Goguryeo

Not to be confused withGoryeo(918~1392).

Goguryeo (Goryeo) Cao Lệ(Korean)(Hanja) 고구려(Korean)(Hangul) Cao Ly(Korean)(Hanja) 고려(Korean)(Hangul) Goryeo Câu lệ(Old Korean) Korean Alpha bet:(구려) IPA-Notation:(kuɾ.jʌ̹) Yale:Kwulye(RR:Guryeo)
37 BC–AD 668
Motto:천제지자(천제의 자손) Thiên Đế chi tử "Son of God"
Goguryeo (Goryeo) in AD 476
Status	Kingdom/Empire
Capital	Jolbon (37 BC – AD 3) Gungnae (3–427) Pyongyang (427–668)
Common languages	Goguryeo(Koreanic), Classical Chinese(literary)
Ethnic groups	Yemaek
Religion	Official and State Religion:Buddhism Other religions: Confucianism Taoism Shamanism
Government	Monarchy
Taewang(King)
• 37–19 BC	Dongmyeong(first)
• 391–413	Gwanggaeto
• 413–491	Jangsu
• 590–618	Yeongyang
• 642–668	Bojang(last)
Grand Prime Minister
• 642–665	Yeon Gaesomun(first)
• 666–668	Yeon Namgeon(last)
Legislature	Jega Council
Historical era	Ancient
• Establishment	37 BC
• Introduction ofBuddhism in Korea	372
• Campaigns ofGwanggaeto the Great	391–413
•Goguryeo–Sui War	598–614
•Goguryeo–Tang War	645–668
• Fall ofPyongyang	AD 668
Population
• 7th century	approximately 3,500,000 (697,000 households)
Preceded by Succeeded by Buyeo Unified Silla Balhae Protectorate General to Pacify the East
Today part of	North Korea South Korea China Mongolia Russia

Goguryeo (Korean:고구려) Goryeo (Korean:고려)
Statue ofJumongat theTomb of King TongmyŏnginPyongyang,North Korea
Korean name
Hangul	고구려
Hanja	Cao Lệ
Revised Romanization	Goguryeo
McCune–Reischauer	Koguryŏ
IPA	[ko.ɡu.ɾjʌ]
Alternative Korean name
Hangul	고려
Hanja	Cao Ly
Revised Romanization	Goryeo
McCune–Reischauer	Koryŏ
IPA	[ko.ɾjʌ]
Old Korean
Hangul	구려
Hanja	Câu lệ
Revised Romanization	Guryeo
McCune–Reischauer	Kuryŏ
IPA	[ku.ɾjʌ]

Goguryeo(37 BC– 668 AD) (Korean:고구려;Hanja:Cao Lệ;RR:Goguryeo;Korean pronunciation:[ko̞.ɡu.ɾjʌ̹];lit.:high castle;Old Korean:Guryeo)also later known asGoryeo(Korean:고려;Hanja:Cao Ly;RR:Goryeo;Korean pronunciation:[ko.ɾjʌ];lit.:high and beautiful;Middle Korean:고ᇢ롕〮,kwòwlyéy),was a Korean kingdomwhich was located on the northern and central parts of theKorean Peninsulaand the southern and central parts of modern-dayNortheast China(Manchuria). At its peak of power, Goguryeo conquered most of the Korean Peninsula and large parts ofManchuria,along with parts of easternMongolia,Inner Mongolia,and modern-dayRussia.

Along withBaekjeandSilla,Goguryeo was one of theThree Kingdoms of Korea.It was an active participant in the power struggle for control of the Korean peninsula and was also associated with the foreign affairs of neighboring polities inChinaandJapan.

TheSamguk sagi,a 12th-century text fromGoryeo,indicates that Goguryeo was founded in 37 BC byJumong,a prince fromBuyeo,who was enthroned asDongmyeong.

Goguryeo was one of the great powers inEast Asia,until its defeat by a Silla–Tang alliance in 668 after prolonged exhaustion and internal strife caused by the death ofYeon Gaesomun.After its fall, its territory was divided between theTang dynasty,Later SillaandBalhae.

The name "Goryeo"(alternatively spelled" Koryŏ "), a shortened form of Goguryeo (Koguryŏ), was adopted as the official name in the 5th century,and is the origin of the English name"Korea".

Names and etymology

The kingdom was originally calledGuryeo(Old Korean:Câu lệ,Yale:Kwulye,/ɡuɾ.jʌ̹/) or something similar tokaukuri(/ko̞ːkɯ̟ᵝɾʲi/)),Both words were derived from "Chợt" (*kuruor*kolo) which meant castle or fortress. The word was possibly aWanderwortlike theMiddle Mongolianqoto-n.

Several possible cognates for chợt exist as well, which was used at a later stage as an administrative subdivision with the spelling ofhwol[hʌ̹ɭ],as in mua chợtmwoyhwol/michwuhwol[mit͡ɕʰuhʌ̹ɭ],alongside the likely cognate of cốtkwol[ko̞ɭ].Nam Pung-hyun presents it also as a Baekje term, probably a cognate with the Goguryeo word with the same meaning and spelling.

The iteration of từ la phạtSyerapelas từ La Thành*SyeraKUYequated the Old Korean word for village, phạtpelwith the Old Japanese one for castle thànhki,considered a borrowing from Baekje mình*kuy,in turn a borrowing from Goguryeo chợt*kolo.Middle Korean 골〯kwǒl[ko̞ɭ] and ᄀᆞ옳kòwòlh[kʌ̀.òl] ( "district" ) are likely descended from*kolo.

The nameGoguryeo(Korean:고구려;Hanja:Cao Lệ;Korean pronunciation:[ko̞ɡuɾjʌ̹]), which means "high castle", is a combination ofGuryeoand the prefixGo(Korean:고;Hanja:Cao;lit.high, big).The name came fromGoguryeo-hyeon,a subdivision that was established by theXuantu Commandery.As Han influence over Korea declined,Goguryeo-hyeonbecame the center of the early Goguryeo union.

From the mid-5th century,Goguryeowas shortened to thecalqueofGoryeo(Korean:고려;Hanja:Cao Ly;Korean pronunciation:[ko.ɾjʌ];Middle Korean:고ᇢ롕〮,Kwòwlyéy), which by itself had the meaning of "high and beautiful".

History

Origins

GoguryeoCataphract(개마무사/ khải mã võ sĩ )

The earliest record of the name of Goguryeo can be traced to geographic monographs in theBook of Hanand is first attested as the name of one of the subdivisions of theXuantu Commandery,established along the trade routes within theAmnok riverbasin following the destruction ofGojoseonin 113 BC.The American historianChristopher Beckwithoffers the alternative proposal that the Guguryeo people were first located in or aroundLiaoxi(westernLiaoningand parts ofInner Mongolia) and later migrated eastward, pointing to another account in theBook of Han.The early Goguryeo tribes from whom the administrative name is derived were located close to or within the area of control of the Xuantu Commandery.Its tribal leaders also appeared to have held the ruler title of "marquis" over said nominalGaogouli/Goguryeo county.The collapse of the first Xuantu Commandery in 75 BC is generally attributed to the military actions of the Goguryeo natives.In theOld Book of Tang(945), it is recorded thatEmperor Taizongrefers to Goguryeo's history as being some 900 years old. According to the 12th-centurySamguk sagiand the 13th-centurySamguk yusa,a prince from the Buyeo kingdom named Jumong fled after a power struggle with other princes of the courtand founded Goguryeo in 37 BC in a region calledJolbon Buyeo,usually thought to be located in the middleAmnok/YaluandHun Riverbasin.

