Hae Buru of Dongbuyeo

Who was Hae Buru of Dongbuyeo?

Hae Buru was king of Bukbuyeo and founder of Dongbuyeo, an ancient Korean kingdom.

Hae Buru took the throne and became the king of Bukbuyeo. Hae Buru led his followers and some of Bukbuyeo people to the city of Gaseopwon, a city near the Sea of Japan. In that same year, Hae Buru founded another Buyeo, which he named Dongbuyeo, due to its position east of Bukbuyeo.

According to the Samguk Yusa, Aranbul, a minister of the Buyeo court, had a dream in which the Heavenly Emperor told him that Buyeo was to make way for the descendants of Heaven, and believing that the dream was a sort of omen, he advised his king Buru to move the capital. Buru later moved his capital to Gaseopwon, and named his country Dongbuyeo.

Hae Buru's wives apparently were not able to produce a male heir for Hae Buru until he was in old age. Hae Buru eventually got a son, Geumwa, of whom he trained and grew into his successor. When Hae Buru died in 48 BCE, Geumwa rose to the throne by proclaiming himself "King of Dongbuyeo."