History of Korea 48605 225605238 2008-07-14T14:54:55Z 128.220.212.159 /* Proto-Three Kingdoms */ {{dablink|This article is about the history of [[Korea]], up to the [[division of Korea]] in the 1940s. See [[History of North Korea]] and [[History of South Korea]] for the post-World War II period. See also [[Names of Korea]].}} [[Image:Gyeongbok-gung palace-05 (xndr).jpg|thumb|200px|The [[Gyeongbokgung]] Palace]] The '''history of Korea''' stretches from [[Lower Paleolithic]] times to the present.<ref>Byeon (1999), p. 27. Byeon explains that the lower layers of [[Seokjangni]] and other sites have been dated to 600,000-500,000 BC, and that the discovery of yet older layers at a site in [[Damyang County]] have led to the hypothesis that [[hominid]] habitation of Korea began around 700,000 BCE.</ref> The earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 8000 BCE, and the [[Neolithic]] period began before 6000 BCE, followed by the [[Bronze Age]] around 2500 BCE. The [[Gojoseon]] (Old Joseon) kingdom was founded in 2333 BCE, eventually stretching from the peninsula to much of Manchuria.<ref>[http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/korea/history.htm Go-Choson]</ref> By 3rd Century BCE, it disintegrated into many successor states. In the early [[Common Era]], the [[Three Kingdoms of Korea|Three Kingdoms]] ([[Goguryeo]], [[Silla]], and [[Baekje]]) conquered other successor states of Gojoseon and came to dominate the peninsula and much of Manchuria. The three kingdoms competed with each other both economically and militarily. While Goguryeo and Baekje were more powerful for much of the era (especially Goguryeo, which defeated massive [[China|Chinese]] invasions) Silla's power gradually extended across Korea and it eventually established the first unified state to cover most of Korean peninsula by 676, while former Goguryeo general [[Dae Jo-yeong]] founded [[Balhae]] as the successor to Goguryeo. [[Unified Silla]] itself fell apart in the late 9th century, giving way to the tumultuous [[Later Three Kingdoms of Korea|Later Three Kingdoms period]] (892-936), which ended with the establishment of the [[Goryeo Dynasty]]. After the fall of Balhae in 926 to [[Khitan people|Khitan]], much of its people led by the Crown Prince [[Dae Gwang-hyeon]] were absorbed into Goryeo. During the Goryeo period, laws were codified, a civil service system was introduced, and [[Buddhism]] flourished. In [[993]] - [[1019]] Khitan [[Goryeo-Khitan Wars|Liao Dynasty invaded]] Goryeo and were repelled. In 1238, the [[Mongolian Empire]] [[Mongol invasions of Korea|invaded]] and after nearly thirty years of war, the two sides signed a peace treaty. [[Image:Goryeo Celadon .jpg|thumb|200px|Cheongja unhak sanggam mun maebyeong, the 68th [[national treasure of South Korea]].]] In 1392, the general [[Taejo of Joseon|Yi Seong-gye]] established the [[Joseon Dynasty]] (1392-1910) after a coup. King [[Sejong the Great of Joseon|Sejong the Great]] (1418-1450) promulgated [[hangul]], the Korean alphabet. Between 1592-1598, [[Imjin War|Japan invaded]] Korea, but was eventually repelled with the efforts by the Navy led by Admiral [[Yi Sun-shin]], resistance armies, and Chinese aid. In the 1620s and 1630s, Joseon suffered invasions by the [[Manchu]] [[Qing Dynasty]]. Beginning in the 1870s, Japan began to force Korea out of China's sphere of influence into its own. In 1895, [[Empress Myeongseong of Korea]] was assassinated by Japanese agents.<ref>[http://www.kimsoft.com/2002/jp-rape.htm Murder of Empress Myeongseong]</ref> In 1905, Japan forced Korea to sign the ''[[Eulsa Treaty]]'' making Korea a protectorate, and in 1910 [[Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty|annexed Korea]], although neither is considered to be legally valid.<ref>[http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200108/30/200108300144080739900090809081.html Forced Annexation]</ref> Korean resistance to the Japanese occupation was manifested in the massive nonviolent [[March 1st Movement]] of 1919. Thereafter the [[Korean liberation movement]], coordinated by the [[Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea]] in exile, was largely active in neighboring Manchuria, China and [[Siberia]]. With the defeat of Japan in 1945, the [[United Nations]] developed plans for a trusteeship administration by the [[Soviet Union]] and the [[United States]], but the plan was soon abandoned. In 1948, new governments were established, the democratic [[South Korea]] and Communist [[North Korea]] divided at the 38th parallel. The unresolved tensions of the division surfaced in the Korean war of 1950, when North Korea invaded South Korea. {{History of Korea}} ==Prehistory== {{main|Prehistoric Korea}} [[Image:KoreanEarthenwareJar4000BCEAmsa-DongNearSeoul.