In 75 BC, a group ofYemaekwho may have originated from Goguryeo made an incursion into China'sXuantu Commanderywest of the Yalu.The first mention of Goguryeo as a group label associated withYemaektribes is a reference in theHan Shuthat discusses a Goguryeo revolt in 12 AD, during which they broke away from the influence of the Xuantu Commandery.

According to Book 37 of theSamguk sagi,Goguryeo originated north ofancient China,then gradually moved east to the side of Taedong River.At its founding, the Goguryeo people are believed to be a blend of people from Buyeo and Yemaek, as leadership from Buyeo may have fled their kingdom and integrated with existing Yemaek chiefdoms.TheRecords of the Three Kingdoms,in the section titled "Accounts of the Eastern Barbarians", implied that Buyeo and the Yemaek people were ethnically related and spoke a similar language.

Chinese people were also in Gorguyeo.Book 28 of Samguk Sagi stated that "many people of China fled [to]East of the Seadue to the chaos of war by Qin and Han ".Later Han dynasty established the Four Commanderies, and in 12 AD Goguryeo made its first attack on the Xuantu Commandery.The population ofXuantu Commanderywas about 221,845 in 2 AD, and they lived in the commandery's three counties of Gaogouli, Shangyintai, and Xigaima.Later on, Goguryeo gradually annexed all theFour Commanderies of Handuring its expansion.

Both Goguryeo andBaekjeshared founding myths and originated fromBuyeo.

Jumong and the foundation myth

Main article:Jumong

Image of Dalshin from the Goguryeo-era Ohoe Tomb 4.

The earliest mention of Jumong is in the 4th-centuryGwanggaeto Stele.Jumong is the modern Korean transcription of thehanjaChu môngJumong,Trâu mưuChumo,orTrọng mưuJungmo.

The Stele states that Jumong was the first king and ancestor of Goguryeo and that he was the son of the prince of Buyeo and daughter ofHabaek(Korean:하백;Hanja:Hà bá), the god of theAmnok Riveror, according to an alternative interpretation, the sun god Haebak (Korean:해밝).TheSamguk sagiandSamgungnyusapaint additional detail and names Jumong's mother asYuhwa(Korean:유화;Hanja:Liễu hoa).Jumong's biological father was said to be a man namedHaemosuwho is described as a "strong man" and "a heavenly prince."The river god chased Yuhwa away to the Ubal River (Korean:우발수;Hanja:Ưu bột thủy) due to her pregnancy, where she met and became the concubine ofGeumwa.

Jumong was well known for his exceptionalarcheryskills. Eventually, Geumwa's sons became jealous of him, and Jumong was forced to leaveEastern Buyeo.The Stele and later Korean sources disagree as to which Buyeo Jumong came from. The Stele says he came fromBuyeoand theSamgungnyusaandSamguk sagisay he came from Eastern Buyeo. Jumong eventually made it toJolbon,where he marriedSoseono,daughter of its ruler. He subsequently became king himself, founding Goguryeo with a small group of his followers from his native country.

A traditional account from the "Annals of Baekje" section in theSamguk sagisays that Soseono was the daughter of Yeon Tabal, a wealthy influential figure in Jolbonand married to Jumong. However, the same source officially states that the king of Jolbon gave his daughter to Jumong, who had escaped with his followers from Eastern Buyeo, in marriage. She gave her husband, Jumong, financial supportin founding the new statelet, Goguryeo. AfterYuri,son of Jumong and his first wife, Lady Ye, came from Dongbuyeo and succeeded Jumong, she left Goguryeo, taking her two sonsBiryuandOnjosouth to found their own kingdoms, one of which wasBaekje.

Jumong's given surname was "Hae" (Korean:해;Hanja:Giải), the name of the Buyeo rulers. According to theSamgungnyusa,Jumong changed his surname to "Go" (Korean:고;Hanja:Cao) in conscious reflection of his divine parentage.Jumong is recorded to have conquered the tribal states of Biryu (Korean:비류국;Hanja:Phí lưu quốc) in 36 BC, Haeng-in (Korean:행인국;Hanja:Hạnh người quốc) in 33 BC, and NorthernOkjeoin 28 BC.

Centralization and early expansion (mid-first century)

Goguryeo developed from a league of variousYemaektribes to an early state and rapidly expanded its power from their original basin of control in theHun Riverdrainage. In the time ofTaejodaein 53 AD, five local tribes were reorganized into five centrally ruled districts. Foreign relations and the military were controlled by the king. Early expansion might be best explained by ecology; Goguryeo controlled territory in what is currently central and southernManchuriaand northernKorea,which are both very mountainous and lacking in arable land. Upon centralizing, Goguryeo might have been unable to harness enough resources from the region to feed its population and thus, following historicalpastoralisttendencies, would have sought to raid and exploit neighboring societies for their land and resources. Aggressive military activities may have also aided expansion, allowing Goguryeo to exact tribute from their tribal neighbors and dominate them politically and economically.

Taejo conquered theOkjeotribes of what is now northeastern Korea as well as theDongyeand other tribes in Southeastern Manchuria and Northern Korea. From the increase of resources and manpower that these subjugated tribes gave him, Taejodae led Goguryeo in attacking theHan CommanderiesofLelangandXuantuon theKoreanandLiaodongpeninsulas, becoming fully independent from them.

Generally, Taejodae allowed the conquered tribes to retain their chieftains, but required them to report to governors who were related to Goguryeo's royal line; tribes under Goguryeo's jurisdiction were expected to provide heavy tribute. Taejodae and his successors channeled these increased resources to continuing Goguryeo's expansion to the north and west. New laws regulated peasants and the aristocracy, as tribal leaders continued to be absorbed into the central aristocracy. Royal succession changed from fraternal to patrilineal, stabilizing the royal court.

The expanding Goguryeo kingdom soon entered into direct military contact with theLiaodong Commanderyto its west. Around this time, Chinese warlordGongsun Kangestablished theDaifang Commanderyby separating the southern half from the Lelang commandery. Balgi, a brother of KingSansang of Goguryeo,defected to Kang and asked for Kang's aid to help him take the throne of Goguryeo. Although Goguryeo defeated the first invasion and killed Balgi,in 209, Kang invaded Goguryeo again, seized some of its territory and weakened Goguryeo.Pressure from Liaodong forced Goguryeo to move their capital in the Hun River valley to theYalu Rivervalley nearHwando.

Goguryeo–Wei Wars

Main article:Goguryeo–Wei War

In the chaos following the fall of theHan dynasty,the former Han commanderies had broken free of control and were ruled by various independent warlords. Surrounded by these commanderies, who were governed by aggressive warlords, Goguryeo moved to improve relations with the newly created dynasty ofCao Weiin China and sent tribute in 220. In 238, Goguryeo entered into a formal alliance with Weito destroy the Liaodong commandery.

When Liaodong was finally conquered by Wei, cooperation between Wei and Goguryeo fell apart and Goguryeo attacked the western edges of Liaodong, which incited a Wei counterattack in 244. Thus, Goguryeo initiated theGoguryeo–Wei Warin 242, trying to cut off Chinese access to its territories in Korea by attempting to take a Chinese fort. However, the Wei state responded by invading and defeated Goguryeo. The capital at Hwando was destroyed by Wei forces in 244.It is said thatDongcheon,with his army destroyed, fled for a while to theOkjeostate in the east.Wei invaded again in 259 but was defeated at Yangmaenggok;according to theSamguk sagi,Jungcheonassembled 5,000 elite cavalry and defeated the invading Wei troops, beheading 8,000 enemies.

