294 pol vanden broucke and sem vermeersch
should be considered with caution.^121 In spite of all the names in this
story, there is again practically nothing that we can substantiate.
In the story it is also said that Myöngnang repelled the Tang eet
by performing a ritual. As a matter of fact, after assisting Silla in
conquering Paekche in 663 and Koguryö in 668, the Chinese kept
troops stationed in these conquered states, appearing set to invade the
kingdom of Silla in the 670s.^122 As a reaction to the Tang attempt to
control the entire peninsula, Silla attacked the Tang forces. In 671 Silla
occupied the former Paekche capital Sabi. And in 676, the Silla
army succeeded in driving back the Chinese forces.^123
In the story devoted to Myöngnang it is said that after stopping the
Chinese invaders, he was considered as the founder of the Sinin-jong,
the School of the Divine Mudr. The Samguk yusa is the rst source
that uses this denomination. The name of this school is also mentioned
in the Koryö-sa (The History of the Kory ö Dynasty), compiled
in 1451.^124
Of the three stories I have discussed so far, the biography and
activities of Myöngnang excel in detail. Unlike Milbon and Hyet’ong,
Myöngnang is also mentioned in other volumes of the Samguk yusa.
Namely, in the story devoted to King Munmu included in kwön 2:^125
Kakkan^126 Kim Ch’önjon 127 reported to [the king], saying,
“Recently, there is the monk Myöngnang. He entered into the Dragon
Palace, transmitted the secret teaching and returned [to Silla]. Please
summon him and ask him.”
Myöngnang said, “South of Nang-san mountain^128 there is
the Sinyurim forest.^129 If you build the Sach’önwang-sa
130 there and establish a place for practicing, that will be
good.” At that time, a messenger from Chöngju 131 came running
and reported, “Innumerable Tang troops reached our frontiers and are(^121) A discussion of this can be found in Kamata 1988, p. 195.
(^122) For the military operations of Tang in Korea, see Twitchett 1997, pp. 232–235,
282–285; Jamieson 1970, pp. 83–94; Lee 1984, pp. 66–71. 123
On Silla’s expulsion of Tang, see Lee 1984, pp. 69–71.
(^124) See Sørensen 1993, p. 86; Suh 1994, p. 283; Suh 1995, p. 151.
(^125) See HPC, vol. 6, p. 288a. The following passage is also included in Grayson
2001, pp. 218–220. 126
See above, note 77.
(^127) Otherwise unknown.
(^128) To the south of Kyöngju.
(^129) On the southern slope of Nang-san mountain.
(^130) A temple no longer extant, see Yi 1996, pp. 299–300 s.v. Sach’önwang-sa.
(^131) Kaep’ung-gun in Kyönggido. See Kim P. 1995, p. 140, n. 1.