The Three Kingdoms
:::: Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla ::::
 >In
the last stages of the bronze culture of the Karasuk
affinity, the impact of the iron culture was experienced by
ancient Koreans as a consequence of the rise of Chinese state
power. The rise of Buyeo was seen in Manchuria along
with China's developing centralized power. In the southern part
of Korea, tribal leagues of the Three Han gradually developed
to the stage of state-building. Baekje and Silla
were prominent in the south, Goguryeo in the north.
By the first century, Goguryeo was firmly established
as a state power and destroyed the Chinese colony Lolang (Nangnang)
in 313. In 342, however, Goguryeo's capital fell to the
Chinese Yen. Baekje amassed power while Goguryeo
was fighting against the Chinese, and came into conflict with
Goguryeo in the late fourth century. Then came the growth
of Silla with a more fully organized state power.
Goguryeo 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
in Chinese translation 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.
Thus, all Three Kingdoms developed highly sophisticated state
organizations on the Korean Peninsula, adopting Confucian and
Buddhist hierarchical structures with the king at the pinnacle.
State codes were promulgated to initiate a legal system to rule
the people. In this process, Goguryeo annexed Buyeo,
and Silla conquered Gaya. The Three Kingdoms were
competing with each other in strengthening Buddhist-Confucian
state power, in efforts toward serious territorial expansion.
At this juncture, Silla developed its Hwarang
(Flower of Youth Corps), a voluntary military organization.
The Hwarang members were trained as a group in the arts
of war, literary taste and community life, partly through pilgrimages.
The educational objectives were: 1) loyalty to the monarch,
2) filial piety to parents, 3) amicability among friends, 4)
no retreat in war, and 5) aversion to unnecessary killing. These
objectives were postulated by the famous monk Won-gwang, who
consolidated Buddhist-Confucian virtues in the education of
Silla youths. This movement became popular and the corps
contributed to the strength of the Silla Kingdom.
With the youth corps, Silla was able to amass state power
in the cultural sphere as well. With the aid of a Baekje
architect, it erected a huge temple, Hwangnyongsa (Temple
of the Illustrious Dragon), and a towering pagoda famous
even in China. The 70-meter-high pagoda of Hwang-nyongsa
stood from 645 until the Mongol invasion of the 13th century.
Silla was ready to learn from Goguryeo and Baekje,
and also dispatched monks to China to learn about China's culture,
especially Chinese Buddhist doctrine, architecture and Chinese
classics.
While Silla was building amicable relations with Tang
China, Goguryeo was in fierce conflict with Sui and Tang.
Sui Emperor Yang-ti, after successful campaigns against the
northern nomadic tribes, invaded Goguryeo with more than
one million troops. In 612 Goguryeo General Eulji
Mundeok held the fortresses against Yang-ti's army and navy
for several months and destroyed the Sui troops in retreat.
An ambush at Salsu (Cheongcheon-gang) river allowed only
2,700 Sui troops out of 300,000 men to escape. Sui fell from
power partly as a result of the defeat by Goguryeo.
 |
A hunting scene from
a sixth century Goguryeo tomb. |
 |
The brick chamber of
the tomb of King Muryeong (r. 501-523) of
the Baekje Kingdom (18 B.C-A.D. 660) |
|
After the rise of Tang, Tai-tsung contemplated revenge while
protecting against invasion by building fortifications and walls
along the Liao River. In 644, 648 and 655, Tai-tsung attempted
unsuccessful invasions. Tang then turned to Silla for
assistance.
Silla also persuaded Tang China to come to its aid in
the conquest of Baekje and Goguryeo. Goguryeo
had earlier defeated Sui Yang-ti, and Tai-tsung's hostile relationship
drove Kao-tsung of Tang to go into alliance with Silla
in the campaign against Baekje and then Goguryeo.
A late-comer to statehood, Silla was finally able to
defeat the other two kingdoms, but was unable to control the
whole territory of Goguryeo which extended to Manchuria.
Tang's intention toward Silla was made clear in the aftermath
of the unification by Silla. The Baekje king and
his family were taken to Tang in 660 and a Tang general appointed
a military governor to rule the Baekje territory. Goguryeo's
last king, his officials and 200,000 prisoners were also taken
to China in 668 and Goguryeo's territory was administered by
Tang generals. Kao-tsung's desires were now evident, and Silla
was determined to fight against Tang. The determination of Kim
Yu-sin, Silla's foremost general who led and marshaled Silla's
campaigns, counteracted the Chinese instigation of Baekje
and Goguryeo to rebel against Silla. Silla
commenced active resistance against Chinese domination in Tang-controlled
territory. In 671 Silla started its own operations against
Chinese rule and took the Chinese administrative headquarters,
thereby retaking all of the Baekje territory. China invaded
again in 674 against Silla, who had succeeded in quelling
the Tang army at Maecho Fortress near Yanggu and the
Cheonseong fortress at the Yeseonggang river near
Gaeseong. Silla's army also successfully drove
out the Tang army from Pyongyang. Nevertheless, the Chinese
army persistently claimed the territories of Baekje and
Goguryeo until 676 when they gave in to Silla's
claim of territory south of the Daedonggang river. Silla
became a unique state covering most of the Korean Peninsula
and the majority of the people of the former three states.
One Goguryeo warrior, Go Sa-gye, who was taken
by a Tang general, joined the Tang army. His son Go Seon-ji
had a successful military career in Tang and conquered Tashkent
in the mid-eighth century, transmitting paper-making technology
to the Arabian countries. The Silla monk Hyecho
in 727 visited India for pilgrimages to historic Buddhist sites
in five Indian kingdoms, an account of which is preserved as
an important historical record about eighth century India. |
Credit:
Korea Overseas Information Service
|
|
|
