Extract from my thesis 'The Hwa Rang:Fact and Fiction

The Philosophy of the Hwa Rang As with the Won Hwa the Hwa Rang had a core underlying set of principles, those of modesty, loyalty and filial piety, which closely reflect Confucian ideas, this shows the influence of the Han and Tang Chinese Dynasty on the philosophical progression of three kingdom and particularly Silla society. When looking to discover and understand the philosophical backbone of the Hwa Rang, study of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism will be required, a good starting place though concerns a a tale told in the Haedong Goseungjeon about two youths, Gwisan and Chwihang who travelled to see the monk Won Gwang. Their intention was to seek advice, spiritual guidance and teaching from the monk, when they approached Won Gwang they said “We are ignorant and without knowledge. Please give us a maxim which will serve to instruct us for the rest of our lives”_ Won Gwang, who had studied for a period in China, replied to this by composing ‘Five Commandments for Secular Life’ or Sae Sok o-Gye. These commandments have since been attributed as another guiding ethos for the Hwa Rang. The Five Commandments are; Loyalty to one’s lord, sagun ichung Love and respect your parents and teachers, sachin ihyo Trust among friends, gyo-u isin Never retreat in battle, imjeon mutwae Never take a life without a just cause, salsaeng yutaek An example of how members of the Hwa Rang fully embraced these commandments can be seen in this extract from one of the most famous stories eulogized by Hwarang literature, in the Samguk Sagi which chronicles the martyrdom of the son, Kwanjang_, of a Silla General, P'umil, who died in the wars of unification; His appearance was elegant, and he became a Hwa Rang as a youth and was on intimate terms with others. At the age of sixteen he was already accomplished in horseback riding and archery. When in the fifth year of Hsien-Ch’ing (660), the king sent the troops and, together with a T’ang General, attacked Paekche, he made Kwanjang and adjunct general. When the two armies met on the plain of Hwangsan, P’umil said to his son, “You are young, but you have spirit. Now is the time to render brilliant service and to rise to wealth and honour. You must show dauntless courage.” “I shall,” Kwanjang replied. Mounting his horse and couching his lance, he galloped into the enemy line and killed several of the foe. Outnumbered he was taken a prisoner and brought to the Paekche general, Kyebaek...Kyebaek said with a sigh “Silla has marvellous knights. Even a youth is like this-how much stronger must their soldiers be?” He then let Kwanjang return alive. Upon returning, Kwanjang remarked, “Earlier when I attacked the enemy’s position I could not behead the enemy general, nor capture their standard. This is my deepest regret. In my second attack I will be sure to succeed.” He scooped up water from a well and drank;he then rushed upon the enemy line and fought desperately. Kyebaek caught him alive, beheaded him, and sent back the head, tied to the saddle of the horse. P’umil took the head and, wiping blood with his sleeve, said, “He saved his honour, Now that he has died for the King’s cause, I have no regrets.” The three armies were moved by this and strengthened their resolve. Beating drums and shouting war cries, they charged the enemy line and utterly routed the Paekche forces. This extract probably illustrates most closely the commandments of sagun ichung and imjeon mutwae, and I feel points to potentially the wider influence that adherents to the Hwa Rang had on the greater community of Silla. Here the selfless sacrifice of a young Silla Knight inspired the wider army to defeat the enemy army on the field of battle and garnered the respect and admiration of his King who posthumously conferred the title of Kupch’an (Rank 9)_ onto Kwanjang and had him buried with full honours and ceremony.