Baekje
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Baekje | |
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 Baekje Gilt Bronze Incense Burner. |
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| Korean name | |
| Hangul: | 백제 |
| Hanja: | 百濟 |
| Revised Romanization: | Baekje |
| McCune-Reischauer: | Paekche |
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Baekje (18 BCE – 660 CE) was a kingdom in the southwest of the Korean Peninsula. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. Baekje claimed to be a successor state to Buyeo, a state in present-day Manchuria around the time of Gojoseon's fall. Goguryeo also claimed descent from Buyeo, which it eventually conquered.
Baekje was founded by Onjo, the son of Goguryeo's founder Jumong, around present-day Seoul. At its peak in the 4th century, Baekje controlled most of western Korean Peninsula, as far north as Pyongyang. It was defeated by an alliance of Silla and the Tang Dynasty in 660, becoming a part of Unified Silla.
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[edit] History
[edit] Founding
According to the Samguk Sagi, Baekje was founded in 18 BCE by King Onjo, who led a group of people from Goguryeo to the Han River region of Korea. According to the Chinese record San Guo Zhi, during the Samhan period, one of the chiefdoms of the Mahan confederacy in the Han River basin was called Baekje.
The Samguk Yusa provides a detailed account of Baekje's founding. Jumong had left his son Yuri in Buyeo when he left that kingdom to establish the new kingdom of Goguryeo. Jumong became King Dongmyeongseong, and had two sons, Onjo and Biryu, by a new queen. When Yuri later arrived in Goguryeo, Jumong promptly made him the crown prince. Realizing Yuri would become the next king, Onjo and Biryu decided to head south with their people, along with ten vassals.
Onjo settled in Wiryeseong (present-day Seoul), and called his country Sipje (meaning "Ten Vassals"), while Biryu settle in Michuhol (present-day Incheon), against the vassals' advice. The salty water and marshes in Michuhol made settlement difficult, while the people of Wiryeseong lived prosperously. In shame, Biryu committed suicide, and his people moved to Wiryeseong, where King Onjo welcomed them and renamed his country Baekje ("Hundred Vassals").
King Onjo moved the capital from the south to the north of the Han river, and then south again, probably all within present Seoul, under pressure from other Mahan states. King Gaeru is believed to have moved the capital to the Bukhan Mountain Fortress in 132, probably in present-day Gwangju, to the southeast of Seoul.
Through the early centuries of the Common Era, sometimes called the Proto-Three Kingdoms Period, Baekje gradually gained control over the other Mahan tribes.
[edit] Expansion
During the reign of King Goi (234–286), Baekje became a full-fledged kingdom, as it continued consolidating the Mahan confederacy. In 249, according to the Japanese chronicle Nihonshoki, Baekje's expansion reached the Gaya confederacy to its east, around the Nakdong River valley. Baekje is first described in Chinese records as a kingdom in 345.
King Geunchogo (346–375) expanded its territory to the north through war against Goguryeo, while annexing the remaining Mahan societies in the south. During Geunchogo's reign, the territories of Baekje included most of the western Korean Peninsula (except the two Pyeongan provinces), and in 371, Baekje defeated Goguryeo at Pyongyang. Baekje continued substantial trade with Goguryeo, and actively adopted Chinese culture and technology. Buddhism became the official state religion in 384.
Baekje also became a sea power and continued mutual goodwill relationships with the Japanese rulers of the Yamato period, transmitting cultural influences to Japan. Chinese writing system, Buddhism, advanced pottery, ceremonial burial, and other aspects of culture were introduced by aristocrats, artisans, scholars, and monks from Baekje throughout their relationship.[1]
During this period, the Han River basin remained the heartland of the country.
[edit] Ungjin period
Baekje's capital was located at Ungjin (present-day Gongju) from 475 to 538.
In the 5th century, Baekje retreated under the southward military threat of Goguryeo, and in 475, the Seoul region fell to Goguryeo. Baekje moved its capital southward to Ungjin. Isolated in mountainous terrain, the new capital was secure against the north but also disconnected from the outside world. It was closer to Silla than Wiryeseong had been, however, and a military alliance was forged between Silla and Baekje against Goguryeo.
Most maps of the Three Kingdoms period show Baekje occupying the Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces, the core of the country in the Ungjin and Sabi periods.
[edit] Sabi period
Baekje's capital was located at Sabi (present-day Buyeo County) from 538 to 660.
In 538, King Seong moved the capital to Sabi (in modern-day Buyeo County), and rebuilt his kingdom into a strong state. From this time, the official name of the country was Nambuyeo ("South Buyeo"), a reference to Buyeo to which Baekje traced its origins. The Sabi Period witnessed the flowering of Baekje culture, alongside the growth of Buddhism.
