The Tale of Hong Gildong
by Heo Gyun · 2026-08-25
Gil-dong led the three armies back to the main camp, beating the drums of victory, and fed his soldiers.
Then, he buried the King of Yuldo with the honors of a king.
Next, he urged the three armies to surround the capital city.
The eldest son of the King of Yuldo, upon hearing of his father's tragic death, looked up to the sky and sighed, then took his own life.
The ministers, having no other choice, presented the royal seal and surrendered.
Gil-dong led his large army into the capital city, comforting and stabilizing the people.
The son of the King of Yuldo was also buried with the honors of a king.
A great amnesty was declared in each district, releasing all prisoners, and storehouses were opened to relieve the people.
There was no one in the entire nation who did not praise his virtue.
After choosing a day to ascend the throne, he elevated his father, Prime Minister Hong, to the rank of King Taejo, and named his tomb Hyeondeokreung.
His mother was enfeoffed as Queen Dowager, and Baek-yong was enfeoffed as Prince Consort.
Lady Baek was enfeoffed as Queen Consort, and Lady Jeong and Lady Jo were both enfeoffed as Royal Consort Jeongsuk.
The three heroes were made Grand Marshal and Grand General, overseeing all military affairs.
Kim In-su was granted the position of Cheongju Military Commissioner, and Maeng Chung was granted the position of Vice Marshal.
Other generals were also rewarded in turn, and not a single person harbored resentment.
After the new king governed the nation, the weather was mild every season, and there were abundant harvests every year.
The nation was peaceful, the people were at ease, and there were no troubles in any direction.
His virtuous influence spread widely, and no one would pick up even a dropped item on the road.
While living in such peaceful times, several decades later, the Grand Queen Dowager passed away.
She was seventy-three years old at the time.
The king was deeply saddened and performed the funeral rites with utmost sincerity, and his filial piety moved all the people.
She was interred in Hyeondeokreung.
The king had three sons and two daughters.
His eldest son, Hang, possessed his father's demeanor, and both the people and his subjects revered him like Mount Tae-san.
The king appointed his eldest son as crown prince, issued a general amnesty to various districts, and then held a grand banquet to enjoy himself.
At that time, the king was seventy years old.
After drinking until he was half-drunk, he grabbed a sword and danced and sang.
“Holding a sword, I stand askew on my right hand; how many tens of thousands of li is the Southern Sea?”
“A great roc flies up, and a whirlwind arises.”
“My dancing sleeves flutter lightly with the wind; there are no ambushes to the east or west.”
“Sweeping away the dust and chaos, I cultivate peace; auspicious clouds rise, and auspicious stars shine.”
“Brave generals guard all four directions, so no bandits dare to spy on the borders.”
On this day, the king abdicated the throne to the crown prince and again issued a general amnesty to each district.
Thirty li outside the capital city was Mount Wolyeong.
From ancient times, it was a place where immortals who had attained enlightenment occasionally resided.
There was a furnace where Ge Hong refined elixirs and a rock where Mago ascended to become an immortal.
Strange flowers and trees grew there, and leisurely clouds always lingered.
The king loved its scenery and wished to wander there, following the ancient immortal, Chijeok Songja.
Thus, he built a three-칸 pavilion in the mountains and lived there with Queen Baek.
They abstained from grains, drank the essence of heaven and earth, and learned the way of the immortals.
The crown prince ascended the throne and visited his royal father and mother three times a month to pay his respects.
Then, one day.
Thunder and lightning shook heaven and earth, and five-colored clouds and mist enveloped Mount Wolyeong.
Soon, the thunder subsided, and the sky and earth cleared, and the cries of immortal cranes faded.
And the Great King and the Royal Mother were nowhere to be found.
The king hastily went to Mount Wolyeong to search, but their traces were distant and faint.
Unable to bear the overwhelming grief, he cried out countless times towards the sky.
The clothes of the Great King and Queen were buried in Hyeondeokneung, creating an empty tomb, and everyone said,
“Our Great King cultivated the way of the immortals and ascended to heaven in broad daylight.”
The new king loved his people and strived for virtuous governance, bringing peace to the entire nation.
The people habitually sang while stomping their feet, and benevolent descendants continued for generations, living in peace.
Meanwhile, the Grand Madam of Prime Minister Hong's household in Joseon passed away in her later years.
Her eldest son, Gil-hyeon, observed the rites with utmost sincerity, buried her at the foot of the ancestral mountain, and completed the three-year mourning period.
Afterward, he gained power in the court, initially holding the concurrent positions of Hanlimhaksa and Daegan.
He was successively promoted, serving as Byeongjo Jeongrang while concurrently holding positions as Hongmungwan Gyori and Suchan, and his rank steadily rose until he finally became Prime Minister.
Thus, his fortune blossomed, and he held various high offices, including the Samgong and Yukgyeong, making his glory paramount throughout the nation.
However, he thought of his father's grave every day and longed to see his younger brother.
He never ceased to grieve over the path that had divided them, north and south.
How beautiful are Gil-dong's deeds!
He was truly a magnificent man.
Although born of humble origins, he resolved his accumulated grievances and perfectly fulfilled his filial piety and brotherly love.
Thus, he fully displayed his true self, an event rare in all ages, and so it is recorded here for future generations to know.