Seongjong of Goryeo
Encyclopedia
Seongjong of Goryeo was the sixth monarch
of the medieval Korea
n kingdom Goryeo
. He was the second son of Daejong, and a grandson of Emperor Taejo
. He ascended the throne after Gyeongjong stepped down.
Seongjong set out to reform the Goryeo state and establish it as a centralised monarchy on a firmly Confucian foundation. In 983, he established the system of twelve mok, the administrative divisions which prevailed for most of the rest of the Goryeo period. He also sent learned men to each of the mok to oversee local education. This was intended particularly as a way to integrate the country aristocracy into the new bureaucratic system.
In 993, the Khitan invaded Goryeo's northwest border with 60,000 troops. Minister Seo Hui
volunteered to negotiate directly with Khitan general Xiao Sunning. Minister Seo Hui obtained Khitan consent to allow the region up to the Yalu River to be incorporated into Goryeo territory. Seo Hui's brilliant diplomatic maneuver underscored his correct understanding of both the contemporary international situation and Goryeo's position in the region.
The Khitan withdrew and ceded territory to the east of the Yalu River
when Goryeo agreed to end its alliance with Song Dynasty
. However, Goryeo continued to communicate with Song, having strengthened its position by building fortress in the newly gained northern territories.
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of the medieval Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n kingdom Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
. He was the second son of Daejong, and a grandson of Emperor Taejo
Taejo of Goryeo
Taejo of Goryeo was the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty, which ruled Korea from the 10th to the 14th century. Taejo ruled from 918 to 943.-Background:...
. He ascended the throne after Gyeongjong stepped down.
Seongjong set out to reform the Goryeo state and establish it as a centralised monarchy on a firmly Confucian foundation. In 983, he established the system of twelve mok, the administrative divisions which prevailed for most of the rest of the Goryeo period. He also sent learned men to each of the mok to oversee local education. This was intended particularly as a way to integrate the country aristocracy into the new bureaucratic system.
In 993, the Khitan invaded Goryeo's northwest border with 60,000 troops. Minister Seo Hui
Seo Hui
Seo Hui was a Korean politician and diplomat during the early days of the Goryeo Dynasty of Korea . Seo is best remembered for his diplomatic skills that led 60,000 Khitan troops to withdraw from Goryeo without a battle.-Family:...
volunteered to negotiate directly with Khitan general Xiao Sunning. Minister Seo Hui obtained Khitan consent to allow the region up to the Yalu River to be incorporated into Goryeo territory. Seo Hui's brilliant diplomatic maneuver underscored his correct understanding of both the contemporary international situation and Goryeo's position in the region.
The Khitan withdrew and ceded territory to the east of the Yalu River
Yalu River
The Yalu River or the Amnok River is a river on the border between North Korea and the People's Republic of China....
when Goryeo agreed to end its alliance with Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
. However, Goryeo continued to communicate with Song, having strengthened its position by building fortress in the newly gained northern territories.
See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- Rulers of Korea
- History of KoreaHistory of KoreaThe Korean Peninsula was inhabited from the Lower Paleolithic about 400,000-500,000 years ago. Archeological evidence indicates that the presence of modern humans in northeast Asia dates to 39,000 years ago. The earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 8000 BC, and the Neolithic period began...
- First Goryeo-Khitan War