Long ago, a painter from the nation of Shilla had studied under a poet from Baekje. The two of them became disciple and mentor, but the Painter was strong-willed and greatly desired knowledge above all else. In time, he realized that the wisdom he sought lied in the painted form. In time, his art became known even to the court of the king of Shilla.

In that time, Shilla was ruled by King Pasa, who built castles in the surrounding lands to consolidate his nation’s territory. To commemorate his achievements, the king commanded the Painter to make paintings that recorded the events of these times. It was during these commissions that the painter gained an understanding of his nation’s ruler. Meanwhile, in the land of Baekje, the Painter’s mentor served King Giru of Baekje, who would lead his people for a long era, witnessing the reigns of three rulers of Shilla, including King Pasa and King Jima who succeeded him.

During the time of King Jima of Shilla, it came to pass that the Malgal people would invade the lands newly claimed by Shilla. In this territorial conflict, King Jima beseeched King Giru of Baekje for aid. In arriving at the decision to send military aid to Shilla, King Giru consulted his advisors including the Poet. For the Poet was more than a mere writer, being in possession of a keen and calculating mind. But in these negotiations, it was the Poet’s relationship with his disciple the Painter which played a pivotal role. Together, the mentor and disciple from two nations acted as intermediaries for their respective governments, brokering and alliance that would be instrumental in driving away the Malgal invaders.

The following years were a time of security and prosperity for Shilla and Baekje. But just as all things must come to an end, the alliance faltered and then fell apart as the two neighboring allies were driven apart by envy and distrust. Although Shilla was delivered from defeat in its war against Malgal forces with help from Baekje, Shilla would grow jealous of the covetous lands around the Han River where the Baekje capital of Hanseong stood. Ultimately, the royal court of Shilla was moved by strong-willed and ambitious advisors, including the Painter, to break the pact with Baekje and wage war upon the bountiful lands around the Han River. Thereafter the two kingdoms vied for control of the river and its surrounding hills, like two mighty dragons wrestling upon land, water, and sky.

The years of the later monarchs, such as King Adalla of Shilla, were marked by conflict between Shilla and Baekje. When a traitor of Shilla sought refuge in Baekje, the king of Baekje at the time would refuse the demands made by King Adalla to deliver the traitor swiftly into the hands of Shilla authorities. The strife between their nations naturally strained the relationship between the Painter and the Poet, but the close bond between the disciple and his master was not broken. At the end of his life, when the Poet had passed, the Painter gave him the posthumous penname of Jeong, which means “attachment.” Such was the closeness between these two greater artists from two different nations.