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| Koguryo (Goguryeo )Kingdom |
| Koguryo was one of the Korean kingdom which was founded in 37 B.C., and by the first century, it had firmly established itself as a powerful state. From the mid-fourth century, Baekje began to grow rapidly, while Koguryo was fighting against the Chinese. |
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Then in the late fourth century, Baekje came into conflict with Koguryo. Subsequently came the growth of Silla, which also successfully organized itself into a powerful state.
Koguryo was the first to adopt Buddhism as the royal creed in 372; Baekje, the second in 384; and Silla, the last in 528. Buddhist scriptures were also adopted. Goguryeo established an academy to educate the nobility and compiled a state history consisting of 100 volumes before the introduction of Buddhism. Baekje also compiled its history in the early fourth century prior to 384. Only Silla undertook compilation of its history immediately following the adoption of Buddhism. |
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Koguryo Builds up a Great Empire
King Gogukwon's successors were Kings, Sosurim and Goguk-yang. They began to overhaul the state's internal institutions in a bid to overcome a series of crises facing Goguryeo. Kings Sorurim and Gogukyang were able to solidify state power by firmly establishing social discipline through administrative laws and orders, providing ground for liberal thoughts by introducing Buddhism, and nurturing intellectuals with the creation of Taehak (National Academy).
It was King Gwanggaeto (r. 391-413), who greatly changed the map of Goguryeo by vigorously pursuing the task of adding new domains by conquest. The great military campaigns of this king made Silla in the southeastern part of the Korean peninsula a vassal state, and Baekje, Gaya and Japan its tributary states. To the north, it overpowered Suksin and East Buyeo and made them tributary states. To the west, Goguryeo conquered the Khitan tribe along the middle and upper reaches of West Liao River and destroyed the Later Yen, set up by Moyong Seonbi tribe.
King Gwanggaeto was succeeded by his son, King Jangsu. During his 79 years on the throne, King Jangsu continued his father's enterprises and brought Goguryeo to its flourishing height. Goguryeo's power expanded further to the north, dividing the Jiduwu territory along the Greater Khingan Range with the nomadic empire of Yuyen. To the south, Goguryeo exercised direct control over a region between the Gyeonggi Bay and the Young-il Bay in North Gyeongsang Province (the mid-section of Korean Peninsula). Subsequently, Goguryeo continued to expand its territory until it reached the Eastern Songhua River in the north, Mt. Uimuryeo across Liao River in the west and the southern part of today's Littoral Province of Russia. If its indirect control over nomadic tribes is taken into consideration in addition to the newly added territories, Goguryeo at that time was a great power with its sphere of influence covering a large amount of present-day Northeast China, Russia's Littoral Province and two thirds of the Korean peninsula. Inside the huge sphere of influence were Khitan, Malgal (Moho), Jiduwu, Silla and Ye in the form of vassal or tributary states. Goguryeo at this time was a great empire that took pride as the guardian of international order and the most sacred state under the sun.
Goguryeo, in the fifth and sixth centuries, was one of the four great powers in East Asia, along with Yuyen, a nomadic empire; Northern Wei, a state set up by the Seonbi tribe in the Huang River basin, and Song, a state established by Han China in the Yangtze River basin. Unlike Northern Wei and Song, which were persistently buffeted by wars and other disturbances, Goguryeo was able to nurture a high quality culture, while enjoying peace. Indeed, Goguryeo culture exercised a significant impact on Baekje, Silla, and Japan.
In early sixth century, Northern Wei, ruler of North China, likened Goguryeo to a large wine barrel, and recognized the world of Goguryeo's independent dominion east of the Great Wall.
Goguryeo's Wars with Sui and Tang
Even in its heyday, a crisis once befell Goguryeo. There was a series of confrontations among the nobility over the succession issue in the 540s. Taking advantage of this domestic disarray, the newly emerging nomadic power, Tuchueh, launched an attack from the north in the 550s and Baekje and Silla attacked from the south. Goguryeo in the end had to cede the mid-section of the Korean peninsula to Silla and concentrated its efforts on repulsing Tuchueh, and was victorious.
A more serious challenge descended upon Goguryeo during the second half of the sixth century. The four-power set-up in East Asia was collapsing, when the new Sui Empire emerged. Sui managed to unify numerous nations competing for supremacy in the Huang and Yangtze River regions and even destroyed Tuchueh, who had been ruling the northeastern plains. This led Sui forces face to face with Goguryeo, which was still pursuing expansionist policies. In preparation for a war with Sui, Goguryeo collected lots of information, spurred on weapons development, strengthened its internal cohesion and braced itself for a war. In 612, Sui attacked Goguryeo with millions of troops. Goguryeo scored a major victory at the battle of Salsu River by annihilating most of the 305,000-strong Sui troops. Subsequently, Goguryeo successfully repulsed three more major attacks. Ultimately, this series of defeats led to the downfall of the Sui Empire itself.
Thirty years later, Goguryeo had to wage a war against the Tang, the Chinese successor to Sui. In 645, it repulsed hundreds of thousands of Tang forces in combats at the western frontier's strategic points of Sinseong, Geonan and Anshi fortresses and Mt. Jupil. The commander of Chinese forces was King Taejong himself, known as the greatest king in Chinese history. In 661, mobilizing hundreds of thousands of troops, Tang again came attacking Goguryeo, but its ambitions were frustrated the following February as the main component of Chinese forces was routed.
Succession of Goguryeo
After the fall of Goguryeo, many Goguryeo people tried to revive their country. And, after 30 years of trying Balhae (Pohai) was founded in 698 by Daejoyoung, a descendant of Goguryeo. In official documents the king sent abroad, Balhae (698-926) used to boast itself as the successor of Goryeo (Goguryeo). (In the latter half of Goguryeo Kingdom, people used to call their country "Goryeo.") And, the kingdom of Goryeo (or, Korea) (918-1392), which succeeded Balhae, resurrected the name of "Goryeo," which was the state title of Goguryeo |
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| 10-07-2004 |
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