Revival and further expansion (300 to 390)

Seatedbuddhasandbodhisattvasfrom Wono-ri, Goguryeo.

A gilt-bronze crown from Goguryeo believed to have once adorned the head of abodhisattvaimage.

In only 70 years, Goguryeo rebuilt its capitalHwandoand again began to raid the Liaodong, Lelang and Xuantu commanderies. As Goguryeo extended its reach into theLiaodong Peninsula,the lastChinesecommandery at Lelang was conquered and absorbed byMicheonin 313, bringing the remaining northern part of the Korean peninsula into the fold.This conquest resulted in the end of Chinese rule over territory in the northern Korean peninsula, which had spanned 400 years.From that point on, until the 7th century, territorial control of the peninsula would be contested primarily by theThree Kingdoms of Korea.

Goguryeo met major setbacks and defeats during the reign ofGogukwonin the 4th century. In the early 4th century, the nomadic proto-MongolXianbeipeople occupied northern China;during the winter of 342, the Xianbei ofFormer Yan,ruled by theMurongclan, attacked and destroyed Goguryeo's capital, Hwando, capturing 50,000 Goguryeo men and women to use as slave labor in addition to taking the Queen Dowager and Queen prisoner,and forced Gogukwon to flee for a while. The Xianbei also devastated Buyeo in 346, accelerating Buyeo migration to the Korean peninsula.In 371,Geunchogo of Baekjekilled Gogukwon in theBattle of Chiyangand sackedPyongyang,one of Goguryeo's largest cities.

Sosurim,who succeeded the slain Gogukwon, reshaped the nation's institutions to save it from a great crisis.Turning to domestic stability and the unification of various conquered tribes, Sosurim proclaimed new laws, embracedBuddhismas the state religion in 372, and established a national educational institute called theTaehak(Korean:태학;Hanja:Thái Học).Due to the defeats that Goguryeo had suffered at the hands of the Xianbei andBaekje,Sosurim instituted military reforms aimed at preventing such defeats in the future.Sosurim's internal arrangements laid the groundwork for Gwanggaeto's expansion.His successor and the father ofGwanggaeto the Great,Gogukyang,invadedLater Yan,the successor state of Former Yan, in 385 and Baekje in 386.

Goguryeo used its military to protect and exploit semi-nomadic peoples, who served as vassals, foot soldiers, or slaves, such as the Okjeo people in the northeast end of the Korean peninsula, and theMohe peopleinManchuria,who would later become theJurchens.

Zenith of Goguryeo's Power (391 to 531 AD)

Detail of a rubbing of theGwanggaeto Stele(414 AD), one of the few surviving records made by Goguryeo, written inClassical Chinese.

A royal tomb, located inJi'an, Jilin,China, was built by the Goguryeo Kingdom.

Goguryeo experienced a golden age underGwanggaeto the Greatand his sonJangsu.During this period, Goguryeo territories included three fourths of theKorean Peninsula,including what is nowSeoul,almost all of Manchuria,and parts ofInner Mongolia.There is archaeological evidence that Goguryeo's maximum extent lay even further west in present-dayMongolia,based on discoveries ofGoguryeo fortressruins in Mongolia.

Gwanggaeto the Great (r. 391–412) was a highly energeticemperorwho is remembered for his rapid military expansion of the realm.He instituted the era name ofYeongnakorEternal Rejoicing,affirming that Goguryeo was on equal standing with the dynasties in the Chinese mainland.Gwanggaeto conquered 64 walled cities and 1,400 villages during his campaigns.To the west, he destroyed neighboringKhitantribes and invadedLater Yan,conquering the entireLiaodong Peninsula;to the north and east, he annexed much ofBuyeoand conquered theSushen,who wereTungusicancestors of theJurchensandManchus;and to the south, he defeated and subjugatedBaekje,contributed to the dissolution ofGaya,and vassalizedSillaafter defending it from a coalition of Baekje, Gaya, and Wa.Gwanggaeto brought about a loose unification of the Korean Peninsula,and achieved undisputed control of most ofManchuriaand over two thirds of the Korean Peninsula.

Gwanggaeto's exploits were recorded on a hugememorial steleerected by his son Jangsu, located in present-dayJi'anon the border between China and North Korea.

Jangsu(r. 413–491) ascended to the throne in 413 and moved the capital in 427 toPyongyang,a more suitable region to grow into a burgeoning metropolitan capital,which led Goguryeo to achieve a high level of cultural and economic prosperity.Jangsu, like his father, continued Goguryeo's territorial expansion into Manchuria and reached theSonghua Riverto the north.He invaded the Khitans, and then attacked theDidouyu,located in eastern Mongolia, with hisRouranallies.Like his father, Jangsu also achieved a loose unification of theThree Kingdoms of Korea.He defeated Baekje and Silla and gained large amounts of territory from both.In addition, Jangsu's long reign saw the perfecting of Goguryeo's political, economic and other institutional arrangements.Jangsu ruled Goguryeo for 79 years until the age of 98,the longest reign in East Asian history.

During the reign ofMunja,Goguryeo completely annexed Buyeo, signifying Goguryeo's furthest-ever expansion north, while continuing its strong influence over the kingdoms of Silla and Baekje, and the tribes of Wuji and Khitan.

Internal strife (531 to 551)

Goguryeo reached its zenith in the 6th century. After this, however, it began a steady decline.Anjangwas assassinated, and succeeded by his brotherAnwon,during whose reign aristocratic factionalism increased. A political schism deepened as two factions advocated different princes for succession, until the eight-year-old Yang-won was finally crowned. But the power struggle was never resolved definitively, as renegade magistrates with private armies appointed themselvesde factorulers of their areas of control.

Taking advantage of Goguryeo's internal struggle, a nomadic group called theTuchuehattacked Goguryeo's northern castles in the 550s and conquered some of Goguryeo's northern lands. Weakening Goguryeo even more, as civil war continued among feudal lords over royal succession, Baekje and Silla allied to attack Goguryeo from the south in 551.

Conflicts of the late 6th and 7th centuries

In the late 6th and early 7th centuries, Goguryeo was often inmilitary conflictwith the Sui and Tang dynasties of China. Its relations with Baekje and Silla were complex and alternated between alliances and enmity. A neighbor in the northwest were theEastern Türkswhich was a nominal ally of Goguryeo.

Goguryeo's loss of the Han River Valley

In 551 AD,BaekjeandSillaentered into an alliance to attack Goguryeo and conquer the Han River valley, an important strategic area close to the center of the peninsula and a very rich agricultural region. After Baekje exhausted themselves with a series of costly assaults on Goguryeo fortifications, Silla troops, arriving on the pretense of offering assistance, attacked and took possession of the entire Han River valley in 553. Incensed by this betrayal,Seonglaunched a retaliatory strike against Silla's western border in the following year but was captured and killed.

