Kim Inmun (629–694) was a noted aristocrat, scholar, and official of the ancient Korean kingdom 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 ...

. He was the son of Muyeol and the younger brother of

Munmu Munmu of Silla (626–681; reigned 661–681) was the 30th king of the Korean kingdom of Silla. He is usually considered to have been the first ruler of the Unified Silla period. Munmu was the son of King Muyeol and Munmyeong, who was the young ...

, the twenty-ninth and thirtieth kings respectively of Silla.

Biography

In 651, as a young man of twenty-three, Kim Inmun was dispatched by his father, King Muyeol, to

Tang Tang or TANG most often refers to: * Tang dynasty * Tang (drink mix) Tang or TANG may also refer to: Chinese states and dynasties * Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) b ...

China and entered into the service of Tang

Gaozong Gaozong () is the temple name of several Chinese monarchs. It can refer to: * Emperor Yuan of Han (reign: 49 BC–33 BC) * Emperor Gaozong of Tang (reign: 649–683) * Emperor Gaozong of Song (reign: 1127–1162) * Qianlong Emperor of the Qing dyn ...

, where he soon won that emperor's trust and esteem. In 653 King Muyeol entrusted his son Inmun with the diplomatic mission of securing a Tang military alliance against Silla's rival

Baekje Baekje or Paekche (, ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BC to 660 AD. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. Baekje was founded by Onjo, the third son of Goguryeo's founder Jum ...

. Kim Inmun mobilized with the Tang troops that subsequently marched on Baekje, and participated in the campaign that ended in the destruction of Baekje and the capture of its last king Uija. Kim Inmun would go on to serve as a regular mediary between the Tang and Silla courts in the years of Korea's unification wars and for a short period thereafter, living much of his life in the Tang capital. In 674, in the wake of Silla's unification of the peninsula and the subsequent deterioration of the Silla-Tang alliance, Kim Inmun was actually named King of Silla by the Tang emperor and ordered to return to Silla to replace his brother on the throne. It was while en route back to Silla that an embassy from Silla was met proffering apologies to Tang and seeking forgiveness. Kim's title was rescinded and he returned to the Tang capital. The 12th century Korean history

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, ...

contains a brief biography of Kim Inmun. There it states that he died of illness in the Tang capital of

Chang'an Chang'an (; ) is the traditional name of Xi'an. The site had been settled since Neolithic times, during which the Yangshao culture was established in Banpo, in the city's suburbs. Furthermore, in the northern vicinity of modern Xi'an, Qin S ...

in the fourth month of 694, a detail confirmed in the Tang histories. The Tang emperor sent a special delegation to conduct Kim's body back to Silla. In Silla he was granted the posthumous title of ''Taedae gakgan'' (태대각간, 太大角干) and was buried on the western plain of the Silla capital of Gyeongju. The 13th century Samguk Yusa relates that Kim Inmun died on board ship en route back to Silla, but considering the rather detailed account of Kim's death and subsequent funeral embassy found in the Tang histories and repeated in the ''Samguk Sagi'', this account seems doubtful.

Popular culture

* Portrayed by Jeon Kwang-jin in the 2012-2013

KBS1 The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) () is the national broadcaster of South Korea. Founded in February 1927, it is one of the leading South Korean television and radio broadcasters. KBS operates seven radio networks, ten television channels, ...

TV series ''

The King's Dream ''Dream of the Emperor'' () is a South Korean television series that aired on KBS1 from September 8, 2012 to June 9, 2013 on Saturdays and Sundays at 21:40 for 70 episodes. Plot Kim Chun-chu is the grandson of King Jinji, but when his grandfat ...

''.

Biography

Popular culture

See also