Gim Alji(Kim Alti) (, 金閼智; 65–?) was a historical figure in
Korean history
The Lower Paleolithic era in the Korea, Korean Peninsula and Manchuria began roughly half a million years ago.
Christopher J. Norton, "The Current State of Korean Paleoanthropology", (2000), ''Journal of Human Evolution'', 38: 803–825.
The e ...
. His descendants formed the
Gim royal clan of
Silla
Silla or Shilla (57 BCE – 935 CE) ( , Old Korean: Syera, Old Japanese: Siraki2) was a Korean kingdom located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of K ...
, one of the
Three Kingdoms of Korea
Samhan or the Three Kingdoms of Korea () refers to the three kingdoms of Goguryeo (고구려, 高句麗), Baekje (백제, 百濟), and Silla (신라, 新羅). Goguryeo was later known as Goryeo (고려, 高麗), from which the modern name ''Kor ...
.
His legendary birth is said to have occurred during the reign of Silla's fourth ruler, King
Talhae of Silla
Talhae of Silla (5 BC –80 AD, r. 57–80) was the List of monarchs of Korea, fourth king of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He is commonly called Talhae Isageum, ''isageum'' being the royal title in early Silla. Also known by his pe ...
. Though Gim Alji did not rule as King of Silla, his descendants did. Today, 1.7 million
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
ns are in the
Gyeongju Gim
Gyeongju ( ko, 경주, ), historically known as ''Seorabeol'' ( ko, 서라벌, ), is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, ...
clan, who trace their genealogy to Gim Alji.
Birth legend
![Kim Alji](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Kim_Alji.jpg)
The
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 (Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla), as well as to other periods and states before, duri ...
and
Samguk Sagi
''Samguk Sagi'' (, ''History of the Three Kingdoms'') is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla. The ''Samguk Sagi'' is written in Classical Chinese, the written language of the literati of ancient Korea, ...
both contain nearly the same story about Gim Alji's birth.
In the year 65 (9th year of
Talhae's reign), King Talhae heard a rooster crowing in
Sirim, west of Geumseong (
Gyeongju
Gyeongju ( ko, 경주, ), historically known as ''Seorabeol'' ( ko, 서라벌, ), is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, ...
, the Silla capital at the time). He sent his minister,
Hogong
Hogong was a minister of Silla in the age of nation-building. It is recorded that he was originally from the Wa people of Japan, though his family name or clan name was unknown to the compiler of the Historical Records of the Three Kingdoms. ...
, who was from Japan, to investigate, whereupon Hogong found a golden box hanging on a branch. Light was emanating from the box, and a white rooster was crowing under it.
Hearing this report, the king ordered the box brought to him. When the king opened the box, there was an infant inside. The king was very pleased and adopted him. Because he was born from a golden box and was very clever, the king named him "Gim (金, meaning gold) Alji(Alti) (meaning 'gold' in native Korean, with the
hanja
Hanja (Hangul: ; Hanja: , ), alternatively known as Hancha, are Chinese characters () used in the writing of Korean. Hanja was used as early as the Gojoseon period, the first ever Korean kingdom.
(, ) refers to Sino-Korean vocabulary, wh ...
閼智 supposed to be read phonetically)". The forest where the box was found was named Gyerim (rooster forest), which also was used as the name of Silla. This legend is similar to the birth legend of the founder of Silla,
Bak Hyeokgeose of Silla
Hyeokgeose of Silla (69 BC – 4 AD, r. 57 BC–4 AD), also known by his personal full name as Bak (Park, Pak) Hyeokgeose (朴赫居世), was the founding monarch of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the progenitor of all ...
(who is said to have called himself Alji Geoseogan). Many scholars have suggested that the Gim Alji(Alti) may have been the chief of a "gold" (''altin'') clan of northern Korea/Manchuria.
Death
The circumstances and time of his death are currently unknown and cannot be precisely located within any records, but it is known that his descendants continued to serve as powerful officials within the Silla court until the time came when they took power.
Royal Gim clan
Gim's son was Sehan (세한(勢漢)), and subsequent generations are recorded as: Ado (아도(阿都)) - Suryu (수류(首留)) - Ukbo (욱보(郁甫)) - Gudo (구도(俱道)). Gudo's son (Gim Alji's seventh generation descendant) was the first Silla king of the Gim line,
Michu of Silla
Michu of Silla was the thirteenth ruler of the Korean state of Silla (r. 262–284). He was the first king of the Kim clan to sit on the Silla throne; this clan would hold the throne for most of Silla's later history. He was the son of Gud ...
.
See also
*
Michu of Silla
Michu of Silla was the thirteenth ruler of the Korean state of Silla (r. 262–284). He was the first king of the Kim clan to sit on the Silla throne; this clan would hold the throne for most of Silla's later history. He was the son of Gud ...
*
Gyeongju Gim
Gyeongju ( ko, 경주, ), historically known as ''Seorabeol'' ( ko, 서라벌, ), is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, ...
Sources
*
三國史記 {{in lang, zh
Silla people
Gim clan of Gyeongju
1st-century Korean people
65 births