The Reign of Queen Seondeok in Silla Korea
Under the Reign of Korean’s First Female Sovereign Silla Experienced a Flourish of Arts and Science
The ancient Kingdom of Silla was ruled by a woman from 632 to 647 CE. Her name was Queen Seondeok, and she was Korea’s very first female sovereign.
The queen’s father King Jinpyeong ruled for an impressive 53 years between 579-632 CE. He had no male heir, and the crown was passed on to his daughter. When she took the throne, she also took the word wang or king—just like the queens in Egypt had before her. Seondeok was the Silla’s 27th ruler. She inherited a prosperous fortune. Compassionately her first objective was to help the poor in the state.
Seondeok was also a fighter. She refused to give up land the Silla owned. She sent a 10, 000-man army to rescue the famous general Kin Yu-Sin. He was being held by rival King Bojang of Gogurye for ransom. The demand was for Seondeok to give up territory the Silla has taken. Seeing the fierce army, the king released the general immediately!
Silla’s neighbors were not without power. The queen had already established trading and cultural ties with the Tang Court of China. The two states formed an army. Yet, warring in Korea continued until 668 CE after the queen’s rule had ended.
Artistic Accomplishments
Cheomseongdae
During her time Buddhism grew increasingly popular. The queen saw an extensive building program especially when it came to Buddhist temples. While these were made of wood and did not survive, examples of stone pagodas still do.
The most notable work is the granite built Cheomseongdae observatory in Gyeongju, the Silla capital. It stands 9 meters high. The blocks are large rectangles set in a circular formation, forming a bottle like shape.
There is a window with 12 layers of bricks below it and 12 layers of bricks above it. The sun’s rays are captured during the spring and summer equinoxes, given its south facing views. It was initially thought that the building functioned as a sundial, as astronomy and astrology were important parts of Korean society that helped with agriculture. It also lent authority to rulers as the chosen ones.
Another theory is that Cheomseongdae was meant as a replica of Mount Sumeru, the holy Buddhist mountain. This would indicate the sight was a place to worship and pray. The female like form could also mean that it was built to represent the Ishtar/Inanna who was connected to the heavens. One final theory is that it was suppose to represent the Queen herself.
Hwangnyongsa Temple
Hwangnyongsa Temple is a Buddhist temple which translates into English as Temple of the Illustrious Dragon, also in Gyeongju. Myth has it that a yellow dragon was spotted at this exact location, symbolizing the defeat of all enemies of Silla.
The project began with the breaking of the ground by King Jinheung, in 553 CE. The site measured 280 by 280 meters, with a huge Buddha at a height of 4 meters. The queen added a nine-story pagoda for which she hired master architect Abiji from Baekje. It also included a massive bell. Everything was destroyed by the Mongols in 1238 CE, but the foundation remains for visitors to see.
Death of the Queen
Not everyone agreed Seondeok should rule. Fuming aristocrats thought the throne should now be granted to someone outside of the bloodline. A rebellion ensued, that was thwarted by general Kin Yu-Sin and the queen’s nephew.
She would later die of illness and was entombed within the sacred mountain of Nangsan, Gyeongju.
The Second Queen
After the rule of Queen Seondeok, her cousin Jindeok (r. 647-654 CE) took the throne. She would further help Silla dominate the Korean peninsula.