The war, along the middle of theKorean peninsula,had very important consequences. It effectively madeBaekjethe weakest player on theKorean Peninsulaand gaveSillaan important resource and population rich area as a base for expansion. Conversely, it denied Goguryeo the use of the area, which weakened the kingdom. It also gave Silla direct access to theYellow Sea,opening up direct trade and diplomatic access to the Chinese dynasties and accelerating Silla'sadoption of Chinese culture.Thus, Silla could rely less on Goguryeo for elements ofcivilizationand could getcultureandtechnologydirectly fromChina.This increasing tilt of Silla to China would result in an alliance that would prove disastrous for Goguryeo in the late 7th century.

Goguryeo–Sui War

Main articles:Goguryeo–Sui WarandBattle of Salsu

TheSui dynasty's reunification of China for the first time in centuries was met with alarm in Goguryeo, andPyeongwon of Goguryeobegan preparations for a future war by augmenting military provisions and training more troops.Although Sui was far larger and stronger than Goguryeo, the Baekje-Silla Alliance that had driven Goguryeo from the Han Valley had fallen apart, and thus Goguryeo's southern border was secure. Initially, Goguryeo tried to appease Sui by offering tribute as Korean kingdoms had done under theTributary system of China.However, Goguryeo continued insistence on an equal relationship with Sui, its reinstatement of the imperial title "Taewang" (Emperor in Korean) of the East and its continued raids into Sui territory greatly angered the Sui Court. Furthermore, Silla and Baekje, both under threat from Goguryeo, requested Sui assistance against Goguryeo as all three Korean kingdoms had desired to seize the others' territories to rule the peninsula, and attempted to curry Sui's favor to achieve these goals.

Goguryeo's expansion and its attempts to equalize the relationship conflicted withSui Chinaand increased tensions. In 598, Goguryeo made a preemptive attack onLiaoxiwhich led to theBattle of Linyuguan,but was beaten back by Sui forces.This causedEmperor Wento launch a counterattack by land and sea that ended in disaster for Sui.

Sui's most disastrous campaign against Goguryeo was in 612, in which Sui, according to the History of the Sui dynasty, mobilized 30 division armies, about 1,133,800 combat troops. Pinned along Goguryeo's line of fortifications on theLiao River,a detachment of nine division armies, about 305,000 troops, bypassed the main defensive lines and headed towards the Goguryeo capital of Pyongyang to link up with Sui naval forces, who had reinforcements and supplies.

However, Goguryeo was able to defeat the Sui navy, thus when the Sui's nine division armies finally reached Pyongyang, they didn't have the supplies for a lengthy siege. Sui troops retreated, but GeneralEulji Mundeokled the Goguryeo troops to victory by luring the Sui into an ambush outside of Pyongyang. At theBattle of Salsu,Goguryeo soldiers released water from a dam, which split the Sui army and cut off their escape route. Of the original 305,000 soldiers of Sui's nine division armies, it is said that only 2,700 escaped to Sui China.

The 613 and 614 campaigns were aborted after launch—the 613 campaign was terminated when the Sui generalYang Xuanganrebelled againstEmperor Yang,while the 614 campaign was terminated after Goguryeo offered a truce and returned Husi Zheng ( hộc tư chính ), a defecting Sui general who had fled to Goguryeo, Emperor Yang later had Husi executed. Emperor Yang planned another attack on Goguryeo in 615, but due to Sui's deteroriating internal state he was never able to launch it. Sui was weakened due to rebellions against Emperor Yang's rule and his failed attempts to conquer Goguryeo. They could not attack further because the provinces in the Sui heartland would not send logistical support.

Emperor Yang's disastrous defeats in Korea greatly contributed to the collapse of the Sui dynasty.

Goguryeo–Silla War, Goguryeo-Tang War and the Silla–Tang alliance

Main articles:Goguryeo–Tang War,First campaign in the Goguryeo–Tang War,andSiege of Ansi

First campaign in the Goguryeo–Tang War.

In the winter of 642,King Yeongnyuwas apprehensive aboutYeon Gaesomun,one of the great nobles of Goguryeo,and plotted with other officials to kill him. However, Yeon Gaesomun caught news of the plot and killed Yeongnyu and 100 officials, initiating acoup d'état.He proceeded to enthrone Yeongnyu's nephew, Go Jang, asKing Bojangwhile wielding de facto control of Goguryeo himself as the Dae Magniji (대막리지;Đại mạc ly chi;a position equivalent to a modern era dual office ofprime ministerandgeneralissimo). At the outset of his rule, Yeon Gaesomun took a brief conciliatory stance toward Tang China. For instance, he supportedTaoismat the expense ofBuddhism,and to this effect in 643, sent emissaries to the Tang court requesting Taoist sages, eight of whom were brought to Goguryeo. This gesture is considered by some historians as an effort to pacify Tang and buy time to prepare for the Tang invasion Yeon thought inevitable given his ambitions to annex Silla.

However, Yeon Gaesomun took an increasingly provocative stance againstSilla KoreaandTang China.Soon, Goguryeo formed an alliance with Baekje and invaded Silla, Daeya-song (modern Hapchon) and around 40 border fortresses were conquered by the Goguryeo-Baekje alliance.Since the early 7th century, Silla had been forced on the defensive by both Baekje and Goguryeo, which had not yet formally allied but had both desired to erode Sillan power in the Han Valley. During the reign of KingJinpyeong of Silla,numerous fortresses were lost to both Goguryeo and the continuous attacks took a toll on Silla and its people.During Jinpyeong's reign, Silla made repeated requests beseeching Sui China to attack Goguryeo.Although these invasions were ultimately unsuccessful, in 643, once again under pressure from the Goguryeo–Baekje alliance, Jinpyeong's successor,Queen Seondeok of Silla,requested military aid from Tang. Although Taizong had initially dismissed Silla's offers to pay tribute and its requests for an alliance on account of Seondeok being a woman, he later accepted the offer due to Goguryeo's growing belligerence and hostile policy towards both Silla and Tang. In 644, Tang began preparations for a major campaign against Goguryeo.

In 645,Emperor Taizong,who had a personal ambition to defeat Goguryeo and was determined to succeed whereEmperor Yanghad failed, personally led an attack on Goguryeo. The Tang army captured a number of Goguryeo fortresses, including the importantYodong/Liaodong Fortress( Liêu Đông thành, in modernLiaoyang,Liaoning). During his first campaign against Goguryeo, Taizong famously showed generously to the defeated inhabitants of numerous Goguryeo fortresses, refusing to permit his troops to loot downs and enslave inhabitants and when faced with protest from his commanders and soldiers, rewarded them with his own money.Ansi City(in modernHaicheng,Liaoning), which was the last fortress that would clear theLiaodong Peninsulaof significant defensive works and was promptly put under siege. Initially, Taizong and his forces achieve great progress, when his numerically inferior force smashed a Goguryeo relief force at theBattle of Mount Jupil.Goguryeo's defeat at Mount Jupil had significant consequences, as Tang forces killed over 20,000 Goguryeo soldiers and captured another 36,800, which crippled Goguryeo's manpower reserves for the rest of the conflict.However, the capable defense put up by Ansi's commanding general (whose name is controversial but traditionally is believed to beYang Manchun) stymied Tang forces and, in late fall, with winter fast approaching and his supplies running low, Tang forces under the command Prince Li Daozong attempted to build a rampart to seize the city in a last ditch effort, but was foiled when Goguryeo troops managed to seize control of it. Afterwards, Taizong decided to withdraw in the face of incoming Goguryeo reinforcements, deteriorating weather conditions and the difficult supply situation. The campaign was unsuccessful for the Tang Chinese,failing to capture Ansi Fortress after a protracted siege that lasted more than 60 days.Emperor Taizong invaded Goguryeo again in 647 and 648, but was defeated both times.

