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Chong Chung-bu
Edit ProfileEducation
He learned martial arts and military tactics in his early days.
Career
From the beginning of the 12th century, factious nobles struggled for political supremacy, creating a period of unrest and unstability. The fall of the Yi clan of Inju in 1126 was followed by rivalry among the nobility and a revolt at the Western Capital in 1135, led by the monk Myoch'ong. It was suppressed by a capital-based power group headed by the famous historian Kim Pu-sik. Kim's appointment as a commander of government forces had precedents in early Kory, where a civilian was made a leader of expeditionary forces, symbolizing the supremacy of the civilian branch over the military. However, the military chafed under civilian suppression and abuse. In one instance, simply to abuse a general at a court gathering, a young scholar, Kim Pu-sik's son, lifted a candle and managed to burn the mustache of Chong Chung-bu. Chong beat him down and swore to avenge the civilian affront. With the enthronement of the 18th ruler [Ubreve]ijong in 1127, a less than ideal monarch given to wine, women, and song, the situation worsened. Surrounded by sycophants, the frivolous and dissolute monarch enraged the military. On October 11, 1170, when the royal pleasure party was on its way to Pohynwn in Changdan, Chong, then a member of the palace guard, and his associates initiated a coup and massacred all civil officials accompanying the King. Chong then sent troops to the capital to massacre the remaining officials. Following this, he banished [Ubreve]ijong and the heir apparent, killed the royal grandson, and set up the King's younger brother as Myngjong. Three years later, on November 7, 1173, [Ubreve]ijong was murdered in Kyngju. Thus the military achievedadministrative control and filled all the chief positions at court and in the provinces. Soon, however, Chong and his principal associates began to fight among themselves, expanding their estates and increasing their private armies. Several unsuccessful revolts ensued-in 1173 by a commander of the northeast province and in 1174 by a commissioner of the Western Capital-but they could not topple Chong. On the night of October 18, 1179, Chong was killed by a young rival general, Kyng Tae-s[ubreve]ng. The local peasant and slave uprisings which had broken out under Chong continued through the turn of the century. They were finally quelled by the general Ch'oe Ch'ung-hn, who seized control of the government in 1196.
Personality
He was often reported to be 7-foot-tall giant with great confidence and intelligence. He was a diligent soldier, and his loyalty earned him the trust from the king.
