Koguryŏ

Koguryŏ (or sometimes in an erroneous way, Korea ) is the principal kingdom Korea N of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, with Paekche and Silla. During this period, which extends from first century BC at 7th century a. J. - C., it was largest of the three, occupying the north of the peninsula and part of the Mandchourie.

The modern name of Korea drift of the name of this kingdom, which was always seen like Korean by the Koreans, and foreigner by the Chinese. However, it could be that this kingdom was nearer to the Chinese culture than Korean, it is at least what suggest today the Chinese historians but this vision is disputed by the Koreans.

History

According to the Samguk sagi, the king Jumong (of which the name means expert with the arc , and called in a posthumous way Dongmyeongseong) based the kingdom in 37 av. J. - C., on the borders between the China and the Korea. The people of Koguryŏ are an alliance between elements of the tribes Puyo and Yemaeks, occupying precedents of the peninsula. The main feature of this kingdom is the preponderance of the military activity: it did not cease badgering either the Chinese commanderies (see Three Kingdoms of Korea and KB-Choson), or the neighbors of the south. Its expansion was done on the decrepitude of the empire Han and the bursting of China in multiples small kingdoms.

In 313, the commandery of Lolang is conquered, and the Chinese are definitively driven out of Korea. In 346, the Puyo tribes were definitively absorbed by Koguryŏ. In 475, the basin of the river Han is conquered on Paekche. The maximum extension of the kingdom was reached under the reigns of Gwanggaeto the Large one and its son Jangsu: they reigned on the northern half of the peninsula Korea and the Mandchourie to the river Liao.

Koguryŏ had several capitals: Kungnæ on the river Amnokgang, Hwanin (province of Jilin) and Nangnang (to 30 km of current the Pyongyang). During the transfer of the capital of Hwanin to Nangnang, in 427, many royal tombs are moved near the new capital (one counts an about sixty it).

Although combatant with constancy China, the kingdom of Koguryŏ is subject to the Chinese cultural influence. The Bouddhisme penetrates there by the means of diplomatic exchanges. The Confucianism, come him also from China but well later, replaces the Chamanisme. Thus a National institute ( taehak ) of formation is created in 372, on the Chinese model. And in 648, its Chinese equivalent, the guoxue , agrees to train young Koreans. However, the kingdom does not obtain an administration confucéenne (it is the only one of the Three Kingdoms in this case).

End of Koguryŏ, and kingdoms heirs

Koguryŏ was cut down by alliance between the kingdom of Silla and China of the Tang in 668. The northern part échut with the Chinese, the southern part with Silla, and the remainder in Parhae or Balhae. This one was posed as a successor of Koguryŏ as of 698 in the relations with the Japan.

Taebong (which was called initially Hu-Koguryŏ, i.e. posterior Koguryŏ or late Koguryŏ , kingdom born at the 9th century), asserted the succession of Koguryŏ, claim continued by the kingdom of Koryŏ, which took its name of Koguryŏ. The current name of Korea comes from this Koryŏ kingdom.

Culture

Monuments

Vestiges of castles, palates and various constructions are found in North Korea, of which paintings in tombs. Some ruins are also visible in Mandchourie, for example those of Onyesan, which would have been the first town of Koguryŏ.

But the principal vestiges are the royal tombs, in particular an about sixty in North Korea in a radius of 100 km around Pyongyang and many in China. They are tombs under Tumulus. Although the majority were plundered by the Japanese for the period of occupation (1910-1945), they were registered with the World heritage of humanity in 2004.

Cultural assets remain however in the current Korean culture. The Ondol, for example, the system of old heating of Koguryŏ, although improved, are always present under the floors of the modern houses.

Language

The Koguryŏ language is very badly known: we include/understand only one limited number of words, appreciably different from the spoken languages with Silla or the Langues toungouses. The Koguryŏ names of the governmental functions are nevertheless similar to those of Paekche and Silla. The Chinese sources suggest that the Koguryŏ languages and Fuyu (language of the kingdom Buyeo), of Eastern Okjeo, and old the Go-Joseon kingdom (old Korea, of the IIe and OJ), are similar. One also notes resemblances to old Japanese.

The origins of certain Koguryŏ words are found in old Korean, but the majority were replaced by their equivalents coming from Silla. Other resemblances can be found between words Koguryŏ and Paekche. Certain linguists propose to classify it in the group of the languages Fuyu , created for the occasion and understanding the languages Fuyu, Koguryŏ, Paekche as well as old Japanese. Others classify Koguryŏ among the altaïques languages.

See too

List of the kings de Koguryŏ
Capital and tombs of the old kingdom Koguryo in China

Zh-classical: 高句麗

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