Painting of envoys from the Three Kingdoms of Korea to theTangcourt: Silla, Baekje, and Goguryeo.Portraits of Periodical Offering,circa 650 AD, Tang dynasty

Goguryeo ambassadors during an audience with KingVarkhumanofSamarkand.They are identified by the two feathers on top of their head.648–651 AD,Afrasiab murals,Samarkand.

Emperor Taizong prepared another invasion in 649, but died in the summer, possibly due to an illness he contracted during his Korean campaigns.His sonEmperor Gaozongcontinued his campaigns. Upon the suggestion ofKim Chunchu,the Silla–Tang alliance first conqueredBaekjein 660 to break up the Goguryeo–Baekje alliance, and then turned its full attention to Goguryeo.However, Emperor Gaozong, too, was unable to defeat Goguryeo led byYeon Gaesomun;one of Yeon Gaesomun's most notable victories came in 662 at theBattle of Sasu( xà thủy ), where he annihilated the Tang forces and killed the invading ex-rebelNanmangeneral Pang Xiaotai ( bàng hiếu thái ) and all 13 of his sons.Therefore, while Yeon Gaesomun was alive, Tang could not defeat Goguryeo.

Fall

In the summer of 666,Yeon Gaesomundied of a natural cause and Goguryeo was thrown into chaos and weakened by a succession struggle among his sons and younger brother.He was initially succeeded asDae Mangniji,the highest position newly made under the ruling period of Yeon Gaesomun, by his oldest sonYeon Namsaeng.As Yeon Namsaeng subsequently carried out a tour of Goguryeo territory, however, rumors began to spread both that Yeon Namsaeng was going to kill his younger brothersYeon NamgeonandYeon Namsan,whom he had left in charge atPyongyang,and that Yeon Namgeon and Yeon Namsan were planning to rebel against Yeon Namsaeng. When Yeon Namsaeng subsequently sent officials close to him back to Pyongyang to try to spy on the situation, Yeon Namgeon arrested them and declared himselfDae Mangniji,attacking his brother. Yeon Namsaeng sent his sonCheon Heonseong( tuyền hiến thành ), as Yeon Namsaeng changed his family name from Yeon ( uyên ) to Cheon ( tuyền ) observe naming taboo for Emperor Gaozu, to Tang to seek aid.Emperor Gaozongsaw this as an opportunity and sent an army to attack and destroy Goguryeo. In the middle of Goguryeo's power struggles between Yeon Gaesomun's successors, his younger brother, Yeon Jeongto, defected to the Silla side.

In 667, the Chinese army crossed theLiao Riverand captured Shin/Xin Fortress ( tân thành, in modernFushun,Liaoning). The Tang forces thereafter fought off counterattacks by Yeon Namgeon, and joined forces with and received every possible assistance from the defector Yeon Namsaeng,although they were initially unable to cross the Yalu River due to resistance. In spring of 668, Li Ji turned his attention to Goguryeo's northern cities, capturing the important city of Buyeo ( đỡ dư, in modernNong'an,Jilin). In fall of 668, he crossed theYalu Riverand putPyongyangunder siege in concert with the Silla army.

Yeon Namsan and Bojang surrendered, and while Yeon Namgeon continued to resist in the inner city, his general, the Buddhist monkShin Seong( tin thành ) turned against him and surrendered the inner city to Tang forces. Yeon Namgeon tried to commit suicide, but was seized and treated. This was the end of Goguryeo, and Tang annexed Goguryeo into its territory, withXue Renguibeing put initially in charge of former Goguryeo territory as protector general. The violent dissension resulting from Yeon Gaesomun's death proved to be the primary reason for the Tang–Silla triumph, thanks to the division, defections, and widespread demoralization it caused.The alliance with Silla had also proved to be invaluable, thanks to the ability to attack Goguryeo from opposite directions, and both military and logistical aid from Silla.The Tang established theAndong Protectorateon former Goguryeo lands after the latter's fall.

However, there was much resistance to Tang rule (fanned by Silla, which was displeased that Tang did not give it Goguryeo or Baekje's territory), and in 669, following Emperor Gaozong's order, a part of the Goguryeo people were forced to move to the region between the Yangtze River and the Huai River, as well as the regions south of the Qinling Mountains and west of Chang'an, only leaving old and weak inhabitants in the original land. Over 200,000 prisoners from Goguryeo were taken by the Tang forces and sent toChang'an.Some people entered the service of the Tang government, such asGo Sagyeand his sonGao Xianzhi(Go Seonji in Korean), the famed general who commanded the Tang forces at theBattle of Talas.

Silla thus unified most of the Korean peninsula in 668, but the kingdom's reliance on China's Tang dynasty had its price. Tang set up theProtectorate General to Pacify the East,governed byXue Rengui,but faced increasing problems ruling the former inhabitants of Goguryeo, as well as Silla's resistance to Tang's remaining presence on the Korean Peninsula. Silla had to forcibly resist the imposition of Chinese rule over the entire peninsula, which lead to theSilla–Tang Wars,but their own strength did not extend beyond theTaedong River.Although the Tang forces were expelled from territories south of Taedong River, Silla failed to regain the former Goguryeo territories north of theTaedong River,which were now under Tang dominion.

Revival movements

Main article:Goguryeo revival movements

See also:Balhae

After the fall of Goguryeo in 668, many Goguryeo people rebelled against the Tang and Silla by starting Goguryeo revival movements. Among these wereGeom Mojam,Dae Jung-sang,and several famous generals. The Tang dynasty tried but failed to establish several commanderies to rule over the area.

In 677, Tang crownedBojangas the "King ofJoseon"and put him in charge of the Liaodong commandery of theProtectorate General to Pacify the East.However, Bojang continued to foment rebellions against Tang in an attempt to revive Goguryeo, organizing Goguryeo refugees and allying with the Mohe tribes. He was eventually exiled toSichuanin 681, and died the following year.

TheProtectorate General to Pacify the Eastwas installed by the Tang government to rule and keep control over the former territories of the fallen Goguryeo. It was first put under the control of Tang GeneralXue Rengui,but was later replaced by Bojang due to the negative responses of the Goguryeo people. Bojang was sent into exile for assisting Goguryeo revival movements, but was succeeded by his descendants. Bojang's descendants declared independence fromTangduring the same period as theAn Lushan RebellionandLi Zhengji(Yi Jeong-gi in Korean)'s rebellion inShandong.The Protectorate General to Pacify the East was renamed "Little Goguryeo"until its eventual absorption into Balhae under the reign ofSeon.

Geom MojamandAnseungrose briefly at the Han Fortress (한성, Seoul, in modernChaeryong,South Hwanghae), but failed, when Anseung surrendered toSilla.Go Anseung ordered the assassination of Geom Mojam, and defected to Silla, where he was given a small amount of land to rule over. There, Anseung established theState of Bodeok(보덕, trả ơn ), incited a rebellion, which was promptly crushed bySinmun.Anseung was then forced to reside in the Silla capital, given a Silla bride and had to adopt the Silla royal surname of "Kim."

Dae Jung-sangand his sonDae Jo-yeong,either a former Goguryeo general or aMohechief, regained most of Goguryeo's northern land after its downfall in 668, established theKingdom of Jin(진, chấn ), which was renamed toBalhaeafter 713. To the south ofBalhae,Sillacontrolled the Korean peninsula south of theTaedong River,andManchuria(present-daynortheastern China) was conquered by Balhae. Balhae considered itself (particularly in diplomatic correspondence with Japan) asuccessor stateof Goguryeo.

