King Gyeondeok 경덕왕 景德王 | |
---|---|
King of Unified Silla | |
Reign | 742–765 |
Coronation | 742 |
Predecessor | Hyoseong of Silla |
Successor | Hyegong of Silla |
Born | 723 Gyeongju, Gyeongbok, Silla |
Died | 765 Gyeongju, Gyeongbok, Silla |
Father | Seongdeok of Silla |
Mother | Queen Sodeok |
Gyeongdeok of Silla | |
Hangul | 경덕왕 |
---|---|
Hanja | 景德王 |
Revised Romanization | Gyeongdeok Wang |
McCune–Reischauer | Kyŏngdŏk Wang |
Birth name | |
Hangul | 김헌영 |
Hanja | 金憲英 |
Revised Romanization | Gim Heonyeong |
McCune–Reischauer | Kim Hŏnyŏng |
Monarchs of Korea |
Silla |
---|
(Post-unification) |
|
Gyeongdeok (景德王; 723–765) was the 35th ruler of Silla and son of King Seongdeok (reigned 702–737). He succeeded his elder brother, King Hyoseong, the 34th ruler of Silla. His reign is considered a golden age in Unified Silla's history, particularly for Buddhist art and architecture.[1][2][3] He is noted as an avid patron of Buddhism and an influential political and religious individual.[4] King Gyeongdeok also made attempts to centralize the country through reorganizing government and standardizing naming practices.[1][5][6][7][8] With his mother as regent, Gyeongdeok's son, King Hyegong, succeeded him after his death.[9]
King Gyeongdeok is best known for the multiple architectural projects that began under his reign. The most notable of these is the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok, which he commissioned and named for his father.[1][2][10] The construction began in 742 and finished during the reign of King Hyoseong.[10] The tomb of King Seongdeok was also completed by King Gyeongdeok in alignment with the styles of the Great Stupa of Sanchi and Bharhut Stupa.[4]
Buddhist architecture also gained much support from King Gyeongdeok. The construction of Seokguram Grotto also began under his reign headed by Prime Minister Kim Dae-seong in 751, who also oversaw the construction of Bulguksa and the Dabotap Pagoda which began construction in the same year.[2][11][12] King Gyeongdeok also constructed a Jangsaenpyo at Borimsa to express his gratitude for the support of Master Wanpyo in his administrative endeavors.[13]
It is also likely that King Gyeongdeok constructed one of the lotus ponds in the southwest region of Wolseong Castle, which spans approximately forty meters from east to west and fifty meters from north to south.[14]
King Gyeongdeok attempted further centralization of Korea through organization of government and post naming conventions.[1]
King Gyeongdeok tried to establish a government system similar to the Chinese system of governing, where regions were governed by court-appointed officials rather than local nobles.[1]
The standardization of naming conventions happened across multiple levels during King Gyeongdeok's reign. The Gongbang class, or artisans, offices were renamed using the suffix "bang" from "jeon" during his reign.[5] A similar change was that of forge workers' titles, from Cheolyujeon (鐵鍮典) was changed to Chukyabang (築冶房), which have the same essential meaning.[5][7]
Locations were standardized as well under King Gyeongdeok. Records in the Samguk sagi show a list of toponyms from Silla and Korea's conquered kingdoms of Goguryeo and Baekje that were standardized to Chinese names in 757.[6] The records contain both the new standardized Chinese name and a phonetic Chinese transcription of the original name of each location, which were generally similar to the semantic meaning of the Chinese name.[6] Sanum, a county in modern South Gyeongsang Province. Called Chip'umch'on in the Silla period, the province was renamed Sanum and incorporated into Kwólsóng gun.[8]
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)