Seong sought to strengthen Baekje's relationship with China. The location of Sabi, on the navigable Geum River, made contact with China much easier, and both trade and diplomacy flourished during the 6th and 7th centuries. It also marked less friendly relations with Silla.
In the 7th century, with the growing influence of Silla in the southern and central Korean peninsula, Baekje began to lose influence. Finally, in 660, the coalition troops of Silla and Tang of China attacked Baekje. The capital Sabi eventually fell, resulting in the annexation of Baekje by Silla. King Uija and his son were sent into exile in China while some of the royals probably fled to Japan.
Baekje forces attempted a brief restoration movement. Baekje requested Japanese aid, and Prince Naka no Ōe, later to become Emperor Tenji, dispatched an army contingent led by Abe no Hirafu to Korea. The Silla-Tang joint forces consisted of 130,000 men. General Boksin proclaimed Prince Buyeo Pung as the new king of Baekje, called King Pungjang. Before the ships from Japan arrived, his forces harrassed a contingent of Tang forces in Ungjin County.
In 663, Baekje revival forces and a Japanese naval fleet convened in southern Baekje to confront the Silla forces. However, the Tang dynasty also sent 7000 soldiers and 170 ships. After five naval confrontations that took place in August 663 at Baekgang, considered the lower reaches of Tongjin river, the Silla-Tang forces emerged victorious.
[edit] Political structure
The establishment of a centralized state in Baekje is usually traced to the reign of King Goi, who may have first established patrilineal succession. Like most monarchies, a great deal of power was held by the aristocracy. King Seong, for example, strengthened royal power, but after he was slain in a disastrous campaign against Silla, the nobles took much of that power away from his son.
Hae clan and Jin clan were the representative royal houses who had considerable power from the early period of Baekje, and they produced many queens over several generations. The Hae clan was probably the royal house before the Buyeo clan replaced them, and both clans appear descended from the lineage of Buyeo and Goguryeo. The eight clans, Sa, Yeon, Hyeop, Hae, Jin, Guk, Mok, and Baek, were powerful nobles in the Sabi era, and these clans were recorded in Chinese records such as Tongjeon.
Central government officials were divided into sixteen ranks, the six members of the top rank forming a type of cabinet, with the top official being elected every three years. In the Sol rank, the first (Jwapyeong) through the sixth (Naesol) officials were political, administrative, and military commanders. In the Deok rank, the seventh (Jangdeok) through the eleventh (Daedeok) officials may have headed each field. Mundok, Mudok, Jwagun, Jinmu and Geuku from the twelfth to the sixteenth, may have been military administrators. Officials in the rank of Sol dressed in purple, the rank of Deok dressed in red, and Mundok and below were dressed in blue.
According to the Samguk Yusa, during the Sabi period, the chief minister (Jaesang) of Baekje was chosen by a unique system. The names of several candidates were placed under a rock (Cheonjeongdae) near Hoamsa temple. After a few days, the rock was moved and the candidate whose name had a certain mark was chosen as the new chief minister. Whether this was a form of selection-by-lot or a covert selection by the elite is not clear.
[edit] Language and culture
Baekje was established by immigrants from Goguryeo who spoke a Buyeo language, a hypothetical group linking the languages of Gojoseon, Buyeo, Goguryeo, Baekje, and early Japanese. The indigenous Samhan people, having migrated in an earlier wave from the same region, probably spoke a variation or dialect of the same language.
Baekje artists adopted many Chinese influences and synthesized them into a unique artistic tradition. Buddhist themes are extremely strong in Baekje artwork. The beatific Baekje smile found on many Buddhist sculptures expresses the warmth typical of Baekje art. In addition, Taoist and other Chinese influences are widespread. Chinese artisans were sent to the kingdom by the Liang Dynasty in 541, and this may have given rise to an increased Chinese influence in the Sabi period.
The tomb of King Muryeong (501–523), although modelled on Chinese brick tombs and yielding some imported Chinese objects, also contained many funerary objects of the Baekje tradition, such as the gold diadem ornaments, gold belts, and gold earrings. Mortuary practices also followed the unique tradition of Baekje. This tomb is seen as a representative tomb of the Ungjin period.
Delicate lotus designs of the roof-tiles, intricate brick patterns, curves of the pottery style, and flowing and elegant epitaph writing characterize Baekje culture. The Buddhist sculptures and refined pagodas reflect religion-inspired creativity. A splendid gilt-bronze incense burner (백제금동대향로) excavated from an ancient Buddhist temple site at Neungsan-ri, Buyeo County, exemplifies Baekje art.
