Korean Civilization

1. Korean 10: Korean Civilization
Week 1: Slide Presentation 2 of 5
Old Chosŏn to Three Kingdoms
Koguryŏ, Paekche, & Silla
Prof. Mickey Hong
Modern Languages & Civilizations

2. Old Chosŏn
(Unknown–108 BCE)
 Society with articulated
political structure
 The walled-town state
 Bronze implements
 Theocracy: Political and
religious functions in a
single personage
 Begin to form a single large
confederation => head =>
King (wang)

3. Old Chosŏn Bronze Daggers
 “Violin” shaped

4. Wiman Chosŏn
(195 BCE – 108 BCE)
 Wiman was from Han China
 Defected to Old Chosŏn
 Wiman became a king, but kept the political system and
the name of the state
 Fell in 108 BCE: Han China invaded

5. Four Han Chinese Commanderies
(late 200 BCE-early 4th c.)
 After Han China
defeated Wiman
Chosŏn, established 4
commanderies to govern
the Old Chosŏn area
 4 commanderies:
o Lolang (Nangnang)
o Xuantu (Hyŏnt’o)
o Lintun (Imdun)
o Chenfan (Chinbŏn)

6. These commandries were
drastically reduced in size
due to resistance of the
native population. Soon
only Lelang was the only
commandery in Korea ruled

7. Lelang Commandery
 The core area where Chinese policy carried out in Korea
 Lasted for 400 years (even after Han China’s fall)
 Direct contact with the advanced civilization of China
 Center of the trade that incorporated the peoples of
Manchuria, northeast of Korea, and tribes in southern
peninsular
 Main policy: ‘peace and kinship’ (heqin)

8. States around Lelang
 Puyŏ in Manchuria
 Koguryŏ in northeast
 In southern peninsular:
o Mahan: west
o Chinhan: east
o Pyŏnhan: south
 Tribal leaders were
required to come to
the Xuantu or Lelang
capital to “pay
tribute.”

9. The Development of the States
around Lelang into Kingdoms
 Puyŏ in Manchuria
 Koguryŏ in northeast
 In southern peninsular
o Mahan (west)
 Paekche
o Chinhan (east)
 Silla
o Pyŏnhan (south)
 Kaya

10. 10
Fourth and Fifth Century
Northeast Asia and Korea
 China in Disunity (316 - 588)
 Economic and military decline
 Nomadic invaders
 Collapse of the Chinese imperial authority
 Accepted Buddhism from India: salvation
 4th – mid 5th century
 Administrative reforms
 Adopted Buddhism: unity, justify the social stratification
 Accepted Chinese Cultural forms and learnings

11. The Three Kingdoms Period I:
Establishment of the Three
Kingdoms
 Founders of the Three Kingdoms (+1)
o Koguryŏ (37 BCE-668): Chumong
o Paekche (18 BCE-660): King Koi (r. 234-286)
o Silla (57 BCE-935): Pak Hyŏkkŏse
o Kaya (42-562): King Suro

12. Koguryŏ
(37 BCE?
– 668)

13. Koguryŏ (37 BCE?–668)
 Founded by Chumong and his followers from Puyŏ
 Religious and political leadership gradually
diverged
 Agriculture was the principal food source
 Strong military force: conquered Puyŏ, Lelang and
tribes in Manchuria and Northeast Korea

14. Tongmyŏng-sŏngwang/Chumong:
History vs. Legend

15. The Chapter of Jumong Episode 1
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzQe1Te3mmw

16. Complex of Koguryo Tombs 1

17. Complex of Koguryo Tombs 1

18. Complex of Koguryo Tombs 3

19. Koguryo Mural
Tombs
 http://www.nkcp.or.k
r/nkcp/eng/mn_03/m
n03_01.html

20. The Changing Environment of the
Late Sixth and Seventh Centuries
 Unification of China in 589 by Sui (581-617)
 Battle on Salsu River (612)
o Sui vs. Koguryŏ
o Koguryŏ commander Ŭlchi Mundŏk
o 300,000 Chinese soldiers (originally 1 million?)
reduced to 2,700
o Despite repeated attempts Sui unable to conquer
Koguryŏ; Sui collapsed
20

21. 21
History of the Three Kingdoms
(Samguk sagi by Kim Pusik in 12th
Century)
 King Sosurim (r. 371–384)
 adopted Buddhism
 established a National Confucian Academy in 372 and
promulgated a code of administrative law in 373
 King Kwanggaet’o (r. 391–413)
 Stele set up in 414: Earliest dated Korean
inscription
 Conquered Manchuria/defeated Wa
 Reign title Yŏngnak (Eternal Rejoicing)

22. Koguryŏ
(37 BCE-668 CE)
King
Kwanggaet’o
(391-413)
Stele erected in
414

23. Paekche
(18 BCE-
660)

24. Paekche (18 BCE– 660)
 Founded by Onjo (18 BCE-28): Third son of Chumong
 After Chumong set his son as his successor, Onjo left Koguryŏ and came down
to south and established Paekche where Mahan was located.
 Agriculture: principal food source
 Separation of religious and political leadership
 King Koi (234-286)

25. Paekche
 Warriors aristocracy
 Refined culture and
less nomadic influence
 Adopted Buddhism in
384
 Paekje smile: the
common smile motif
found in sculpture and
bas-relief of the
period
 Introduced Buddhism
to Japan in 6th century
 Famous for artistic
tradition
25

26. https://www.ancient.
eu/image/5730/baekj
e-incense-burner/
 A gilt-bronze incense
burner from
the Baekje (Paekche)
Kingdom of
ancient Korea. The base
is in the form of a dragon
which supports a
heavenly mountain
decorated with heavenly
beings and clouds. A
phoenix sits atop the lid.
4th-7th century CE, from
Nungsan-ri, near the
former Baekje capital
Sabi (modern
Buyeo/Puyo). National
Museum of Korea.

27.  gold diadems that were
worn by the king of
Paekche
 found placed near the
head of the king in the
coffin

28. Silla
(57 BCE-935)

29. Silla
 Founded by Pak Hyŏkkŏse: born from the egg
 Three royal houses: Pak, Sŏk and Kim
 In the area where Chinhan was located
 Centralized government
 Main food source: agriculture
 Kept good relationship with Koguryŏ, but competed with
Paekche

30. Kaya
(42-562)

31. Kaya (42-562)
 King Suro: egg birth
 9 feet tall after just 10 days
 Wise ruler
 Married 16-year-old princess who arrived from foreign land
[India?] on ship
 Not fully developed into the centralized government state
 Famous for pottery making
 kayagŭm (Korean zither)
 Horse rider theory
 Around 300 BCE, large numbers of peoples migrated from Korea to Japan
introducing riding culture, bronze and iron working => transmission of
Korean culture to Japan
 Evidence found in the tombs of 4th – 5th century in Japan: weapons,
armors and ornaments for horses