In 901, the generalGung Yerebelled againstLater Sillaand founded Later Goguryeo (renamed toTaebongin 911), which considered itself to be a successor of Goguryeo. Later Goguryeo originated in the northern regions, includingSongak(modern Kaesong), which were the strongholds of Goguryeo refugees.Later Goguryeo's original capital was established in Songak, the hometown ofWang Geon,a prominent general under Gung Ye.Wang Geon was a descendant of Goguryeo and traced his ancestry to a noble Goguryeo clan.In 918, Wang Geon overthrew Gung Ye and establishedGoryeo,as the successor of Goguryeo, and laid claim to Manchuria as Goryeo's rightful legacy.Wang Geon unified theLater Three Kingdomsin 936, and Goryeo ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392.

In the 10th century, Balhae collapsed and much of its ruling class and the last crown princeDae Gwang-hyeonfled to Goryeo. The Balhae refugees were warmly welcomed and included in the ruling family by Wang Geon, who felt a strong familial kinship with Balhae,thus unifying the two successor nations of Goguryeo.

Government

Early Goguryeo was a federation of five tribes, which later turned into five districts. As the autonomy of these five tribal collectives waned, regional officers were appointed with valley as a unit.As Goguryeo progressed into the 4th century, a regional administration unit arose that centred around fortresses that were built in the newly enlarged areas. From the 4th century to the early 6th century, The gun (roughly translated as counties) system began to be established in most of the regions controlled by Goguryeo, though not all, evidenced by the existence of 16 counties near the Han river and the nickname of a military post called Malyak, nicknamed the gundu (roughly translated as the head of county). The gun subdivision had sub subdivisions which was either a seong (fortress) or chon (village). The official that was governing the whole county was called a susa, though its names changed to Yoksal, Choryogunji and Rucho. Yoksal and Choryogunji had both military and civil capabilities, and its residence often assigned inside fortresses.

Military

Main article:Military history of Goguryeo

Goguryeo was a highly militaristic state.Goguryeo has been described as an empire by Korean scholars.Initially, there were four partially autonomous districts based on the cardinal directions, and a central district led by the monarch; however, in the first century the cardinal districts became centralized and administered by the central district, and by the end of the 3rd century, they lost all political and military authority to the monarch.In the 4th century, after suffering defeats against theXianbeiandBaekjeduring the reign ofGogukwon,Sosuriminstituted military reforms that paved the way for Gwanggaeto's conquests.During its height, Goguryeo was able to mobilize 300,000 troops.Goguryeo often enlisted semi-nomadic vassals, such as the Mohe people, as foot soldiers.Every man in Goguryeo was required to serve in the military, or could avoid conscription by paying extra grain tax. A Tang treatise of 668 records a total of 675,000 displaced personnel and 176 military garrisons after the surrender of Bojang.

Equipment

The main projectile weapon used in Goguryeo was thebow.The bows were modified to be more composite and increase throwing ability on par withcrossbows.To a lesser extent, stone-throwing machines and crossbows were also used. Polearms, used against thecavalryand in open order, were mostly spears. Two types of swords were used by Goguryeo warriors. The first was a shorter double-edged variant mostly used for throwing. The other was longer single-edged sword with minimal hilt and ring pommel, of eastern Han influence. The helmets were similar to helmets used byCentral Asianpeoples, decorated with wings, leathers and horsetails. The shield was the main protection, which covered most of the soldier's body. The cavalry were calledGaemamusa(개마무사, khải mã võ sĩ ), and similar in type to theCataphract.

Hwandudaedo

Hwandudaedo

Goguryeo used a sword calledHwandudaedo.It looks like the sword drawing in the following picture which is 2000 years old from an old Goguryeo tomb.As Korean swords changed from Bronze Age to Iron Age, the sword shapes changed. There are many archaeological finds on ancient Korean iron swords particularly the swords with a ring at the end.

Fortifications

See also:Korean fortressandList of Korean fortresses in China

The most common form of the Goguryeo fortress was one made in the shape of the moon, located between a river and its tributary. Ditches and ground walls between the shores formed an extra defense line. The walls wereextensive in their length,and they were constructed from huge stone blocks fixed with clay, and even Chinese artillery had difficulty to break through them. Walls were surrounded by a ditch to prevent an underground attack, and equipped with guard towers. All fortresses had sources of water and enough equipment for a protracted siege. If rivers and mountains were absent, extra defense lines were added.

Organization

Two hunts per year, led by the king himself, maneuvers exercises, hunt-maneuvers and parades were conducted to give the Goguryeo soldier a high level of individual training.

There were five armies in the capital, mostly cavalry that were personally led by the king, numbering approximately 12,500. Military units varied in number from 21,000 to 36,000 soldiers, were located in the provinces, and were led by the governors. Military colonies near the boundaries consisted mostly of soldiers and peasants. There were also private armies held by aristocrats. This system allowed Goguryeo to maintain and utilize an army of 50,000 without added expense, and 300,000 through large mobilization in special cases.

Goguryeo units were divided according to major weapons: spearmen, axemen, archers composed of those on foot and horseback, and heavy cavalry that included armored and heavy spear divisions. Other groups like the catapult units, wall-climbers, and storm units were part of the special units and were added to the common. The advantage of this functional division is highly specialized combat units, while the disadvantage is that it was impossible for one unit to make complex, tactical actions.

Strategy

The military formation had the general and his staff with guards in the middle of the army. The archers were defended by axemen. In front of the general were the main infantry forces, and on the flanks were rows of heavy cavalry ready to counterattack in case of a flank attack by the enemy. In the very front and rear was the light cavalry, used for intelligence, pursuit, and for weakening the enemy's strike. Around the main troops were small groups of heavy cavalrymen and infantry. Each unit was prepared to defend the other by providing mutual support.

Goguryeo implemented a strategy of active defense based on cities. Besides the walled cities and fortified camps, thisactive defensesystem used small units of light cavalry to continuously harass the enemy, de-blockade units and strong reserves, consisting of the best soldiers, to strike hard at the end.

Goguryeo also employed military intelligence and special tactics as an important part of the strategy. Goguryeo was good at disinformation, such as sending only stone spearheads as tribute to the Chinese court when they were in the Iron Age. Goguryeo had developed its system of espionage. One of the most famous spies,Baekseok,mentioned in theSamguk yusa,was able to infiltrate theHwarangsof Silla.

Foreign relations

The militaristic nature of Goguryeo frequently drew them into conflicts with the dynasties of China.In the times when they are not in war with China, Goguryeo occasionallysent tributesto some of the Chinese dynasties as a form of trade and nonaggression pact. Like Buyeo before it, Goguryeo alternately offered tribute to and raided China.These activities of exchange promoted cultural and religious flow from China into the Korean peninsula. Goguryeo has also received tribute from other Korean kingdoms and neighboring tribal states, and frequently mobilized Malgal people in their military. Baekje and Goguryeo maintained their regional rivalry throughout their history, although they eventually formed an alliance in their wars against Silla and Tang.

Culture

Muyongchong Suryeopdo

The culture of Goguryeo was shaped by its climate, religion, and the tense society that people dealt with due to the numerous wars Goguryeo waged.

