bogo himself) even established Silla Buddhist temples in the region, as related by the 9th century Japanese monk EnninEnnin
Ennin , who is better known in Japan by his posthumous name, Jikaku Daishi , was a priest of the Tendai school.- Birth and origin :...
, whose journal constitutes one of the other rare sources on Jang Bogo.
Apparently, while in China Jang Bogo had become incensed at the treatment of his fellow countrymen, who in the unstable milieu of late Tang often fell victim to coastal pirates or inland bandits. In fact, Silla subjects living in Tang had become a favored target of bandits, who sold their captives into slavery. In 823 the Tang emperor went so far as to issue an edict stopping the slave trade and ordering the return of all abducted Koreans to Silla. Shortly after returning to Silla around 825, and by now in possession of a formidable private fleet headquartered at Cheonghae (Wando), Jang Bogo petitioned the Silla king Heungdeok
Heungdeok of Silla
Heungdeok of Silla was the 42nd ruler of the Korean kingdom of Silla. He was the younger brother of King Heondeok. He was married to Queen Jeongmok, the daughter of King Soseong....
(r. 826-836) to establish a permanent maritime garrison to protect Silla merchant activities in the Yellow Sea. Heungdeok agreed and in 828 formally established the Cheonghae (淸海, "clear sea") Garrison at what is today Wando island off Korea's South Jeolla province. 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's King Injong Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms) is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of...
further relates that Heungdeok gave Jang an army of 10,000 men to establish and man the defensive works. The remnants of Cheonghae Garrison can still be seen on Jang islet just off Wando's southern coast.
The establishment of Cheonghae garrison marked the apex of Jang's career. From that moment he can be viewed in the context of the numerous private warlords arising outside the Silla capital who were often backed by formidable private armies. Jang's force, though nominally bequeathed by the Silla king, was effectively under his own control. Jang became arbiter of Yellow Sea commerce and navigation. Another rare account of Jang and his garrison comes from the journal of the Japanese monk Ennin
Ennin
Ennin , who is better known in Japan by his posthumous name, Jikaku Daishi , was a priest of the Tendai school.- Birth and origin :...
(Jikaku), who in 840 made a pilgrimage to Tang in search of Buddhist scriptures and relied upon the maritime abilities of Jang to reach China and return. The best evidence of Jang's now high fortunes is his involvement in the volatile factional politics of the Silla court.
Political influence
At the time, Jang Bogo's backing of his own army alloted him immense power in politics. Militarily, he was powerful enough to overthrow the state and become king himself had he wanted to. He was often hated by the Silla royal family members due to his prominent status and the fact that he was born a commoner, not a nobleman.In 839 Jang proved instrumental in the seizure of power by Silla's King Sinmu
Sinmu of Silla
Sinmu of Silla was the 45th monarch of the Korean kingdom of Silla. His reign was the briefest in the state's history, lasting only from the fourth to the seventh lunar month of 839....
following the overthrow of King Minae
Minae of Silla
Minae of Silla was the 44th ruler of the Korean kingdom of Silla. He was a great-grandson of King Wonseong, and the son of Daeachan Kim Chung-gong. His mother was a Pak, Lady Gwibo. He married the daughter of Gakgan Kim Yeong-gong.Being of true bone rank, Minae rose to the rank of sangdaedeung...
. Kim Ujing (later King Sinmu) approached Jang for help in taking the throne from the usurper who had killed Ujing‘s father. Jang is purported to have replied, “The ancients had a saying, ‘To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage.’ Though I am without ability, I shall follow your orders.” Thereupon Jang dispatched a force of 5000 men under the command of his closest companion and adviser Jeong Yeon (who had since also returned from Tang) in support of Sinmu's claim. The success of Sinmu's power grab won Jang Bogo the spot of Prime Minister.
Death
The account of Jang Bogo's demise comes from the Samguk SagiSamguk 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's King Injong Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms) is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of...
. In 845 Jang overplayed his hand when he maneuvered to marry his daughter to King Munseong
Munseong of Silla
Munseong of Silla was the 46th ruler of the Korean kingdom of Silla. He was the eldest son of King Sinmu and Lady Jeonggye.Munseong's reign was typical of late Unified Silla, with rampant strife and uprisings...
(ruled 839-857), son of Sinmu. Aristocratic factions at court, no doubt fed up with the machinations of Jang (a man in all likelihood from obscure provincial origins outside Silla's aristocratic order), then plotted to have him killed. The Samguk Yusa
Samguk Yusa
Samguk 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...
