Geumsan Temple and Later-Beakje

This article is an attempt to examine the relationship between Geumsan Temple(金山寺) and Later-Baekje(後百濟). Geumsan Temple is known as a temple founded during the reign of King Beop(法王) of Baekje. And when Jinpyo(眞表), a ‘Baekje person(百濟人)’ who was active during the reign of King Gyeongdeok(景德王) of Silla, became a monk at this temple, the temple expanded greatly. The introduction of Jinpyo as a ‘Baekje person’ is in Songgaosengchuan(宋高僧傳) written by Zanning(贊寧), a monk from Wuyue(吳越) during the Song(宋) Dynasty. Wuyue had a close relationship with Later-Baekje. So this kind of perception seems to have originated from Later-Baekje. Therefore, Geumsan Temple was continuously referred to as such at least within Later-Baekje due to its connection with ‘Baekje.’ Later-Baekje was embroiled in a problem of succession to the throne at the end of its dynasty. Accordingly, in March 935, Shingeom(神劍) made the extreme choice of suddenly confining his father Gyeonhwon(甄萱) in Geumsan Temple. He wanted to solve the problem of succession to the throne by using physical force. In other words, it is fair to say that the eldest son’s neglect of the issue of succession to the throne was the direct cause of this confinement incident. Since the ascension to the throne was done through an unusual method, Shingeom whose legitimacy was weak hoped to break through the chaos by receiving Gyeonhwon’s official approval. Shingeom, who took note of the fact that Geumsan Temple had experienced history through Baekje, wanted to resolve the issue of legitimacy by imprisoning Gyeonhwon, who was like a symbol of Baekje, there and having him officially recognized as the ‘successor of Baekje’. However, Gyeonhwon suddenly surrendered to Goryeo, and the Shingeom regime of Later-Baekje, which lost the legitimacy of Baekje in an instant, failed to overcome the resulting chaos.