Little is known of Baekje music, but local musicians were sent with tribute missions to China in the 7th century, indicating that a distinctive musical tradition had developed by that time.
[edit] Foreign relations
[edit] Relations with China
In 372, King Geunchogo paid tribute to Jin, located in the basin of the (Yangtze River). After the fall of Jin and the establishment of Song in 420, Baekje sent envoys seeking cultural goods and technologies.
Baekje sent an envoy to Northern Wei of Northern Dynasties for the first time in 472, and King Gaero asked for military aid to attack Goguryeo. Kings Muryeong and Seong sent envoys to Liang several times and received titles of nobility.
[edit] Relations with Japan
To confront with the military pressure of Goguryeo and Silla, Baekje, known as Kudara in Japanese, established close relations with the Japanese kingdom of Wa. Accoding to the Korean chronicle Samguk Sagi, King Asin sent his son Jeonji as a hostage in 397.[2] In exchange, Japan provided military support.[3] The Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms and Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms cite Baekje royalty and nobility as influential dignitaries in the Wa court to maintain Baekje influence in Japan and ensure the continuation of the Yamato dependence and alliance with Baekje, as in the time of Emperor Yomei when the Buddhist temple of Horyuji was constructed. It is also known that Muryeong of Baekje, the twenty-fifth king, was born in Japan.
Japanese scholars came to Baekje for education and culture, while Baekje scholars, architects, sculptors and potters and immigrants went to Japan and contributed much to the development of Japanese culture, religion, and technology. Baekje immigrants helped spread the Chinese writing system and loanwords in Japan.
Some members of the Baekje nobility and royalty fled to Japan even before the kingdom was overthrown. According to Shoku Nihongi, Takano no Niigasa (高野新笠, ?–790), the birth mother of Emperor Kammu of Japan, was a pedigree of Muryeong of Baekje (462–523).
After Baekje's fall in 663, Japan sent the general Abe no Hirafu with twenty thousand troops and one thousand ships to revive Baekje with Buyeo Pung (known in Japanese as Hōshō), a son of Uija of Baekje who had been an emissary to Japan. Around August of 661, 10,000 soldiers and 170 ships, led by Abe no Hirafu, arrived. Additional Japanese reinforcement, including 27,000 soldiers led by Kamitsukeno no Kimi Wakako and 10,000 soldiers led by Iohara no Kimi also arrived at Baekje in 662. This attempt, however, failed at the battle of Baekgang, and the prince was slain. Only half of the troops were able to return to Japan. According to the Nihonshoki, 400 Japanese ships were lost in the battles(Battle of Baekgang). The Japanese army retreated to Japan with many Baekje refugees. Buyeo Pung's younger brother Zenkō (善光 or 禅広) served for Japan and was given the family name Kudara no Konikishi (百濟王) by the emperor of Japan.
[edit] Legacy
Baekje was briefly revived in the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea period, as Unified Silla collapsed. In 892, General Gyeon Hwon established Hubaekje (“Later Baekje”), based in Wansan (present-day Jeonju). Hubaekje was overthrown in 936 by King Taejo of Goryeo.
Baekje's influence on Japanese culture during the Yamato period has been a contentious issue in contemporary relations between South Korea and Japan. The exact nature of the relationship is always investigated with some considering Yamato to be an extension/colony of Baekje's expansion efforts.[4] "From Baekje (Paekche) of Korea & the origin of Yamato Japan."
In contemporary South Korea, Baekje relics are often symbolic of the local cultures of the southwest, especially in Chungnam and Jeolla. The gilt-bronze incense burner, for example, is a key symbol of Buyeo County, and the Baekje-era Buddhist rock sculpture of Seosan Maaesamjonbulsang is an important symbol of Seosan City.
[edit] Baekje's Presence on the Continent
Although controversial, some Chinese and Korean records indicate that Baekje territory included parts of present-day China, across the Yellow Sea [5] [6]. [7]. [8]
According to the Book of Song, “Goguryeo came to conquer and occupy Liaodong, and Baekje came to occupy Liaoxi (遼西) (in modern Tangshan, Hebei); the place that came to be governed by Baekje was called the Jinping District, Jinping Province.”[9] The records of Book of Jin on Murong Huang states that the alliance of Goguryeo, Baekje, and a Xianbei tribe took military action.[10] The Samguk Sagi records that these battles occurred during the reign of King Micheon of Goguryeo (309-331).
