It happened a long long time ago. . . The heavens were ruled by King Hwan-In. He had a son named, Hwan-Woong. Hwan-Woong often looked down below, to observe the people living on the land. But the sight only made him sigh with worry. One day the King asked his son, "My son, why do you look so anxious, you are the prince of the heavens and soon you will inherit my kingdom. What is there to worry about?" Hwan-Woong replied, "Father, I have seen how the people live on the land and I see that they are becoming more and more deceiving. Such a sight upsets me. 

The Boy's Sacrifice

In the province of Kyungsang the small city of Yongyang lies at the foot of the mountain called Irwolsan. In an ancient time there lived in that place an honest and industrious family, consisting of three members, an old father, burdened with worries, a sick mother, and a tall and slender boy, nearly thirteen years old. 

Korean Mountains

When I look around us and see so many mountains, valleys, and fertile plains, I always think of one story, which has been repeated since the time of the Three Kingdoms on the Mount of the Waxing Moon. There lived in the village of Andong a married couple, who possessed only a cow, an ass, and a nanny goat. One day the man said, "Whether we keep the goat or not is of no importance. 

KOREA'S FLOWERING MANHOOD Over 1800 years ago in Korea, there sprang a group of brave warriors who became renowned for their expertise in the areas of spying and espionage. These men, known as the sulsa, created an art which is still being practiced the same way today as it was when it originated in the kingdom of Silla. Throughout the course of history there have been those individuals and groups that because of their unequaled bravery and courage in military situations have left their mark in their nation's history books. 

Moon-Moo of Shilla

Moon-Moo of Shilla (문무왕) (文武王) (reigned 661–681) was the thirtieth king of the Korean kingdom of Shilla. He is usually considered to have been the first ruler of the Unified Silla period. Moon-Moo was the son of King Muyeol and Munmyeong, who was the elder sister of Kim Yu-shin. 

General Gae Baek was in charge of the Army near the end of the Paekche Dynasty. Little is known of his personal life, including the year and location of his birth. In 660 AD, when the united forces of Silla and Dang invaded Paekche, General Gae Baek organized 5000 soldiers of the highest morale and courage.

The Four Guardians

A long time ago, a tribe that respected the tiger and controlled fire called the Ho-jok (Tiger Tribe), ruled the world. They eliminated and assimilated all tribes except the tribe that respected the bear, called the Ung-jok (Bear Tribe). The Tiger Tribe and the Bear Tribe fought, and Hwanung could not bear to see so many people getting killed. He brought the three gods of nature; Baek-Ho (백호, the White Tiger), Cheong-Ryong (청룡, the Blue Dragon), and Hyeon-Mu (현무, the Black Turtle-Snake).

Thirteen hundred years ago, in an ancient province of Korea, there was a great Zen Master named Won Hyo. As a young man he fought in a bloody civil war and saw many friends slaughtered and homes destroyed. He was overcome by the emptiness of this life, so he shaved his head and went to the mountains to live the life of a monk. In the mountains he read many Sutras and kept his precepts well, but still he didn’t understand the true meaning of Buddhism. 

Twenty years passed. During this time Won Hyo became the most famous monk in the land. He was the trusted advisor to the great king of Silla and preceptor to the noblest and most powerful families. Whenever he gave a public lecture, the hall was packed. He lived in a beautiful temple, taught the best students, ate the best food, and slept the dreamless sleep of the just. Now at this time, in Silla, there was a very great Zen master—a little old man, with a wisp of a beard and skin like a crumpled paper bag.

Admiral Yi Sun-sin, having enjoyed a continuous run of successes since May 1592, was now engaged in the task of reorganizing and restoring his naval forces at his headquarters in Yosu. Hideyoshi meanwhile was anxiously looking for an opportunity to blot out the disgrace he had incurred in recent defeats at sea. His first task was to reestablish a safe supply route. This would necessarily involve the humbling of the Korean navy. With this in mind, he sent Wakisaka Yasuharu, one of his ablest generals,