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Baekje Loyal Subjects enshrined
at Samchungsa Shrine
(Seongchung, Heungsu and Gyebaek |
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Samchungsa Shrine is an
ancestral shrine located in the Buso Mountain Fortress
Wall at Buyeo-eup, Buyeo-gun, and was built to pay
tribute to the three loyal subjects of the Baekje
Kingdom. They were Seongchung, Heungsu and Gyebaek
who, while risking their lives, tried to save the
falling kingdom Baekje Kingdom.
Seongchung(?бн656), Jwapyeong (the first of 16
official ranks in Baekje) gave King Eujawang,
a man who indulged in a hedonistic life and endangered
the Kingdom, his straightforward advice to stay
away from complacency and the sensual pleasures..
Enraged by the advice, the King put him in jail.
In an effort to bring the King to his sense, he
continued to fast in jail and wrote a petition
for the King right before he died. The petition
read, 'If the enemy invades our kingdom, the land
forces of the enemy should not be allowed to pass
Tanhyeon and the naval forces should not be allowed
to enter the Baekgang River. We should stop the
enemy invasion by use of the rugged geography.'
But the King would not listen.
After Seongchung died in jail, Heungsu followed
suit and advised the King to refrain from wine
and women and to enhance national discipline.
Then Heungsu was exiled. Even though Seongchung
had died in jail for his straightforward advice
to the King, Heungsu had dared to advise the King
at the risk of his own life. While Heungsu was
in exile, the coalition forces of Silla and Tang
of China invaded Baekje. Taken off guard, King
Eujawang was at a loss what to do and sent for
advice from Heungsu in exile. Heungsu said that
the Silla land forces should be stopped at Tanhyeon
and that the Tang naval forces should not be allowed
into the Baekgang River. However, King Eujawang
was tricked into ignoring the advice of Heungsu
by his treacherous subjects. The, Silla forces
led by General Kim Yu-sin advanced into the Hwangsan
plain and Tang naval forces led by So Jeong-bang
were advancing to the Sabiseong Fortress through
the Baekgang River.
With his country in great danger, General Gyebaek(?бн660)
organized a 5,000 strong death unit to save his
country. Gyebaek, sensing his unavoidable death
in the forthcoming battle, killed his wife and
children by his own sword to save them from the
disgrace of being captured by the enemy and advanced
to the Hwangsan plain with his
death unit. His 5,000 strong death unit defeated
Kim Yu-sin's 50,000 strong forces of Silla four
times. However, strongly moved by the death of
a Hwarang (flower of youths) the Silla forces
took courage and attacked Gyeobaek's death unit
in waves. Gyebaek' unit, overwhelmingly outnumbered,
lost the battle and all Gyebaek and his men met
their gallant death to the last man. Thus, Sabiseong
fortress fell into the hands of the Silla-Tang
Coalition forces and with King Eujawang taken
to Tang of China as a captive, the Baekje Kingdom
finally collapsed.
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