What I’ve discovered

 

Moonmoo-Wang ( also Munmu) was the king of Silla in 668 A.D. when the three kingdoms were

 finally united.

He was Prince Bubmin, the son of King Muyol (also Mu-Yal) and ascended the throne as

Moonmoo-Wang in 661 A.D., shortly after the defeat of BaekJe.

 

Moonmoo went on to defeat Koguryo, having failed in 661 A.D., he ordered another attack in 667 A.D.

 

 The ‘Samguk Sagi’ states that in 668 A.D., the king led his army in person to P’yonyang where

he co-operated with Tang in defeating Koguryo, thus unifying Korea.

 

There are also tales of the mysterious monk, Myongnang Popsa whose magic called upon the Typhoon

to destroy the Tang navy.

 

Moonmoo reigned for twenty years on his deathbed he named his son Prince Sin-Moon

(also SinMun) as his successor.

 

Moonmoo was an ardent Buddhist, he therefore wished to be cremated and for his ashes

to be scattered at sea.

 

It was believed that the royal spirit could pray to Buddha for the prosperity of Silla, Moonmoo said,

‘When I am dead and gone, I should like to become a guardian dragon in the sea, to worship Buddha

and protect the nation when I have done with worldly glories’.

 

Moonmoo’s ashes were reputedly scattered over Daewang-am, the Rock of the Great King, his son

had a waterway built so that Moonmoo’s spirit dragon could have access to land and sea, and

defend against the Japanese pirates.

 

King Sin-Moon had Kamun-sa (Thanksgiving Temple) completed after his father’s death and

a submarine cavern holds the remains of Moonmoo.

 

Legend holds that the dragon, Moonmoo protects Korea, along with and the spirit of

Kim Yoo-Sin who became a deity in the Thirty-Three Heavens.