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PersonAD 765

King Gyeongdeok

35th king of Silla, who sinicized official titles and place names but restored the nogeup stipend villages; Bulguksa and Seokguram were begun in his reign

He pursued a Sinicisation policy, changing place names and official titles to Chinese-style forms and renaming the Gukhak the Taehakgam. But under aristocratic pressure the nogeup, abolished by King Sinmun, was restored in 757, and the new titles reverted under King Hyegong. Kim Dae-seong began building Bulguksa and Seokguram in his reign, and work began on the Divine Bell honouring his father King Seongdeok. The monk Chungdam is said to have written the hyangga Anmin-ga at his request.

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3 related events

  1. 1
    AD 751 – AD 774Building of Bulguksa and Seokgurammonarch

    Kim Dae-seong, chief minister under King Gyeongdeok, began Bulguksa and the Seokguram grotto on Mount Toham — the summit of unified Silla’s Buddhist art.

  2. 2
    AD 757 – AD 759Gyeongdeok Restores the Nogeup and Sinicizes Namesmonarch

    King Gyeongdeok abolished monthly salaries and restored the nogeup stipend villages; the same year he gave place names, and soon offices and titles, Chinese-style forms.

  3. 3
    AD 771Completion of the Divine Bell of King Seongdeokrelated figure

    King Hyegong completed the great bell begun by Gyeongdeok in memory of his father Seongdeok; it is also known as the Emille Bell.

People who appear alongside

  • Kim Dae-seongAD 774

    Chief minister under King Gyeongdeok who, according to the Samguk yusa, began Bulguksa and Seokguram

  • King HyegongAD 780

    36th king of Silla, enthroned at eight and killed amid aristocratic revolts, ending the direct line of King Muyeol

  • King SeongdeokAD 737

    33rd king of Silla, who granted jeongjeon fields to commoners and restored relations with Tang

Themes this person appears in

  • Changes in the Land SystemAD 687 – 1950

    From nogeup to the end of office land — how the rights granted to officials shrank, and gave way to modern land ownership

  • Changes in PagodasAD 634 – 1467

    From Baekje stone pagodas copying timber ones and Silla pagodas copying brick ones, to Unified Silla three-story pagodas and stupas, Goryeo multi-sided pagodas and Yuan-influenced marble towers

  • Changes in Buddhist StatuesAD 539 – 1100

    From a Goguryeo gilt-bronze Buddha in Northern Wei style and "the smile of Baekje" to the Seokguram Buddha, Balhae’s twin Buddhas, early Goryeo iron Buddhas and colossal regional stone figures

  • Crafts and MetalworkAD 346 – 1392

    From the Seven-Branched Sword to mother-of-pearl lacquer — Three Kingdoms crowns, censers and daggers, the great bell of Unified Silla, Goryeo silver inlay and najeon

  • Intangible and World Heritage2000 BC – 1850

    From the dolmens to Namhansanseong on the World Heritage List, from Jongmyo ritual music to ssireum on the Intangible Heritage lists — where each came from and when it was inscribed

  • Gyeongju57 BC – 1860

    Silla’s capital for a thousand years — tombs, pagodas, temples and bells from every age of Silla, and the birthplace of Donghak