Gwisil Boksin (鬼室福信, ? – 663) was a military general of

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 J ...

, 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 ...

. He is remembered primarily as a leader of the Baekje Revival Movement to restore the kingdom after the capital fell in 660 to the Silla–Tang alliance.

Background

The

Gwisil clan The Gwisil clan (Kwi-sil; 鬼室氏, Japanese: Kishitsu) were a collateral branch of the royal family of the Korean kingdom of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea who settled in Japan. They descended from the third son of the 26th king, S ...

was a collateral branch of the royal family descending from a younger son of the 26th king, Seong of Baekje. Boksin was therefore a distant cousin of Baekje's last recognized king,

Uija of Baekje Uija of Baekje (599?–660, r. 641–660) was the 31st and final ruler of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. His reign ended when Baekje was conquered by an alliance of the rival Korean kingdom Silla and China's Tang dynasty. Backg ...

. His father was named Gwisil Jeongin (鬼室貞仁) and seems to be the first to take the name "''Gwisil''". His name is also romanized as "''Kwisil Poksin''" and in Japan his name is read "''Kishitsu Fukushin''". As a relative to the royal family he held the highest rank in court as a minister (''Sahe'', 佐平). The earliest mention of him is dated August 627 when a certain 'nephew' of King

Mu of Baekje King Mu of Baekje (580–641) (r. 600–641) was the 30th king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the 4th son of King Wideok. Background During his reign, the Three Kingdoms (Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla) were at war with e ...

named Boksin (福信) or Shinbok (信福) is dispatched as an envoy to the court of the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...

. At this time he held the rank of Dalsol (達率, 2nd court rank).

Emperor Taizong of Tang Emperor Taizong of Tang (28January 59810July 649), previously Prince of Qin, personal name Li Shimin, was the second emperor of the Tang dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649. He is traditionally regarded as a co-founder of the dynasty ...

dictated that

and

Goguryeo Goguryeo (37 BC–668 AD) ( ) also called Goryeo (), was a Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Northeast China. At its peak of power, Goguryeo controlled mos ...

would stop their attacks on

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 o ...

but in February, 628 Baekje underwent a military coup and they attacked Silla, breaking the agreement.

Fall of Baekje

In 660, Baekje was attacked by the allied armies of

and

China. The capital, Sabi, was taken, but Boksin resisted near modern-day

Yesan Yesan () is a county in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. Famous people from Yesan include independence fighter Yoon Bong-Gil. Sudeoksa, a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, is located on the southern slopes of Deoksung ...

. After King Uija's surrender to Tang dynasty China, Boksin and the monk

Dochim Dochim (died 661) was a Buddhist monk of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He is remembered primarily as a leader of a movement for the restoration of Baekje after the kingdom fell in 660 along with Gwisil Boksin. In 660, Baekje was ...

kindled a restoration movement. They sent for the prince

Buyeo Pung Buyeo Pung (扶餘豊, 623–668) was a prince of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was son of the last king, Uija of Baekje. When Baekje fell to the Silla–Tang alliance in 660, he was a hostage who mortgaged the alliance of Bae ...

, who had been living as a hostage in

Yamato period The is the period of Japanese history when the Imperial court ruled from modern-day Nara Prefecture, then known as Yamato Province. While conventionally assigned to the period 250–710, including both the Kofun period (–538) and the Asuka ...

Japan, an important Baekje ally. With some Japanese aid, they gathered the remnants of the Baekje army and launched a series of attacks on the Silla-Tang forces.

Death

In 663, Silla and Tang counterattacked, and besieged the restoration movement at a fortress known as Juryu Castle (주류성/周留城). At this point Boksin appears to have betrayed the restoration movement. He had

killed and sought to slay Prince Pung as well. However, Pung killed him first, and fled to

. The restoration movement was destroyed shortly thereafter at the

Battle of Baekgang The Battle of Baekgang or Battle of Baekgang-gu, also known as Battle of Hakusukinoe ( ja, 白村江の戦い, Hakusuki-no-e no Tatakai / Hakusonkō no Tatakai) in Japan, as Battle of Baijiangkou ( zh, c=白江口之战, p=Bāijiāngkǒu Zhīzh ...

. Excerpt from '' Nihon Shoki'': *"''Vanguard shogun Kamitsukeno no Kimi Wakako took Silla’s twin castles in Sabikinue. The Baekje King Pungjang suspected Boksin of treachery, and so made holes in the palms of his hands and bound him with a leather cord. Then he asked the myriad ministers, “Boksin’s crime is this. Shall we behead him or no?” Then Tatsusotsu Deok Jipdeuk said, “This evil betrayer cannot be released.” Then Boksin spat on Jipdeuk and said, “You rotten dog.” The king ordered a strong man to behead Boksin and pickle his neck.''" The location of Juryu Castle, at which Boksin's life came to an end, is now generally believed to be Ugeumam Mountain Fortress in

Buan County Buan County (''Buan-gun'') is a county in North Jeolla Province, South Korea. It is bounded by the city of Jeongeup on the east, the county of Gochang on the south, the city of Gimje on the north, and Yellow Sea on the west. Buan is divided into 1 ...

North Jeolla North Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollabuk-do''), also known as Jeonbuk, is a province of South Korea. North Jeolla has a population of 1,869,711 (2015) and has a geographic area of 8,067 km2 (3,115 sq mi) located in the Honam region in the southwes ...

br>
Rites to propitiate the spirits of Boksin and Dochim are still held annually at the village of Eunsan-ri in

Buyeo County Buyeo County (''Buyeo-gun'') is a county in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. Buyeo-eup, the county's capital, was the site of the capital of Baekje from 538-660 AD, during which it was called Sabi Fortress. Famous people associated with B ...

, near the ancient Baekje capital.

Legacy

He had two sons, Gwisil Jipsin (鬼室集信) and

Gwisil Jipsa Gwisil Jipsa (鬼室集斯, ? – 688), was the son of Gwisil Boksin (鬼室福信), a general of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. The Gwisil clan was a collateral branch of the royal family, the Buyeo clan (扶餘氏). He settled in ...

(鬼室集斯) who both settled in Japan. Jipsa is recorded in the '' Nihon Shoki'' as coming to Japan in the eight year of Emperor Tenji (676) and became ancestor of several Japanese clans including the

Kikuchi clan The of Higo Province was a powerful daimyō family of Higo, Kyūshū. The lineage was renowned for valiant service in defense of the emperor and against foreign invaders. They initially distinguished themselves during the Jürchen invasion of ...

of Higo Province,

Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surround ...

Hong Hong may refer to: Places *Høng, a town in Denmark *Hong Kong, a city and a special administrative region in China *Hong, Nigeria *Hong River in China and Vietnam *Lake Hong in China Surnames *Hong (Chinese name) *Hong (Korean name) Organiz ...

, Wontack. (1994). ''Paekche of Korea and the Origin of Yamato Japan''. Seoul: Kudara International.

Popular culture

* Portrayed by Kim Young-ki 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 ''

Dream of the Emperor ''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 ...

''.

Notes

References

, Wontack. (1994). ''Paekche of Korea and the Origin of Yamato Japan''. Seoul: Kudara International. * https://web.archive.org/web/20061220223926/http://gias.snu.ac.kr/wthong/ * https://web.archive.org/web/20080827190959/http://www.himemiko.info/2006/01/ * https://web.archive.org/web/20071113135549/http://www.kansai.gr.jp/culture_e/ibunka/monuments/siga/index.html {{DEFAULTSORT:Gwisil, Boksin 663 deaths Baekje people Year of birth unknown