Hogong was a minister 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 ...
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.
[ 三國史記 卷第一 新羅本紀第一 始祖赫居世, 「瓠公者未詳其族姓本倭人初以瓠繫腰渡海而來故稱瓠公」] He was called Hogong (meaning "Duke Bottle Gourd") because he was wearing one or more
bottle gourd
Calabash (; ''Lagenaria siceraria''), also known as bottle gourd, white-flowered gourd, long melon, birdhouse gourd, New Guinea bean, Tasmania bean, and opo squash, is a vine grown for its fruit. It can be either harvested young to be consumed ...
s on his waist when he first came across the sea. He was a very important person in initial Silla because he appeared in stories of primogenitors of all royal families.
*In 20 BC,
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 B ...
(박혁거세) dispatched him to
Mahan confederacy. The king of Mahan scolded him on account of the fact that Silla had not sent tribute, but Hogong criticized the king's impoliteness with fortitude. The king became angry at Hogong and tried to kill him, but surrounding subordinates stopped the king, and he was permitted his homecoming.
*In 58, he assumed the position of the minister's first rank.
*In 65, he discovered
Kim Alji, who would become primogenitor of the Kim royal clan of Silla, in the forest of
Gyerim
The Gyerim is a small woodland in Gyeongju National Park, Gyeongju, South Korea. The name literally means "rooster forest." The grove lies near the old site of the Silla kingdom palace in central Gyeongju. Nearby landmarks include the Banwolseon ...
.
Popular culture
* Portrayed by
Lee Byung-joon
Lee Byung-joon (; born January 27, 1964) is a South Korean actor. Active in film, television and theater since 1985, Lee is best known for his supporting roles in '' A Bloody Aria'' (2006), '' Highway Star'' (2007), and ''Eye for an Eye'' (2008) ...
in the 2016-2017
KBS2
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, a ...
TV series ''
Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth''.
References
History of Korea
Silla