TheBook of Sui(Volume 81) recorded: "The customs, laws and clothes of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla are generally identical."

Attributed with the earliestkimchi,the Goguryeo people were skilled at fermenting and widely consumed fermented food.

Singing and dancing played an important part in Goguryeo society, a legacy that, according to Kim Hunggyu, continues to this day in modern Korean society.

The practice ofmatrilocalityin Korea started in the Goguryeo period, continued through the Goryeo period and ended in the early Joseon period.The Korean saying that when a man gets married, he is "enteringjangga"(the house of his father-in-law), stems from the Goguryeo period.

Goguryeo held an annual nationalseokjeon(stone battle) attended by the king himself.Originally a product of the warlike Goguryeo period,seokjeongradually evolved into a widely enjoyed pastime during the more peaceful Goryeo and Joseon periods.

The Korean tradition of mothers eating seaweed after birth originated in Goguryeo.The Korean word for seaweed,miyeok,originated in Goguryeo.

Goguryeo lies a thousand li to the east of Liaodong, being contiguous with Joseon and Yemaek on the south, with Okjeo on the east, and with Buyeo on the north. They make their capital below Hwando. With a territory perhaps two thousand li on a side, their households number three myriads. They have many mountains and deep valleys and have no plains or marshes. Accommodating themselves to mountain and valley, the people make do with them for their dwellings and food. With their steep-banked rivers, they lack good fields; and though they plow and till energetically, their efforts are not enough to fill their bellies; their custom is to be sparing of food. They like to build palaces... By temperament the people are violent and take delight in brigandage... As an old saying of the Dongyi would have it, they are a separate branch of the Buyeo. And indeed there is much about their language and other things they share with the Buyeo, but in temperament and clothing there are differences.

Their people delight in singing and dancing. In villages throughout the state, men and women gather in groups at nightfall for communal singing and games. They have no great storehouses, each family keeping its own small store... They rejoice in cleanliness, and they are good at brewing alcohol. When they kneel in obeisance, they extend one leg; in this they differ from the Buyeo. In moving about on foot they all run... In their public gatherings they all wear colorfully brocaded clothing and adorn themselves with gold and silver.

— Sanguo Zhi

Goguryeo tombs

The tombs of Goguryeo display the prosperity and artistry of the kingdom of the period. The murals inside many of the tombs are significant evidence of Goguryeo's lifestyle, ceremonies, warfare and architecture. Mostly tombs were founded in Ji'an in China's Jilin province, Taedong river basin near Pyongyang, North Korea and the Anak area in South Hwanghae province of North Korea. There are over 10,000 Goguryeo tombs overall, but only about 90 of those unearthed in China and North Korea have wall paintings. In 2004,Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdomlocated in Ji'an of Jilin Province of China andComplex of Koguryo Tombslocated in North Korea became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lifestyle

The inhabitants of Goguryeo wore a predecessor of the modernhanbok,just as the other cultures of the three kingdoms. There are murals and artifacts that depict dancers wearing elaborate white dresses.

Festivals and pastimes

Common pastimes among Goguryeo people were drinking, singing, or dancing. Games such as wrestling attracted curious spectators.

Every October, the Dongmaeng Festival was held. The Dongmaeng Festival was practiced to worship the gods. The ceremonies were followed by huge celebratory feasts, games, and other activities. Often, the king performed rites to his ancestors.

Hunting was a male activity and also served as an appropriate means to train young men for the military. Hunting parties rode on horses and hunted deer and other game with bows-and-arrows. Archery contests also occurred.

Religion

Mural ofBlack Tortoiseof theFour Symbols.

A mural of a Chinese mythical animal,three-legged birdin a Goguryeo tomb.

Goguryeo people worshipped ancestors and considered them to be supernatural.Jumong,the founder of Goguryeo, was worshipped and respected among the people. There was even atempleinPyongyangdedicated to Jumong. At the annual Dongmaeng Festival, a religious rite was performed for Jumong, ancestors, and gods.

Mythical beasts and animals were also considered to be sacred in Goguryeo. TheFenghuangandLoongwere both worshipped, while theSanzuwu,the three-legged crow that represented the sun, was considered the most powerful of the three. Paintings of mythical beasts exist in Goguryeo king tombs today.

They also believed in the 'Sasin', which were 4 mythical animals.Chungryongor Chunryonga (blue dragon) guarded the east,baek-ho(white tiger) guarded the west,jujak(red phoenix (bird)) guarded the south, andhyunmu(black turtle, sometimes with snakes for a tail) guarded the north.

Buddhismwas first introduced to Goguryeo in 372.The government recognized and encouraged the teachings of Buddhism and many monasteries and shrines were created during Goguryeo's rule, making Goguryeo the first kingdom in the region to adopt Buddhism. However, Buddhism was much more popular inSillaandBaekje,which Goguryeo passed Buddhism to.

Buddhism,a religion originating in what is nowIndia,was transmitted toKoreaviaChinain the late 4th century.TheSamguk yusarecords the following 3 monks among first to bring theBuddhistteaching, orDharma,toKorea:Malananta(late 4th century) – anIndianBuddhistmonk who brought Buddhism toBaekjein the southernKorean peninsula,Sundo– a Chinese monk who brought Buddhism to Goguryeo in northern Korea, andAdomonk who brought Buddhism toSillain central Korea.

XianandTaoistsseeking to become immortals were thought to aid infortune tellinganddivinationabout the future.

Cultural legacy

Ssireumdepicted on Goguryeo mural

As the Three Kingdoms period emerged, each Korean state sought ideologies that could validate their authority. Many of these states borrowed influences from Chinese culture, sharing a writing system that was originally based on Chinese characters. However the language was different and not mutually intelligible with Chinese. An integral part of Goguryeo's culture, along with other Korean states, was Korean shamanism. In the 4th century, Buddhism gained wide prominence in Baekje and spread rapidly across the peninsula. Buddhism struck a careful balance between shamanism, the Korean people, and the rulers over these states, briefly becoming the official religion of all three kingdoms. Buddhism's foothold in the Korean peninsula would surge up to the Goryeo period and would spread rapidly into Yamato Japan, playing a key role in the neighboring state's development and its relations with the Korean peninsula.

In Baekje, King Onjo founded the kingdom and according to legend, he is the third son of Jumong of Goguryeo and the younger brother of King Yuri, Goguryeo's second king. The Korean Kingdoms of Balhae and Goryeo regarded themselves as successors to Goguryeo, recognized by Tang China and Yamato Japan.

Goguryeo art,preserved largely in tomb paintings, is noted for the vigour and fine detail of its imagery. Many of the art pieces have an original style of painting, depicting various traditions that have continued throughout Korea's history.

Cultural legacies of Goguryeo are found in modern Korean culture, for example:Korean fortress,ssireum,taekkyeon,Korean dance,ondol(Goguryeo's floor heating system) and thehanbok.

Legacy

Remains of walled towns, fortresses, palaces, tombs, and artifacts have been found inNorth Koreaand Manchuria, including ancient paintings in aGoguryeo tomb complexinPyongyang.Some ruins are also still visible in present-day China, for example atWunü Mountain,suspected to be the site of Jolbon fortress, nearHuanrenin Liaoning province on the present border with North Korea. Ji'an is also home to a large collection of Goguryeo era tombs, including what Chinese scholars consider to be the tombs of Gwanggaeto and his son Jangsu, as well as perhaps the best-known Goguryeo artifact, theGwanggaeto Stele,which is one of the primary sources for pre-5th-century Goguryeo history.