According to the Book of Liang, “during the time of Jin Dynasty (265-420), Goguryeo conquered Liaodong, and Baekje also occupied Liaoxi and Jinping, and established the Baekje provinces.”[11]
The Zizhi Tongjian, compiled by Sima Guang (1019-1086) of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), states that in 346, Baekje invaded Buyeo, located at Lushan, and as a result the people of the country were scattered westward toward Yan. [12] That year was the first year of the King Geunchogo’s reign (346-375) in Baekje.
The nearly contemporary record of the Book of Qi, as well as the later Zizhi Tongjian, state that a Northern Wei (386-534) army, comprised of 100,000 cavalry, attacked Baekje but were defeated in 488. This account is confirmed by the Samguk-sagi records on the tenth year of King Dongseong’s reign (488).[13] Since such an army could not have travelled from northern China to the southwestern corner of the Korean peninsula without passing through the hostile and powerful Goguryeo (in the reign of King Jangsu of Goguryeo (413-491)), without being recorded in contemporary chronicles, the “Baekje” in those records must refer to Baekje presence on the other side of Goguryeo, in Liaoxi.
The Book of Qi also records that in 495 Baekje's King Dongseong requested honorary titles for the generals who repulsed the Wei attack. The titles given by the Southern Qi court carried the names of their domains that sounded like some Liaoxi areas, such as Guangling, Qinghe, Chengyang, etc.[14]
The Territory Section of Manzhou Yuanliu Gao also summarize Baekje territory, obviously including a portion of the Liaoxi:[15]
- The boundary of Baekje begins from the present-day Guangning and Jinyi provinces in the northwest and then crosses the sea in an easterly direction to arrive at the Joseon’s Hwanghae, Chungcheong, Jeolla, etc. provinces. Running east to west, Baekje’s territory is narrow; running north to south, it is long. Thus it occurs that if one looks at Baekje’s territory from the Liucheng and Beiping area, Silla is located in the southeast of Baekje, but if one looks from the Gyeongsang and Ungjin area of Baekje, Silla is located in the northeast. Baekje also borders Mohe in the north. Its royal capital has two castles at two different places in the east and west. Both castles are called “Goma.” The Book of Song says that the place governed by Baekje was called the Jinping district of the Jinping province. Tong-gao says that the the Jinping province was located between Liucheng and Beiping of the Tang period. [16]
Hence one of Baekje’s capitals was located in “Liaoxi,” and the other inside the "Joseon" provinces. It was during the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang that Baekje relocated its capital to southern Korea.
Both the Old and the New History of Tang say that the old Baekje territories were divided up and taken by Silla and Balhae. [17] If Baekje was limited to the southwestern corner of the Korean peninsula, then it would have been impossible for the Balhae to occupy any of the old Baekje territories.
The Silla scholar and alleged Sinocentrist Choi Chi-won (857-?) wrote that “Goguryeo and Baekje at the height of their strength maintained strong armies numbering one million persons, and invaded Wu and Yue in the south and You, Yan, Qi, and Lu in the north of the mainland China, making grave nuisances to the Middle Kingdom”.[18]
According to these records, Baekje must have held the Liao-xi province for more than a hundred years.
[edit] Note
- ^ "Korean Buddhism Basis of Japanese Buddhism," Seoul Times, June 18, 2006; "Buddhist Art of Korea & Japan," Asia Society Museum; "Kanji," JapanGuide.com; "Pottery," MSN Encarta; "History of Japan," JapanVisitor.com.
- ^ Samguk Sagi (in Korean). “六年 夏五月 王與倭國結好 以太子腆支爲質”
- ^ (1993) Delmer M. Brown (ed.) The Cambridge History of Japan. Cambridge University Press, 140-141.
- ^ From Paekche to Origin of Yamato
- ^ http://gias.snu.ac.kr/wthong/publication/paekche/eng/hi3-7.pdf Hong, Wontak, Paekche of Korea and the Origin of Yamato Japan, Myongwhasa (1994)
- ^ 송, 종성 (2002). 가야 백제 그리고 일본 (Gaya baekje geurigo ilbon; Gaya, Baekje and Japan). 서울: 서림재. ISBN 8985290126.
