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Isabu

Silla general who subdued Usan-guk with wooden lions and later conquered Daegaya

Under King Jijeung he became military governor of Siljik Province, and in 512, as governor of Haseulla Province, conquered Usan-guk (Ulleungdo). Under King Jinheung he became minister of war, and in 545 he urged that the kingdom’s history be compiled, leading Geochilbu to write the Guksa. His name appears on the Silla stele at Jeokseong in Danyang. When he attacked Daegaya in 562, the hwarang Sadaham charged through the gate first and the kingdom fell.

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4 related events

  1. 1
    AD 512Isabu Conquers Usan-gukcommander

    Under King Jijeung, the general Isabu sailed with wooden lions to frighten the islanders of Usan-guk (Ulleungdo) into submission.

  2. 2
    AD 545Geochilbu compiles the Guksarelated figure

    Under King Jinheung, on Isabu’s advice, Geochilbu and others compiled the Guksa, a history of Silla.

  3. 3
    AD 550Silla Stele of Jeokseong, Danyangcommander

    King Jinheung took Jeokseong (Danyang) from Goguryeo and raised a stele rewarding the locals who had helped.

  4. 4
    AD 562Fall of Daegayacommander

    King Jinheung sent Isabu and Sadaham to conquer Daegaya, ending the Gaya confederacy.

People who appear alongside

  • King JinheungAD 534 – AD 576

    Twenty-fourth king of Silla, who took the Han River basin and Daegaya, raised border steles and organized the hwarang

  • King JijeungAD 437 – AD 514

    Twenty-second ruler of Silla, who fixed the names Silla and wang (king), promoted ox ploughing and annexed Usan-guk

  • Geochilbu

    Silla minister and general under King Jinheung who compiled the history Guksa and took ten districts of the upper Han River from Goguryeo in 551

  • Ureuk

    Daegaya musician who composed gayageum pieces for King Gasil and, moving to Silla, passed on the gayageum under King Jinheung

  • Sadaham

    Silla hwarang who was first through the gate in the conquest of Daegaya in 562

Themes this person appears in

  • Writing Korean HistoryAD 375 – 1931

    From the Seogi, Guksa and Sinjip to the Joseon sanggosa — history-writing as royal display, Confucian record, assertion of independence and nationalist scholarship

  • Ulleungdo and DokdoAD 512 – 1905

    From Isabu’s conquest of Usan-guk to Imperial Decree No. 41 — two East Sea islands recorded as Korean throughout