Yi Gyu-bo’s Lay of King Dongmyeong

Yi Gyu-bo retold the story of King Dongmyeong (Jumong), founder of Goguryeo, as a long narrative poem.

In 1193 Yi Gyu-bo read the Old History of the Three Kingdoms (Gu samguksa) and, moved by the marvels of King Dongmyeong, wrote the Dongmyeongwang-pyeon, a long poem in five-character lines. In its preface he regretted that Kim Bu-sik had cut the story down when recompiling the Samguk sagi, and said he wished to show that it was no idle fancy but the sacred trace of a nation’s founding.

Written in the age of military rule, it expresses a sense of succession from Goguryeo and national pride, and survives in his collected works, the Dongguk Yisangguk jip. It also hints at the contents of the lost Gu samguksa.