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Korean earthenware jar with comb pattern. 4000 BCE, Amsa-Dong, near [[Seoul]]. [[British Museum]].]] [[Archaeology|Archaeological]] evidence shows that [[hominid]]s first inhabited the [[Korean Peninsula]] 700,000 years ago, though some North Koreans claim it may have been inhabited for 1,000,000 years.<ref>{{cite journal |last= Han|first= Chang-Gyun|year= 2002|month= March|title=한국의 선사시대에 대한 북한 고고학계의 동향과 시각-구석기시대와 신석기시대를 중심으로-Trend and Perspective of Korean Prehistoric Study in North Korea |journal= 한국고대사연구|volume= |issue= 25|pages=5–27 |id= |url= http://www.dbpia.com/view/ar_view.asp?arid=584717|accessdate= 2006-12-03}} In addition, the [[Korean Central News Agency]], the official News Agency of North Korea claims that Korea is ''one of the several cradles of humankind in the world'' (13/04/2004). Typical of relics that allegedly dates from the ''beginning period of humankind'' was discovered in a grotto in Huku-ri of Sangwon County, Pyongyang.[http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2004/200404/news04/14.htm]</ref> Tool-making artifacts from the [[Palaeolithic]] period (700,000 BC to 40,000 BC) have been found in present-day [[North Hamgyong]], [[South P'yongan]], [[Gyeonggi]], and north and south [[Chungcheong]] Provinces. The people were cave dwellers and built homes, using fire for cooking food and warmth. They hunted, gathered and fished with stone tools. ===Jeulmun Pottery Period=== {{main|Jeulmun pottery period}} The earliest known [[Korean pottery]] dates back to around 8000 BC. or before, and evidence of [[Mesolithic]] [[Pit-Comb Ware culture]] or Yungimun Pottery is found throughout the peninsula. An example of a Yungimun-era site is the Gosan-ni in [[Jeju-do]]. Jeulmun or Comb-pattern Pottery is found after 7000 BC, and pottery with comb-patterns over the whole vessel is found concentrated at sites in West-central Korea between 3500-2000 BC, a time when a number of settlements such as Amsa-dong existed. Jeulmun pottery bears basic design and form similarities to the [[Jōmon]] culture in Japan and to that of the Russian Maritime Province, [[Mongolia]], and the [[Amur]] and [[Sungari River]] basins of [[Manchuria]].<ref>{{cite book | last = Stark | first = Miriam T | authorlink = Stark, Miriam T. | coauthors = | title = Archaeology Of Asia | publisher = Blackwell Publishing | date = 2005 | location = | pages = 137 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=CUBL0Y8L2JMC | doi = | id = | isbn = 1405102128}}</ref><ref>[http://www.bartleby.com/67/160.html 6. Korea, to 540 C.E. 2001. The Encyclopedia of World History<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ===Mumun Pottery Period=== {{main|Mumun pottery period}} Archaeological evidence demonstrates that agricultural societies and the earliest forms of social-political complexity emerged in the [[Mumun Pottery Period]] (c. 1500-300 BC). People in southern Korea adopted intensive dry-field and [[Paddy field|paddy-field]] agriculture with a multitude of crops in the Early Mumun Period (1500-850 BC). The first societies led by big-men or chiefs emerged in the Middle Mumun (850-550 BC), and the first ostentatious elite burials can be traced to the Late Mumun (c. 550-300 BC). Bronze production began in the Middle Mumun and became increasingly important in Mumun ceremonial and political society after 700 BC. The Mumun is the first time that villages rose, became large, and then fell: some important examples include [[Songguk-ri]], [[Daepyeong]], and [[Igeum-dong]]. The increasing presence of long-distance trade, an increase in local conflicts, and the introduction of bronze and iron metallurgy are trends denoting the end of the Mumun around 300 BC. ==Gojoseon== {{main|Gojoseon}} [[Image:History of Korea-108 BC.png|left|thumb|200px|Korea in 108 BCE.]] [[Gojoseon]] was the first [[Korea]]n kingdom. According to the [[Samguk Yusa]] and other Korean medieval-era records,<ref>See also [[Jewang Ungi]], [[Dongguk Tonggam]], [[Sejong Sillok]], and [[Chronicle of Korean Rulers]], 제왕연대력 帝王年代曆 Jewang yeondaeryeok, [[Choe Chiwon]] (최치원) (857 - ?)