World Heritage Site

UNESCOaddedCapital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdomin present-dayChinaandComplex of Koguryo Tombsin present-dayNorth Koreato theWorld Heritage Sitesin 2004.

Name

The modern English name "Korea" derives fromGoryeo (also spelled as Koryŏ)(918–1392), which regarded itself as the legitimate successor of Goguryeo.The name Goryeo was first used during the reign ofJangsuin the 5th century. Goguryeo is also referred to as Goryeo after 520 AD in Chinese and Japanese historical and diplomatic sources.

Language

Main article:Goguryeo language

There have been some academic attempts to reconstruct the Goguryeo words based on the fragments of toponyms, recorded in theSamguk sagi,of the areas once possessed by Goguryeo. However, the reliability of the toponyms as linguistic evidence is still in dispute.The linguistic classification of the language is difficult due to the lack of historical sources. The most cited source, a body ofplacename glosses in theSamguk sagi,has been interpreted by different authors asKoreanic,Japonic,or an intermediate between the two.Lee and Ramsey also look broadly to includeAltaicand/orTungusic.

Chinese records suggest that the languages of Goguryeo, Buyeo, EastOkjeo,andGojoseonwere similar, while they differed from that of the Malgal (Mohe).

Controversies

Main article:Goguryeo controversies

Goguryeo was viewed as a Korean kingdom in premodern China,but in modern times, there is a dispute between China and Korea over whether Goguryeo can be considered part of Chinese history or it is Korean history.

In 2002, Chinese government started a five-year research project on the history and current situation of the frontiers of Northeast China which lasted from 2002 to 2007.It was launched by theChinese Academy of Social Science(CASS) and received financial support from both the Chinese government and the CASS.

The stated purpose of the Northeast Project was to use authoritative academic research to restore historical facts and protect the stability of Northeast China—a region sometimes known asManchuria—in the context of the strategic changes that have taken place inNortheast Asiasince China's "Reform and Opening"started in 1978.Two of the project's leaders accused some foreign scholars and institutions of rewriting history to demand territory from China or to promote instability in the frontier regions, hence the necessity of the Project.

The Project has been criticized for applying the contemporary vision of China as a "unified multiethnic state"to ancient ethnic groups, states and history of the region ofManchuriaand northernKorea.According to this idea, there was a greater Chinese state in the ancient past.Accordingly, any pre-modern people or state that occupied any part of what is now the People's Republic of China is defined as having been part of Chinese history.Similar projects have been conducted onInner Mongolia,TibetandXin gian g,which have been namedNorth Project,Southwest ProjectandXin gian g Projectrespectively.

Due to its claims onGojoseon,Goguryeo andBalhae,the project sparked disputes with Korea.In 2004, this dispute threatened to lead to diplomatic disputes between the People's Republic of China andSouth Korea,although all governments involved seem to exhibit no desire to see the issue damage relations.

In 2004, the Chinese government made a diplomatic compromise, pledging not to place claims to the history of Goguryeo in its history textbooks.However, online discussion regarding this topic among the general public has since increased. The Internet has provided a platform for a broadening participation in the discussion of Goguryeo in both South Korea and China. Thomas Chase points out that despite the growing online discussion on this subject, this has not led to a more objective treatment of this history, nor a more critical evaluation of its relationship tonational identity.

See also

• History of Korea
• Goryeo
• Balhae
• Later Goguryeo
• Military history of Goguryeo

References

Sources

• Beckwith, Christopher I.(2007).Koguryo: The Language of Japan's Continental Relatives: An Introduction to the Historical-Comparative Study of the Japanese-Koguryoic Languages, with a Preliminary Description of Archaic Northeastern Middle Chinese(Second ed.). Brill.ISBN978-90-474-2028-6.
• Mohan, Pankaj (2011), "Contending Perspectives on Koguryo: A Fresh Look at China's Northeast Project",The Dong Gook Sa Hak,50:53–93.
• Pozzi, Alessandra; Janhunen, Juha Antero; Weiers, Michael, eds. (2006).Tumen Jalafun Jecen Aku: Manchu Studies in Honour of Giovanni Stary.Vol. 20 of Tunguso Sibirica. Giovanni Stary (Contributor). Otto Harrassowitz Verlag.ISBN978-3447053785.Retrieved1 April2013.
• Yoon, Hwy-tak (2004),"China's Northeast Project: Defensive or Offensive Strategy?"(PDF),East Asian Review,16(4): 99–121, archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2012-11-14,retrieved2013-01-10.

Further reading

• Asmolov, V. Konstantin. (1992). The System of Military Activity of Koguryo,Korea Journal,v. 32.2, 103–116, 1992.
• Beckwith, Christopher I. (August 2003).Ancient Koguryo, Old Koguryo, and the Relationship of Japanese to Korean(PDF).13th Japanese/Korean Linguistics Conference. Michigan State University.Retrieved2006-03-12.
• Byeon, Tae-seop (1999).Hàn Quốc sử thông luận (Outline of Korean history)(4th ed.). Unknown Publisher.ISBN978-89-445-9101-3.
• Byington, Mark (2002),"The Creation of an Ancient Minority Nationality: Koguryo in Chinese Historiography"(PDF),Embracing the Other: The Interaction of Korean and Foreign Cultures: Proceedings of the 1st World Congress of Korean Studies, III,Songnam, Republic of Korea:Academy of Korean Studies
• Byington, Mark (2003).A History of the Puyo State, its People, and its Legacy(PhD). Harvard University.
• Byington, Mark (2004b),The War of Words Between South Korea and China Over An Ancient Kingdom: Why Both Sides Are Misguided,History News Network (WWW), archived fromthe originalon 2007-04-23
• Chase, Thomas (2011),"Nationalism on the Net: Online discussion of Goguryeo history in China and South Korea",China Information,25(1): 61–82,doi:10.1177/0920203X10394111,S2CID143964634,archived fromthe originalon 2012-05-13
• Lee, Peter H. (1992),Sourcebook of Korean Civilization 1,Columbia University Press
• Rhee, Song nai (1992) Secondary State Formation: The Case of Koguryo State. InAikens, C. Melvin (1992).Pacific northeast Asia in prehistory: hunter-fisher-gatherers, farmers, and sociopolitical elites.WSU Press.ISBN978-0-87422-092-6.
• Sun, Jinji (1986),Zhongguo Gaogoulishi yanjiu kaifang fanrong de liunian (Six Years of Opening and Prosperity of Koguryo History Research),Heilong gian g People's Publishing House
• Unknown Author,Korea, 1–500 AD,Metropolitan Museum
• Unknown Author,Koguryo,Britannica Encyclopedia, archived fromthe originalon 2007-02-12
• Unknown Author (2005),"Korea",Columbia Encyclopedia,Bartleby,retrieved2007-03-12
• ScienceView,Cultural Development of the Three Kingdoms,ScienceView (WWW), archived fromthe originalon 2006-08-22
• Wang, Zhenping (2013),Tang China in Multi-Polar Asia: A History of Diplomacy and War,University of Hawaii Press
• Xiong, Victor (2008),Historical Dictionary of Medieval China,United States: Scarecrow Press, Inc.,ISBN978-0810860537

External links

• Encyclopædia Britannica
• Encarta
• Columbia Encyclopedia
• (in Korean)Information about the ancient kingdom
• Goguryeo of Korea