Martyrdom of Yi Cha-don

White milk spouted three meters from the decapitated neck,
When flowers rained down from the sky and the earth shook.
Men and all things wept in sorrow and animals and plants were shocked.

This is a dramatic description of the martyr Yi Cha-don’s execution in the 14th year of King Beopheung of Shilla. Could his untimely death have moved heaven to cause such unusual happenings?

It is not exactly clear when Yi Cha-don was born. Some say it was in 506 or 501, but what is clear is that he was the descendant of King Jijeung’s biological father, King Seupbogalmun. In addition to his royal blood, he was known to be very bright and a man of character, which allowed him to become a close aide to King Beopheung, the successor to King Jijeung.

Yi wanted to help King Beopheung realize his dream of making Buddhism the national religion of Shilla. The king had met with strong opposition from other noblemen, who followed indigenous shamanism. So Yi decided to make the ultimate sacrifice for the king. He told the king that it was the duty of a vassal to die for the country and righteous for a person to sacrifice their life for the king. He hatched a plan in which he would commence the construction of a Buddhist temple in Shilla, for with the king would have to execute him.

Buddhism was accepted in Shilla’s neighboring countries Goguryeo and Baekje in 372 and 384, respectively. However, shamanistic rituals were widely practiced in Shilla from the nation’s founding and Shilla’s aristocrats, thinking themselves as direct descendants of god and shunning all new beliefs, still hadn’t accepted Buddhism by the early 6th century. Yi believed that peace, compassion, and spiritual growth were more important than material happiness, and offered to give up his life to open the country to a new religion. King Beopheung was upset at having to choose between Yi’s life and Buddhism, which he so wanted to introduce. At last the king finally relented to Yi’s wishes.

Upon hearing rumors of a Buddhist temple being built by Yi on the king’s order, Shilla noblemen appealed to the king and protested the introduction of Buddha, the barbarians’ god. But the king claimed that he hadn’t ordered the construction and called in Yi. It was now time for Yi’s martyrdom.

Flowers Rain Down from Heaven and Buddhism Blossoms

In order to have Buddhism approved as a faith and strengthen the royal power, Yi stood before the king and his officials and proudly stated that it was not a sin to accept Buddhism, because following Buddha’s way would stabilize the nation and bring prosperity to Shilla. In his last words before being executed he claimed that there would be a miracle after his death to prove the power of Buddha.

Then, as legend has it, white milk spewed forth from his severed neck and flowers rained down from the darkened sky. After witnessing Yi’s devotion and the following miracle, Shilla noblemen changed their minds and welcomed Buddhism as the national religion. The year was 527.

Unifying the Nation with Buddhism

King Beopheung was able to establish Buddhism as Shilla’s national religion and reinforce his authority thanks to Yi’s unwavering faith and loyalty. Buddhism awakened the spirit of humanity in the Shilla Kingdom and powered the country’s endeavor to unify the three kingdoms to found the Korean Peninsula’s first unified nation.

Yi was lauded as one of Shilla’s ten greatest sages in Heungryun Temple completed in 544. A temple was also built in his honor, where a six-sided stone pillar depicting Yi’s martyrdom was put in place to commemorate his death.

Although he lived only around twenty short years on this earth, Yi’s life demonstrates how enduring and inspiring self-sacrifice and strong faith can be.