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PersonAD 554

King Seong of Baekje

Twenty-sixth king of Baekje, who moved the capital to Sabi and died at Gwansan Fortress

In 538 he moved the capital from Ungjin to Sabi (Buyeo), with broad plains on the lower Geum River and access to the sea, and renamed the country to claim descent from Buyeo. He set up twenty-two central offices and divided the capital into five districts and the provinces into five regions. He promoted Buddhism through ties with Liang in southern China; the monk Gyeomik, back from India, spread the Vinaya school, and in 552 Seong sent Norisachigye to bring Buddhist images and scriptures to Wa. In 551 he and Silla retook the lower Han River, but Silla seized it in 553; the next year, marching with Gaya and Wa troops on Gwansan Fortress, he was ambushed by Silla forces under Kim Mu-ryeok and killed.

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5 related events

  1. 1
    AD 538King Seong Moves the Capital to Sabimonarch

    King Seong moved the capital to Sabi (Buyeo) on the Geum River plain and renamed the country Nambuyeo ("Southern Buyeo").

  2. 2
    AD 551Baekje and Silla Retake the Han Rivermonarch

    King Seong of Baekje and King Jinheung of Silla attacked Goguryeo together; Baekje took six districts on the lower Han and Silla ten on the upper river.

  3. 3
    AD 552Baekje Brings Buddhism to Wamonarch

    King Seong sent the envoy Norisachigye with Buddhist images and sutras to Wa; Baekje culture strongly influenced the formation of Japan’s Asuka culture.

  4. 4
    AD 553Silla Seizes the Lower Han Rivermonarch

    King Jinheung took the lower Han River that Baekje had just recovered and set up Sinju province, ending the 120-year alliance.

  5. 5
    AD 554Battle of Gwansan Fortresscommander

    King Seong attacked Silla’s Gwansan Fortress with Gaya and Wa allies but was killed in an ambush; some 30,000 Baekje soldiers died.

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

  • Kim Mu-ryeok

    Silla general of Geumgwan Gaya royal descent and grandfather of Kim Yu-sin, who as governor of Sinju defeated Baekje at Gwansanseong

  • 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

  • Achikki

    Baekje scholar said to have gone to Wa around the reign of King Geunchogo, taught Chinese writing to the crown prince and recommended Wang In

  • Wang In

    Baekje scholar said to have brought the Analects and the Thousand Character Classic to Wa and taught Chinese writing

  • Damjing

    Goguryeo monk and painter who went to Japan in 610 and taught the making of paper, ink and millstones

Themes this person appears in

  • Sui, Tang and the East Asian WorldAD 317 – AD 979

    From the divided Southern and Northern Dynasties and the Gupta age through the Sui and Tang empires to the founding of the Song — the age when an East Asian world sharing law codes, Buddhism, Confucianism and Chinese characters took shape, and Korea and Japan built their states on its model

  • Local Administration Through the AgesAD 250 – 1896

    From the five regions of the Three Kingdoms through nine provinces, the five circuits and two frontiers and the eight provinces to the thirteen — how directly the centre came to rule the regions

  • Buyeo2000 BC – 1376

    From the Songguk-ri village to Sabi, Baekje’s last capital — the Geum River town where Baekje culture bloomed and fell