Munjamyeong of Goguryeo

Munjamyeong of Goguryeo
Hangul 문자명왕 or 명치호왕
Hanja 文咨明王 or 明治好王
Revised Romanization Munja-myeong-wang or Myeongchiho-wang
McCune–Reischauer Munja-myŏng-wang or Myŏngch'iho-wang
Birth name
Hangul 나운
Hanja 羅運
Revised Romanization Naun
McCune–Reischauer Naun
Monarchs of Korea
Goguryeo
  1. Dongmyeong 37-19 BCE
  2. Yuri 19 BCE-18 CE
  3. Daemusin 18-44
  4. Minjung 44-48
  5. Mobon 48-53
  6. Taejo 53-146
  7. Chadae 146-165
  8. Sindae 165-179
  9. Gogukcheon 179-197
  10. Sansang 197-227
  11. Dongcheon 227-248
  12. Jungcheon 248-270
  13. Seocheon 270-292
  14. Bongsang 292-300
  15. Micheon 300-331
  16. Gogug-won 331-371
  17. Sosurim 371-384
  18. Gogug-yang 384-391
  19. Gwanggaeto the Great 391-413
  20. Jangsu 413-490
  21. Munja 491-519
  22. Anjang 519-531
  23. An-won 531-545
  24. Yang-won 545-559
  25. Pyeong-won 559-590
  26. Yeong-yang 590-618
  27. Yeong-nyu 618-642
  28. Bojang 642-668

King Munja of Goguryeo (died 519) (r. 491–519) was the 21st monarch of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the grandson of King Jangsu (413–490). Though Munja's father Gochudaega Joda (고추대가 조다, 古鄒大加 助多) had been named Crown Prince by King Jangsu, Joda died before assuming the throne.

By the time Munja assumed the throne in 491, Goguryeo had relocated its capital from the area around modern Ji'an along the upper Yalu River to P'yongyang (the modern capital of North Korea). This move came in the context of heightened rivalries with the other two of the Three Kingdoms, the then-allied Silla and Baekje.

Munja nurtured close relations with the various petty Chinese dynasties that had emerged following the fall of the Han, notably the Wei (to whom he sent monthly tributes) , Qi, and Liang, accepting feudal titles from them, while continuing a policy of aggressive confrontation with both Baekje and Silla to its south.

The 12th century Korean history the Samguk Sagi (Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms) relates that the remnants of the Buyeo state submitted to Goguryeo in 494 after their defeat by the Malgal. By the early 6th century Goguryeo under Munjamyeong was feeling the pressure of Malgal, Silla and Baekje aggression.

In 498, he constructed the Buddhist temple Geumgangsa.

Munjamyeong was succeeded by his eldest son Anjang.

See also