, a late 13th century Korean book that mixes history and tales of marvels and popular legend, relates that the Silla king was pressured by aristocrats to deny Jang his marriage and that as a result Jang began to conspire against the king. Whether it was the Silla king or the aristocracy that was behind Jang's demise is unclear. However, both 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's King Injong Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms) is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of...
and Samguk Yusa
Samguk Yusa
Samguk 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...
relate that in 846 Jang was assassinated at his Cheonghae garrison headquarters by Yeomjang
Yeom Jang
Yeom Jang was a Silla general who is best known for assassinating Jang Bogo. Yeom had actually been a subordinate of Jang Bogo, but their relationship apparently deteriorated as he was once punished by Jang for having been personally engaged in slave trade.Eventually, Yeom turned to Kim Yang ,...
(염장, 閻長), an emissary from the Silla court who had arrived concealing a knife in his garments. Gaining Jang's confidence by pretending he had fled from the Silla capital, he then attacked Jang as they shared wine. However, the Japanese history book, Shoku Nihon Kōki
Shoku Nihon Koki
is an officially commissioned Japanese history text. Completed in 869, it is the fourth volume in the Six National Histories. It covers the years 833-850.-Background:...
(續日本後紀) (Later Chronicle of Japan, Continued), gives Jang's date of death as 841.
In 851 the Cheonghae garrison was disbanded and its troops dispersed. The location of Jang Bogo's burial spot remains unknown.
Legacy
Much of Jang Bogo's life is a mixture of legend and historical fact, making the work of discerning the facts of his life a challenging one for modern historians. Jang Bogo lived at a time when both the Tang dynasty and Silla were in steep decline, and thus thrived in a period of instability among a culture of many other regional warlords in Northeast Asia. Backed by a private army, he was able to sway the politics of the Silla state. He stands unique, however, as an innovative and powerful maritime figure of his age.Cultural references
- Jang and his exploits were the subject of a 1965 South Korean film, Jang Bogo, directed by Ahn Hyeon-cheol and starring Shin Yeong-gyun and Lee Min-ja. Its English title was Admiral Jang.
- The South Korean navy has named the first of its Type 209 submarineType 209 submarineThe Type 209 is a class of diesel-electric attack submarine developed exclusively for export in the late 1960s by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft of Germany...
s 'Admiral Chang Bogo' in Jang's honor.
- A highly fictionalized account of his life was the subject of the 2004 Korean dramaKorean dramaKorean drama refers to televised dramas, in a miniseries format, produced in the Korean language. Many of these dramas have become popular throughout Asia and have contributed to the general phenomenon of the Korean wave, known as "Hallyu", and also "Drama Fever" in some countries...
Emperor of the SeaEmperor of the SeaMr =Akech JumaEmperor of the Sea is a 51 episode South Korean epic drama that aired in 2004 on KBS2.The show focuses on the life of famous historical figure, Jang Bogo , who was born a slave but rose to the highest ranks of Silla society...
. Choi Soo JongChoi Soo JongChoi Soo Jong is a South Korean actor. Choi made his debut in 1987 as a young actor in the TV soap opera ‘Love Tree’. He has appeared in movies, television and as an MC on various award shows. He has received worldwide recognition for his leading roles in several highly successful shows...
played the part of Jang Bogo.
- In March 2009, The Republic of Korea NavyRepublic of Korea NavyThe Republic of Korea Navy or the ROK Navy is the branch of the South Korean armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations. The ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which is a quasi-autonomous organization...
has formed a 300-strong task Force named Chonghae Task Force,to fight against piracy off Somalia. It is named after Chonghaejin, a maritime base created by Jang Bogo to fight piracy on the waters of Silla and Tang.
See also
- Yeom JangYeom JangYeom Jang was a Silla general who is best known for assassinating Jang Bogo. Yeom had actually been a subordinate of Jang Bogo, but their relationship apparently deteriorated as he was once punished by Jang for having been personally engaged in slave trade.Eventually, Yeom turned to Kim Yang ,...
- History of KoreaHistory of KoreaThe Korean Peninsula was inhabited from the Lower Paleolithic about 400,000-500,000 years ago. Archeological evidence indicates that the presence of modern humans in northeast Asia dates to 39,000 years ago. The earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 8000 BC, and the Neolithic period began...
- Military history of KoreaMilitary history of KoreaKoreas military history spans back thousands of years, beginning with the early struggles of the ancient Kingdom of Gojoseon. Its long history consists of the many successful repulsions of major invasions and defensive against foreign invasions...
- List of Silla people
- List of Koreans
- List of Korea-related topics