HIST 1301 | History: Early Korea

INDIA, THE INDIAN OCEAN BASIN, and EAST ASIA HIST 1301 | History Early Korea From the Yalu River in the north to the Korean Strait in the south, the Korean peninsula is just six hundred miles long. Its northern neighbour, Manchuria, has long been inhabited by a multitude of nomadic peoples and was formerly a part of the Korean kingdoms. Due to their proximity to China and strategic location at the intersection of major East Asian maritime routes, Korea and Manchuria have been greatly impacted by Chinese culture. This includes Confucianism and Buddhism as well as Chinese landscape painting and urban design styles. An early Korean state was founded in the northwest of the peninsula and in a piece of Manchuria prior to the common period. This was the state of Gojoseon, and Pyongyang, the present-day capital of North Korea, was created there by the people who lived there. Three distinct kingdoms emerged on the peninsula during the Han era (220 BCE–220 CE) in China: Goguryeo in the north (37 BCE–668 CE), Baekje (18 BCE–660 CE), and Silla (57 BCE–935 CE). After being conquered by the Han, the northern kingdom of Goguryeo was able to drive the Chinese out and restore its independence in 313 CE. During this time, a fourth state was also formed, the Confederacy of Gaya (42–532 CE). However, it remained relatively weak and was annexed by the Kingdom of Silla in 532 CE. Buddhism and other cultural influences began to travel the Silk Roads throughout the Three Kingdoms era. In 372 Buddhist missionaries were dispatched to Goguryeo by the Jin, one of the Chinese kingdoms that succeeded the Han. A large number of elites quickly converted, and Silla and Baekje's kingdoms did the same. Chinese script and Confucian principles were two further cultural changes that affected the three kingdoms; Chinese eventually became the official language of administration. But shortly, the three kingdoms started fighting with one another. In 550, the two from the south formed an alliance against Goguryeo, though it took a while for them to win. In 589, the Sui led the reunification of China and attempted to take back control of Korea. They engaged Goguryeo in combat but were ultimately defeated. For instance, of the 300,000 men that the Sui assaulted in 612, just 2,700 were said to have survived. The Sui dynasty was weakened by this and other abortive attempts to invade Korea, which contributed significantly to its downfall and the Tang dynasty's ascendancy in 618. Taizong, the second Tang emperor, fought Goguryeo as well and lost. In an attempt to rule the peninsula, the Tang consequently formed an alliance with the Kingdom of Silla. They overcame Goguryeo in 668 after defeating Baekje in 660. Silla was the last Korean monarchy still standing by 668. But in return for winning, Korea was now a Tang tributary state, albeit one that only went as far as Pyongyang. Silla's new capital, Geumseong, was situated there. The Silla erected several Confucian schools and modelled their city on the Tang capital of Chang'an. A large number of Koreans visited China in order to get a strong foundation in Confucianism and to expand their knowledge of Buddhism. Buddhism and Confucianism gradually impacted and changed Korean culture. For instance, following marriage, a husband would often join his wife's family in Korea, where matrilocality predominated. However, the reverse started to happen as a result of Confucianism's patriarchal norms and influence. Chinese principles were not completely embraced by the Koreans. For example, they agreed to some parts of China's merit-based examination system for state bureaucracy hiring, but aristocratic power remained strong. Many high aristocracy took steps to preserve their native identity, and they were sometimes tasked with ruling whole towns and selecting the local officials personally. Furthermore, Korea had a large number of slaves whereas China had very few. A rebellion in 780 resulted in the assassination of the Silla monarch. The kingdom began to fall after this incident, and during the next century, there were several further uprisings. In 935, a commander by the name of Wang Geon toppled the kingdom and instituted the Goryeo dynasty, which is where modern-day Korea gets its name. Exam systems and Confucian education gained significance in the administration of the new capital, which was situated where the city of Kaesong currently resides and was mostly modelled after the Tang administrative structure. The Goryeo kingdom constructed a wall immediately south of the Yalu River that was modelled after China's Great Wall to stave off northern nomadic invaders. Up to a military takeover in 1170, the newly established Korean state lasted for over 200 years. The Goryeo dynasty continued to rule, but the kings that succeeded them were only symbolic figures; the army generals were in charge in reality and had a strong grip on the armed forces. However, the Mongols invaded Kaesong, the capital of Korea, early in the thirteenth century, forcing the rulers to evacuate south in 1231. This early stage of Korean history came to an end in 1258 when the Mongols conquered the realm.