Beopheung of Silla
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| Beopheung of Silla | |
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| Hangul: |
법흥태왕
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| Hanja: |
法興太王
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| Revised Romanization: | Beopheung Taewang |
| McCune-Reischauer: | Beophŭng T'aewang |
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King Beopheung (r. 514-540) was the 23rd monarch of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was preceded by King Jijeung (r. 500–514) and succeeded by King Jinheung.
During his reign, Buddhism had become fairly common in Shilla, as it was introduced by Goguryeo monks during King Nulji's reign. One minister named Yi Cha-don (이차돈) had converted to Buddhism and even shaved his head to become a monk. He constantly pleaded the King to choose Buddhism as the state religion and Beopheung himself was also fond of Buddha's teachings. However, the ministers of Shilla were greatly against this, and expressed their defiance to the king. Beopheung, having been persuaded by his ministers, was at a crossroads, and found great reluctance to bring change. At this time, Yi Cha-don suggested his own matyrdom and pleaded the King to execute him in public for the cause of Buddhism. The King refused to do this, and Yi deliberately insulted the ministers of the kingdom, which did provoke the anger of the King. In the end, Yi Cha-don was executed in public, but before his head was cut off, he stated that the blood spilled from his body will not be red, but milky white. And according to Samguk Sagi, his predictions were correct, and Yi Cha-don's blood horrified the ministers of the Kingdom. Due to Yi's matyrdom, King Beopheung finally chose Buddhism as the state religion, but true Buddhist freedom within Shilla would not begin until King Jinheung's reign.
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