『三國史記』에 보이는 溫祚王像

King Onjo's(溫祚王) image expressed in Samguksagi(三國史記)

It is not important to make it clear that King Onjo's image expressed in Samguksagi is true or not. Because the stories about King Onjo contain a series of political messages. King Onjo had great authority as the first king of Baek-je, so the Royal Family intended to express their political messages through the fact. The messages stress several important things as followings. King Onjo moved several times with difficulty until he founded the country, Baekje. And he took a resolution to locate the capital. The last, he repelled many attacks from other nations and enlarged the country with heroic struggle. That is to say, we can read the fact that the territory of Baek-je reached Ye-seong river on the north, Chun-Cheon on the east, No-ryeong Mountails beyond Geum river on the south. Samguksagi tells that King Onjo was a conquering monarch who completed all these things and handed them over. But it is not true. As a matter of fact, enlarging the country was King Geunchogo's achievement, but it was attributed to King Onjo who founded the dynasty, Baek-je. It is the result of the victory of King Onjo's Family to King Geunchogo's Family in the history. The stories about King Onjo in Samguksagi emphasize his wise dicisions and military abilities related to the foundation of a nation and enlarging the country. And they explain that he was a farming king responsible for the people's living and was a loving and virtuous king familiar with the people. These epic descriptions running through the stories about King Onjo in Samguksagi come to an end with the submission of the people of South Okjeo. It is one of the conclusions of King Onjo's achievements and it is the symbol of prosperity itself. In conclusion, the stories about King Onjo in Samguksagi were written from the the viewpoint of the final winner, King Onjo's family. And the stories are related to the political problems. In short, we have to understand King Onjo's images expressed in Samguksagi from this point of view.