Sosurim of Goguryeo

Sosurim of Goguryeo
Hangul 소수림왕,소해주류왕 해미류왕
Hanja 小獸林王, 小解朱留王, 解味留王
Revised Romanization Sosurim-wang, Sohaejuryu-wang, Haemiryu-wang
McCune–Reischauer Sosurim-wang, Sohaejuryu-wang, Haemiryu-wang
Birth name
Hangul 고구부
Hanja 高丘夫
Revised Romanization Go Gubu
McCune–Reischauer Ko Kubu
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 Sosurim of Goguryeo (died 384) (r. 371–384) was the 17th ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the son of King Gogugwon.

Contents

Background and Rise to the throne

Born as Go Gu-Bu, King Sosurim was the first son and successor of King Gogugwon. He assisted his father in leading the country and strengthening royal authority, which had been severely weakened due to humiliation brought upon by the Later Yan, who dug up the grave of King Micheon. Prince Gu-Bu was made crown prince in 355.

Reign

He became king in 371 when his father King Gogugwon was killed by the Baekje King Geunchogo's assault on Pyongyang Castle.

He is considered to have strengthened the centralization of authority in Goguryeo, by establishing state religious institutions to transcend tribal factionalism. In 372, he received Buddhism through travelling monks of Former Qin and built temples to house them.

Also in 372, he also established the Confucian institutions of Taehak (태학, 太學) to educate the children of the nobility. In 373, he promulgated a code of laws called (율령, 律令), centrally codifying regional customs and acting as the national constitution.

In 374, 375, and 376, he attacked the Korean kingdom of Baekje to the south, and in 378 was attacked by the Khitan from the north.

He died in 384 and was buried in Sosurim, which is a forest in Goguryeo.

Legacy

Most of King Sosurim's reign and life was spent trying to keep Goguryeo under control and also strengthening royal authority. Although he was not able to avenge the death of his father and previous Goguryeo ruler, King Gogugwon, he did play a major role in setting up the foundations that made the great conquests of his nephew and later ruler of Goguryeo, King Gwanggaeto the Great, a possibility.

Depiction in arts and media

See also