Wonseong of Silla

Infobox Korean name
hangul=원성왕
hanja=元聖王
rr=Wonseong Wang
mr=Wŏnsŏng Wang
hangulborn=김경신
hanjaborn=金敬信
rrborn=Gim Gyeong-sin
mrborn=Kim Kyŏngsin

Wonseong of Silla (r. 785-798, d. 798) was the 38th to rule the Korean kingdom of Silla. He was a twelfth-generation descendant of King Naemul. His father was Kim Hyo-yang, and his mother was Lady Gye-o, the daughter of Pak Chang-do. Wonseong's queen was Lady Yeonhwa, the daughter of "Gakgan" Kim Sin-sul.

In 780, Wonseong fought alongside his kinsman Kim Yang-sang to defeat the rebellion of Kim Ji-jeong. The rebellion left King Hyegong dead, and Kim took the throne as King Seondeok. The new king gave Wonseong the title of "sangdaedeung". After Seondeok died without an heir, the nobles chose Wonseong as the new king.

In 787, Wonseong sent tribute to Tang China and requested a title. In 788, he established the "national civil service examination" for the first time, on the Tang model.

After his death in 798, the king was buried south of Bongdeoksa.

ee also

*Unified Silla
*List of Korean monarchs
*List of Silla people