Geunchogo of Baekje
Encyclopedia
Geunchogo of Baekje was the 13th king of Baekje
, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea
. He reigned over the apex of Baekje's powers.
and became king upon the death of the 12th king Gye
. His reign seems to have marked the permanent ascendancy of the descendants of the 5th king Chogo
(reflected in Geunchogo's name) over those of the 8th king Goi
, and ended the alternating kingship of the two lines.
and set up a system of local government
with regional heads appointed by the court. He married a wife from the Jin clan, setting a precedent for his successors, and he moved the capital to Hansan, today's southeast Seoul
.
were annexed in 369, completing Baekje's control over all of present-day Jeolla-do. Gaya confederacy
states west of the Nakdong River
were also made Baekje dependencies.
In 369, Baekje was invaded by Goguryeo
, but counterattacked in force at the battle of Chiyang. In 371, the Baekje army of 30,000, led by Crown Prince Geungusu
, took the fortress of Pyongyang
and killed Gogugwon of Goguryeo
.
At the end of these conquests, Baekje ringed the Yellow Sea
, and controlled much of the Korean peninsula
, including all of Gyeonggi, Chungcheong
, and Jeolla
and parts of Gangwon
and Hwanghae
provinces.
, which bordered Baekje on the east, maintaining a rough balance of power among the Three Kingdoms.
Geunchogo also imported Chinese
culture and learning from the Eastern Jin Dynasty
. According to both Korean and Chinese sources, the first diplomatic
contact between Baekje and China took place in 372, when Geunchogo sent a mission to the court of Jin. In the same year, the Jin court sent a mission granting him the title of the "General Stabilizing the East and the Administrator-General of Lelang
" (진동장군 영낙랑태수, 鎭東將軍領樂浪太守).
During his reign, Baekje activated and led the commercial trading among China, Korean Peninsula and Japan; known as the triangle trade
. Traditionally the commerce was mostly dominated by Chinese emperors; however, after China lost control of Lelang, northern China came under the rule of Foreign People
including Xiongnu
, Xianbei
and Qiang, all of who were inexperienced at sea. Baekje established commanderies in the Liaoxi regions of China and advanced into Kyūshū
of Japan, and rose as the new trading center of East Asia
.
Baekje also exported culture to Baekje's allies in the Wa
kingdom of Yamato period
Japan. The evidence of friendly relationship of Baekje with Japan is the Seven-Branched Sword
which Geunchogo gave to the Yamato ruler
. Geunchogo also sent scholars Wang In and Ajikgi to Japan to spread knowledge of Baekje culture, Confucianism
, and Chinese characters.
Also during his reign, a "history of Baekje" called Seogi (서기, 書記) was compiled by the scholar Go Heung
(고흥, 高興). Its primary purpose was not only to record history, but also to justify his and his family's rule and to display the power of Baekje. However, it has not survived.
Baekje
Baekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea
Three Kingdoms of Korea
The Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium...
. He reigned over the apex of Baekje's powers.
Background
Geunchogo was the second son of the 11th king BiryuBiryu of Baekje
Biryu of Baekje was the 11th king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. According to the Samguk Sagi, he was second son of the 6th king Gusu and the younger brother of the 7th king Saban...
and became king upon the death of the 12th king Gye
Gye of Baekje
Gye of Baekje was the 12th king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.He was the eldest son of the 10th king Bunseo, who was assassinated. The Samguk Sagi records that Biryu became king because of Gye's young age...
. His reign seems to have marked the permanent ascendancy of the descendants of the 5th king Chogo
Chogo of Baekje
Chogo of Baekje was the fifth king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.-Background:He was the son of King Gaeru....
(reflected in Geunchogo's name) over those of the 8th king Goi
Goi of Baekje
Goi of Baekje was the 8th king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the second son of the 4th king Gaeru and younger brother of the 5th king Chogo.-Background:...
, and ended the alternating kingship of the two lines.
Strengthening royal power
Upon ascending the throne, he set out to solidify the royal power within the Baekje state. He reduced the power of the aristocracyAristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
and set up a system of local government
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
with regional heads appointed by the court. He married a wife from the Jin clan, setting a precedent for his successors, and he moved the capital to Hansan, today's southeast Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
.
Territorial expansion
Under Geunchogo, the kingdom reached its greatest geographic extent and political power. The remaining tribes of MahanMahan confederacy
Mahan was a loose confederacy of statelets that existed from around the 1st century BCE to 3rd century CE in the southern Korean peninsula in the Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces. Arising out of the confluence of Gojoseon migration and the Jin state federation, Mahan was one of the Samhan , along...
were annexed in 369, completing Baekje's control over all of present-day Jeolla-do. Gaya confederacy
Gaya confederacy
Gaya was a confederacy of territorial polities in the Nakdong River basin of southern Korea, growing out of the Byeonhan confederacy of the Samhan period.The traditional period used by historians for Gaya chronology is 42–532 CE...
states west of the Nakdong River
Nakdong River
The Nakdong River is the longest river in South Korea, and passes through major cities such as Daegu and Busan.-Geography:...
were also made Baekje dependencies.
