Geumwa of Dongbuyeo

Geumwa was the second ruler (48 BCE – 7 BCE) of Dongbuyeo. (East Buyeo), an ancient kingdom of Korea. His story is recorded in Samguk Sagi, Samguk Yusa and Book of King Dongmyeong.

Birth and background

Geumwa (金蛙 or 金蝸) was the son of Hae Buru, who was the king of Dongbuyeo. According to the Samgukyusa, Hae Buru was old and without an heir, when he found a gold-colored frog-like (or a gold-colored snail-like) child under a large rock near Lake Gonyeon. Hae Buru named the child Geumwa, meaning golden frog(or golden snail), and later made him crown prince.

Hae Buru established Dongbuyeo when he moved the capital east to Gaseopwon (가섭원, 迦葉原) by the Sea of Japan (East Sea).

Reign

Jumong's departure

Geumwa became king after Hae Buru's death. At Ubal river (우발수, 優渤水), south of Mount Taebaek, Geumwa met Yuhwa (유화, 柳花), the disowned daughter of the river god, and brought her back to his palace. She was impregnated by sunlight and conceived Jumong.

Geumwa's seven sons resented Jumong, and so did he. He attempted numerous times to destroy Jumong when he was an egg, but later gave up, as the egg was indestructible. Jumong later ran away to Jolbon, or former Bukbuyeo, where he later established Goguryeo.