- ^ 姜銓薰, 백제 대륙진출설의 제문제(The Problem of Controlling Continent by Baekje), 韓國古代史論叢, 4, 392-450 (1992)
- ^ 이명규, 百濟의 中國大陸에서의 商業的 軍事的 活動 背景과 性格 (The Backgroud and Features of Economical and Military Activities by Baekje in the Current Chinese Land), Master Thesis, Department of History, Seoul National University (1981)
- ^ 宋書 列傳 夷蠻 東夷 百濟國 高麗略有遼東 百濟略有遼西 百濟所治 謂之晋平郡晋平縣
- ^ 三國史記 高句麗本紀 美川王 十四年 侵樂浪郡 十五年...南侵帶方郡 二十年 我及殷氏宇文氏 使共攻慕容廆 二十一年...遣兵寇遼東 晋書卷一百九 載記第九 慕容皝 句麗百濟及宇文殷部之人 皆兵勢所徙
- ^ 梁書 列傳 東夷 百濟 晋世句麗旣略有遼東 百濟亦據有遼西 晋平二郡地矣 自置百濟郡
- ^ 資治通鑑 晋紀 穆帝 永和二年 春正月...初 夫餘居于鹿山 爲百濟所侵 部落衰散 西徙近燕 而不設備 燕王皝 遣世子儁 帥慕容軍 慕容恪 慕容根三將軍 萬七千騎 襲夫餘 (二: 326)
- ^ 資治通鑑 齊紀 武帝永明六年十二月 魏遣兵擊百濟 爲百濟所敗...晉世句麗略有遼東百濟亦據有遼西晉平二郡也 (二: 1159)
南齊書 列傳 東夷 百濟國 魏虜又發騎數十萬攻百濟入其界 牟大遣將...率衆襲擊虜軍 大破之 建武二年 牟大遣使上表曰...臣遣...等領軍逆討 三國史記 百濟本紀 東城王 十年 魏遣兵來伐 爲我所敗 - ^ 南齊書 百濟國 . . .牟大又表曰 臣所遣行…廣陽太守…廣陵太守 淸河太守 … 詔可…除太守 … 城陽太守 … 詔可 竝賜軍號
- ^ 欽定滿洲源流考 卷九 疆域二 百濟諸城 … 謹案 … 百濟之境 西北自今廣甯錦義 南踰海 蓋 東極 朝鮮之黃海忠淸全羅等道 東西狹而南北長 自柳城北平計 之則 新羅在其東南 自慶尙熊津 計之則 新羅在其東北 其北亦與 勿吉爲隣也 王都有東西兩城 號 固麻城 亦曰居拔城 以滿洲語考 之 固麻爲格們之轉音 居拔蓋滿 洲語之卓巴言 二處也 二城皆王 都 故皆以固麻名之 宋書言百濟 所治謂之 晉平郡晉平縣 通考云 在唐柳城北平之間則國都在遼西 而朝鮮全州境內又有俱拔故城殆 梁天監時[502-19] 遷居南韓之 城 歟唐顯慶中[656-60]分爲 五都督府曰 … 東明爲百濟之祖 自槀離渡河以之名地當與槀離國 相近考 遼史 槀離爲鳳州韓州 皆在今開原境則東明都督府之設 亦應與開原相邇矣 … 唐書又言 後爲新羅渤海靺鞨所分百濟遂絶
金史 地理上 廣寧府本遼顯州 … 廣寧有遼世宗顯陵
遼史 地理志二 東京道 顯州 … 奉顯陵…置醫巫閭山絶頂築堂曰望海…穆宗葬世宗於顯陵西山…有十三山
欽定滿洲源流考 卷十四 山川一
元一統志 十三山在廣寧府南一 百十里 … 在今錦縣東七十五里 卷十五 山川二 … 明統志 大凌河源出大甯自義州西六十里入境南流經廣寧左右屯衛入海
欽定滿洲源流考 卷十一 疆域四 遼東北地界 遼史 顯州 … 本漢無盧縣卽醫巫閭 … 自錦州八十里至… 元一統志 乾州故城在廣甯府西南七里 - ^ 欽定 滿洲源流考 卷三 部族 百濟 … 通典 [卷一百八十五 邊方典一]… 晋時句麗旣略有遼東 百濟亦略有遼西晋平 唐柳城北平之閒 … 元史 … 唐柳城北平之間實今錦州
- ^ 舊唐書 列傳 東夷 百濟 … 其地自此爲新羅及渤海靺鞨所分百濟之種遂絶
新唐書 列傳 東夷 百濟 … 而其地已新羅及 渤海靺鞨所分 百濟遂絶 - ^ 三國史記 下 卷第四十六 列傳 第六 崔致遠 ...高麗百濟全盛之時 强兵百萬 南侵吳越 北撓幽燕齊魯 爲中國巨蠹
[edit] See also
- List of Baekje monarchs
- List of Korea-related topics
- History of Korea
- List of Baekje researchers
- Crown of Baekje
- List of monarchies
[edit] External links
- Baekje History Museum
- Buyeo National Museum
- Gongju National Museum
- Baekje Research Institute
- East Asian History by Wontack Hong, Professor Emeritus, Seoul National University
