The History of Korea (vol. 1 of 2)Hulbert, Homer B. (Homer Bezaleel)
History
The History of Korea (vol. 1 of 2)
Hulbert, Homer B. (Homer Bezaleel)
Korea -- History
Tradition says that the doom impending over Păk-je was shadowed forth in
advance by many omens and signs. Frogs, it is said, grew like leaves on
the trees and if anyone killed one of them he instantly fell dead. Among
the mountains black clouds met and fought one another. The form of an
animal, half dog and half lion, was seen in the sky approaching the
palace and uttering terrible bellowings and roarings. Dogs congregated
in the streets and howled. Imps of awful shape came into the palace and
cried “Păk-je is fallen, Păk-je is fallen,” and disappeared in the
ground. Digging there the king found a tortoise on whose back were
written the words “Păk-je is at full moon; Sil-la is at half moon.” The
diviners were called upon to interpret this. “It means that Sil-la is in
the ascendant while Păk-je is full and about to wane.” The king ordered
their heads off, and called in another company of diviners. These said
that it meant that Sil-la was half waned while Păk-je was at her zenith.
Somewhat mollified by this, the king called a grand council of war. The
advice given was of the most conflicting nature. Some said the Chinese
must be attacked first; others said the Sil-la forces must be attended
to first. A celebrated general who had been banished was sent for and
his advice was the same as that of the famous statesman whom the king
had starved in prison. “You must guard the ‘Charcoal Pass’ and the Pak
River.” But the majority of the courtiers said that the Chinese had
better be allowed to land before they were attacked and that the Sil-la
army should be allowed to come in part through the pass before being
opposed. This latter point was decided for them, for when the Păk-je
troops approached the pass they found that the Sil-la army was already
streaming through, and at its head was the famous Gen. Kim Yu-sin. When
the battle was joined the Păk-je forces held their ground and fought
manfully; but victory perched upon the banners of Sil-la and when the
battle was done nothing lay between the Sil-la forces and the capital of
Păk-je, the place of rendezvous. It is said that Gen. Ke-băk the leader
of the Păk-je forces killed all his family before starting out on this
expedition, fearing lest the thought of them might make him waver. He
fell in the battle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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