박혁거세 朴赫居世
Founding king of Silla (r. 57 BC – AD 4); progenitor of the Bak surname
| Life | -69 ~ 4 |
| Era | 신라 건국기(삼국시대) |
| Clan | 경주 박씨 |
Life & career
Bak Hyeokgeose is recorded in the Samguk Sagi and Samguk Yusa as the founding king of Silla. According to legend, he was born from a purple egg found beside the Najeong well at the foot of Mt. Yangsan in Gyeongju, where a white horse was found neighing — and it is said the Bak (朴, meaning gourd-like round) surname derives from this egg.
At age thirteen, in 57 BC, he was enthroned as Geoseogan by the chiefs of the six villages, founding the state of Seorabeol together with his queen, Aryeong. Modern scholarship generally views this founding legend as a symbolic account of the unification of early Silla's constituent groups rather than literal history.
Even after the Silla throne later passed to the Kim lineage, his descendants are said to have continued as the Bak clan, and today all Bak clan seats (Gyeongju Bak, Miryang Bak, etc.) revere him as their common founding ancestor. His tomb is traditionally identified as one of the Oreung (Five Tombs) in Gyeongju.
Grave
Oreung (Five Tombs), Tap-dong, Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang — traditionally the tombs of Bak Hyeokgeose and Queen Aryeong
Descendants
Revered as the common founding ancestor of all Bak clan seats, including Gyeongju Bak and Miryang Bak.