In 369, Baekje was invaded by Goguryeo
Goguryeo
Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
, but counterattacked in force at the battle of Chiyang. In 371, the Baekje army of 30,000, led by Crown Prince Geungusu
Geungusu of Baekje
Geungusu of Baekje was the 14th king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Geungusu was the eldest son of the 13th king Geunchogo, and father to the 15th king Chimnyu and the 16th king Jinsa.- Background and rise to the throne :...
, took the fortress of Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
and killed Gogugwon of Goguryeo
Gogugwon of Goguryeo
King Gogugwon of Goguryeo was the 16th king of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the son of King Micheon and Lady Ju. He's birth name is Sa-Yu. He was made crown prince in 314 and became king upon his father's death...
.
At the end of these conquests, Baekje ringed the Yellow Sea
Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...
, and controlled much of the Korean peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
, including all of Gyeonggi, Chungcheong
Chungcheong
Chungcheong was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Chungcheong was located in the southwest of Korea...
, and Jeolla
Jeolla
Jeolla was a province in southwestern Korea, one of the historical Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. It consisted of the modern South Korean provinces of North Jeolla, South Jeolla and the Special City of Gwangju as well as Jeju Island...
and parts of Gangwon
Gangwon (historical)
Gangwon Province or Gangwon-do was one of the Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The province was formed in 1395, and derived its name from the names of the principal cities of Gangneung and the provincial capital Wonju .In 1895, Gangwon-do was replaced by the Districts of...
and Hwanghae
Hwanghae
Hwanghae was one of the Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Hwanghae was located in the northwest of Korea. The provincial capital was Haeju.The regional name for the province was Haesŏ .-History:...
provinces.
Foreign relations
In 366, Geunchogo allied with SillaSilla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
, which bordered Baekje on the east, maintaining a rough balance of power among the Three Kingdoms.
Geunchogo also imported Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
culture and learning from the Eastern Jin Dynasty
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
. According to both Korean and Chinese sources, the first diplomatic
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
contact between Baekje and China took place in 372, when Geunchogo sent a mission to the court of Jin. In the same year, the Jin court sent a mission granting him the title of the "General Stabilizing the East and the Administrator-General of Lelang
Lelang Commandery
Lelang was one of the Chinese commanderies which was established after the fall of Gojoseon in 108 BC until Goguryeo conquered it in 313. Lelang Commandery was located in the northern Korean peninsula with the administrative center near modern P'yongyang....
" (진동장군 영낙랑태수, 鎭東將軍領樂浪太守).
During his reign, Baekje activated and led the commercial trading among China, Korean Peninsula and Japan; known as the triangle trade
Triangular trade
Triangular trade, or triangle trade, is a historical term indicating among three ports or regions. Triangular trade usually evolves when a region has export commodities that are not required in the region from which its major imports come...
. Traditionally the commerce was mostly dominated by Chinese emperors; however, after China lost control of Lelang, northern China came under the rule of Foreign People
Wu Hu
Wu Hu was a Chinese term for the northern non-Chinese nomadic tribes which caused the Wu Hu uprising, and established the Sixteen Kingdoms from 304 to 439 AD.-Definition:...
including Xiongnu
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources...
, Xianbei
Xianbei
The Xianbei were a significant Mongolic nomadic people residing in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia and eastern Mongolia. The title “Khan” was first used among the Xianbei.-Origins:...
and Qiang, all of who were inexperienced at sea. Baekje established commanderies in the Liaoxi regions of China and advanced into Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
of Japan, and rose as the new trading center of East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
.
Baekje also exported culture to Baekje's allies in the Wa
Wa (Japan)
Japanese is the oldest recorded name of Japan. Chinese, Korean, and Japanese scribes regularly wrote Wa or Yamato "Japan" with the Chinese character 倭 until the 8th century, when the Japanese found fault with it, replacing it with 和 "harmony, peace, balance".- Historical references :The earliest...
kingdom of Yamato period
Yamato period
The is the period of Japanese history when the Japanese Imperial court ruled from modern-day Nara Prefecture, then known as Yamato Province.While conventionally assigned to the period 250–710 , the actual start of Yamato rule is disputed...
Japan. The evidence of friendly relationship of Baekje with Japan is the Seven-Branched Sword
Seven-Branched Sword
The Seven-Branched Sword , also known as the Seven-Pronged Sword, the Seven-Branched Knife, the Seven-Pronged Spear, Nanatsusaya no Tachi in Nihon shoki, Chiljido in Korea is a 74.9 cm long iron sword with six branch-like protrusions along the central blade originally made in Baekje Korea,...
which Geunchogo gave to the Yamato ruler
Emperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
. Geunchogo also sent scholars Wang In and Ajikgi to Japan to spread knowledge of Baekje culture, Confucianism
Confucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
, and Chinese characters.
Culture
Geunchogo also encouraged culture; as Baekje forces occupied former Daebang, many Chinese scholars were invited and came to Geunchogo's court. With advanced Chinese cultures adopted from those people and also imported culture from Eastern Jin through trade, Baekje people enjoyed higher quality of life.Also during his reign, a "history of Baekje" called Seogi (서기, 書記) was compiled by the scholar Go Heung
Go Heung
Go Heung was an ancient Baekje, which was a one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, scholar who served under King Geunchogo of Baekje....
(고흥, 高興). Its primary purpose was not only to record history, but also to justify his and his family's rule and to display the power of Baekje. However, it has not survived.