8
"Read widely in the classics and in history; take the past as a warning for the present."
Pluralist identity of early to mid Goryeo
"The
injunctions contain a pluralist message
. In each of the injunctions, a message different from and perhaps contradictory to
one or more of the other injunctions may be read. Even if the injunctions themselves would not give rise to contradictory
interpretations, the historical context of the themes expressed in them often would." (Breuker 2010:403)
Three failed Khitan (Li
ao dynasty) invasions
993; 1010; 1018
- all repulsed
The final of these involved the sacking of Gaegyeong but it ended in defeat of the Khitan army by aged Goryeo civilian
general Gang Gamchan (
948-1031).
姜邯贊
Main library destroyed :(
묘청지란
1135 Myocheong's Rebellion (
)
妙淸之亂
이종
Myocheong was a mystic Buddhist monk and geomancer from Pyeongyang who gained influence over King Injong (仁宗王
왕 r.1122-46). He urged the capital to be moved to Pyeongyang and for military campaigns to be undertaken against the
Jurchen Jin dynasty to regain former Goguryeo territory.
Myocheong claimed if a palace was constructed in Pyeongyang the geomancy would be strong enough that the Jurchin Jin
dynasty (1115-1234) to the north would surrender to their demands.
The king initially agreed with these plans and visited Pyeongyang several times, but the central aristocracy (largely descended
from Silla) strongly opposed such developments.
대위
Myocheong led his own armed uprising declaring a new name for Goryeo as Daewi (
'great accomplishment') and an
大爲
개천
independent reign era of Cheon'gae (
'celestial opening/beginning'); his army was named the 'Heaven sent army of
天開
천견충의군
loyalty and righteousness' (
).
天遣忠義軍
The uprising was crushed by a government army led by
Kim Busik (
金富軾
김부식 1075-1151) a more pragmatic civilian
aristocrat descended from Silla; he was also the primary author/compiler of the
Samguk-sagi.
무신정권
Period of military rule (1170-1270
)
武臣政權
Rebellion occurred against the arrogance of the civil officials and reaction to the prevailing mentality of 'revering civil culture
숭문천무
whilst looking down on the military' (
a modern term).
崇文賤武
After a lot of killing, Goryeo came under control of the Choe military house (1196-1258).
선
Despite the bloodshed literary arts and Seon (
) Buddhism received patronage from the military and continued to thrive.
禪
Mongol invasions (1231-58)
Saw the carving of the 2nd Korean
Tripitaka (八萬大藏
팔만대장경 '80,000 Tripitaka' completed 1236-1251)
經
Created in the belief that it would help protect Goryeo from the Mongol invasions.
해인사
Today kept at Hae'in-sa temple (
).
海印寺
The 1st Tripitaka had been carved in response to the 1011 Khitan invasion but was largely lost during the Mongol invasions.
According to Kang (2003:139)
10)
, during the Muromachi period (1337-1573), the Japanese sent emissaries some 80 times requesting copies of
the Tripitaka. The first time, in 1388, the Japanese offered both treasure and 250 Goryeo prisoners kidnapped by Wak pirates in return for
ō
the Tripitaka.
"The importance of this collection is not widely recognized, although it is the basis of many of the modern scholastic
collections of Buddhist scriptures, such as the
Taish Tripitaka
ō
made by the Japanese in the 1920s and 1930s. This
lack of knowledge about the
Tripitaka Koreanum obscures not only its own cultural importance but the brilliance of the
Buddhist culture of Goryeo as well." (Grayson 2002:98)
Sambyeolcho rebellion 1270-73
삼별초
배중손
(
Three Elite Patrols), initially led by Bae Jungson (
d.1271), continued to resist against the Mongols.
三別抄
裵仲孫
진도
From Ganghwa-do island they retreated south to Jin-do island (
) and finally to Jeju-do island (
).
珍島
濟州道
At the time, it was described as an insurrection but is now celebrated as part of the national tradition of resistance to foreign
10) Kang Jae-eun. 2003.
The Land of Scholars: Two Thousand Years of Korean Confucianism. Paramus: Homa & Sekey Books.
9
invasion.
Goryeo under Mongol Yuan domination (1258-1356)
Failed invasion attempts of Japan 1274 and 1281:
The first invasion involved some 15,000 Mongol troops and 5,600 Goryeo soldiers. The second invasion of 1281 was on
an even larger scale but ended in disaster.
25th-30th Goryeo kings all have the character
chung (
'loyalty') in their posthumous names.
忠
Goryeo kings married Mongol princesses; Goryeo princes resided in the Yuan capital (modern Beijing).
28th-31st Goryeo kings all had Mongolian names.
Red Turban invasions 1359-60, and continuous Japanese pirate raids:
In 1359 the anti-Yuan Red Turban 'bandits'
홍건적
(
) army invaded Goryeo and occupied Pyeongyang before being
紅巾賊
repelled. The next year in 1360 a second Red Turban invasion reached the capital Gaegyeong, forcing the king,
Gongmin-wang (
), and the court to flee south to Andong (North Gyeongsang province).
恭愍王
Both the 2nd Red Turban invasion and Japanese pirates were defeated by generals
Choe Yeong
최영
(崔瑩
1316-88) and Yi Seonggye
이성계
(
1335-98 future king Taejo-wang of Joseon dynasty).
李成桂
조선
Joseon (
1392-1910)
朝鮮
Established by former general Yi Seonggye.
Lasted 518 years!
From the beginning the Joseon dynasty was strongly influenced by Neo-Confucian ideologues and was
anti-Buddhist.
한성
Capital: established in 1394 at Hanseong (
), modern day Seoul.
漢城
Admonitions to the New King:
사헌부
Presented by the Inspector-General office (
Saheon-bu) to king Taejo (aka Yi Seonggye) shortly after declaring
司憲府
the new dynasty.
Included the following 10 suggestions on how to be a good Confucian king which were by extension, of course, criticism on
what had gone wrong with Goryeo:
1
Establish rules and laws.
2
Have a clear system of rewards and punishments.
3
Distinguish between superior and inferior men of talent.
4
Accept remonstrance
간
(
)
諫
by your ministers:
"The sovereign's majesty is like thunder; his power is as weighty as iron. Is it an easy thing for the minister to brace the thunder
and bear the heavy weight to offer his sovereign words as if to cure his ailments? And yet the difference between accepting and
rejecting such advice can mean the difference between good fortune and disaster, between profit and loss for the state." (Sources
Vol.1 p275)
5
Root out slanderous talk.
6
Beware of indolence and dissoluteness:
"The desire to be in repose in the palace; to feast on fine food; to enjoy the ministrations of your queen and palace women, the
pleasures of the hunt, raising dogs and horses; and to amuse yourself with flowers and plants: all these things harm men's
disposition and dissipate their will. Therefore, one must exercise caution. For indeed, the Mandate of Heaven is a transient thing."
(Sources Vol.1 p276)
7
Respect frugality and economy.
8
Shun eunuchs. "The problem of eunuchs is an old one."
9
Weed out unqualified Buddhist clergy.
"We beseech Your Majesty to round up these Buddhist clerics and examine them carefully on their doctrine and practice. Those
who truly know the doctrine and truly practice virtue should be allowed to teach; all the others should be made to let their hair
grow out and return to their former occupations."