Minjung of Goguryeo

Minjung of Goguryeo
Hangul 민중왕
Hanja 閔中王
Revised Romanization Minjung-wang
McCune–Reischauer Minjung-wang
Birth name
Hangul 해색주
Hanja 解色朱
Revised Romanization Hae Saek-ju
McCune–Reischauer Hae Saekchu
Monarchs of Korea
Goguryeo
  1. King Chumo 37-19 BCE
  2. King Yuri 19 BCE-18 CE
  3. King Daemusin 18-44
  4. King Minjung 44-48
  5. King Mobon 48-53
  6. King Taejodae 53-146
  7. King Chadae 146-165
  8. King Sindae 165-179
  9. King Gogukcheon 179-197
  10. King Sansang 197-227
  11. King Dongcheon 227-248
  12. King Jungcheon 248-270
  13. King Seocheon 270-292
  14. King Bongsang 292-300
  15. King Micheon 300-331
  16. King Gogug-won 331-371
  17. King Sosurim 371-384
  18. King Gogug-yang 384-391
  19. King Gwanggaeto 391-413
  20. King Jangsu 413-490
  21. King Munja 491-519
  22. King Anjang 519-531
  23. King An-won 531-545
  24. King Yang-won 545-559
  25. King Pyeong-won 559-590
  26. King Yeong-yang 590-618
  27. King Yeong-nyu 618-642
  28. King Bojang 642-668

King Minjung of Goguryeo (? - 48, r. 44-48) was the fourth ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.

Background

According to the Samguk Sagi, he was the younger brother of his predecessor Daemusin, and the fifth and youngest son of Goguryeo's second king Yuri. He became king because of the young age of the crown prince, his nephew and Daemusin's son Hae U (the subsequent king Mobon.

However, according to the Samguk Yusa, Minjung was Daemusin's son and the younger brother of Mobon (Hae U).

Reign

Though Minjung did not reign for long, he was able to avoid military conflicts and kept peace through most of the kingdom.

Several natural disasters marked his reign. In the second year of Minjung's reign, a flood occurred in the eastern provinces causing several citizens to lose their homes and starve. Seeing this, Minjung opened up the food storage and distributed food equally amongst all who came.

In the fourth year of his reign, Minjung found a stone grotto in the western region of his kingdom and was said to have rested in it after a long hunt.

Death

In 48, after 5 years of reign, Minjung fell ill and died. On his deathbed, he asked to be buried at the place where he had rested and his subjects fulfilled his wish. He was buried at a stone grotto in Minjung-won, thus he was give the posthumous name, Minjung.

See also