</ref> Gojoseon was founded in [[2333 BC]] by the legendary [[Dangun]], said to be descended from the Lord of Heaven. The people of Gojoseon were the descendants of migrating [[Altaic]] tribes that settled in [[Manchuria]], far eastern [[China]] north of the [[Yangtze]] River, and the Korean Peninsula. They are the first direct Korean ancestral line recorded in writing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://etd.lib.fsu.edu/theses/available/etd-09022004-124406/unrestricted/13ancientjapaneseandkoreanconnection.pdf|title=The Relatedness Between The Origin of Japanese and Korean Ethnicity|author=Jaehoon Lee|pages=31|publisher=The Florida State University|year=2004|accessdate=2007-04-11}}</ref> Initially, Gojoseon was probably located in Liaoning, but around [[400 BC]], moved its capital to [[Pyongyang]], the capital of modern [[North Korea]].<ref>http://enc.daum.net/dic100/viewContents.do?&m=all&articleID=b01g4157b|Daum article: 고조선[古朝鮮</ref><ref>http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/04/eak/ht04eak.htm|Metropolitan Museum of Art: Timeline of Art and History, Korea, 1000 BC-1 AD</ref> ===Bronze culture=== The [[Bronze Age]] is often held to have begun around 1500 – 1000 BCE in Korea, though recent archaeological evidence suggests it might have started as far back as 2500 BCE.<ref>[http://www.artsmia.org/art-of-asia/history/korea-neolithic-bronze-age.cfm Neolithic and Bronze Age - The Art of Asia - Guide to Korean Historical Periods<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Bronze daggers, mirrors, and weaponry have been found, as well as evidence of walled-town polities.<ref>[http://www.artsmia.org/art-of-asia/history/korea-neolithic-bronze-age.cfm Neolithic and Bronze Age - The Art of Asia - Guide to Korean Historical Periods<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Rice, red beans, soybeans and millet were cultivated, and rectangular pit-houses and increasingly larger [[dolmen]] burial sites are found throughout the peninsula. [http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/977] Contemporaneous records suggest that Gojoseon transitioned from a feudal federation of walled cities into a centralised kingdom at least before the 4th century BCE.<ref>[http://www.kimsoft.com/2004/go-chosun.htm The Origin of the Korean People: Who are the Koreans?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ===Iron culture=== [[Image:KoreanStoneDaggerAndArrowhead4thcenturyBCE.jpg|thumb|150px|Korean stone dagger and stone arrowhead, 7th-6th century BCE.]] It is believed that by the third century BCE, iron culture was developing and the warring states of China pushed refugees eastward and south. Recently however, an iron mirror has been found in Songseok-ri Kangdong-gun Pyongyang in North Korea,<ref>Editorial of Buksori by Prof. Park Seonhee[http://www.dhamul.co.kr/buksori/news_view.php?type=2003111618064600&ho=2003111608182738&ind=67]</ref> that may have originated from 1200 BCE. Around this time, a state called [[Jin (Korean history)|Jin]] arose in the southern part of the Korean peninsula. Very little is known about Jin, but it established relations with Han China and exported artifacts to the [[Yayoi]] of [[Japan]].<ref>"[http://www.bookrags.com/history/worldhistory/yayoi-period-ema-06/ Yayoi Period History Summary]," BookRags.com; Jared Diamond, "[http://www2.gol.com/users/hsmr/Content/East%20Asia/Japan/History/roots.html Japanese Roots]," ''Discover'' 19:6 (June 1998); Thayer Watkins, "[http://www2.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/japanorigin.htm The Genetic Origins of the Japanese]"</ref> A king of Gija Joseon may have fled to Jin after a coup by [[Wiman]]. Jin later evolved into the [[Samhan]] confederacies. Later the [[Han Dynasty]] defeated the [[Wiman Joseon]] and set up [[Four Commanderies of Han]]. ===Decline and fall=== The course of the decline and fall of Gojoseon is in dispute, depending on how historians view [[Gija Joseon]]. The theory suggested by [[Joseon Sangosa]] is that Gojoseon disintegrated by about 300 BCE as it gradually lost the control of its former fiefs. Many smaller states sprang from the former territory of Gojoseon such as [[Buyeo (state)|Buyeo]], [[Okjeo]], [[Dongye]], [[Guda-guk]], [[Galsa-guk]], [[Gaema-guk]], and [[Hangin-guk]]. [[Goguryeo]] and [[Baekje]] descended from Buyeo. The [[Three Kingdoms of Korea|Three Kingdoms]] refer to [[Goguryeo]], [[Baekje]], and [[Silla]], although Buyeo and the [[Gaya confederacy]] existed into 5th and 6th centuries respectively. ==Proto-Three Kingdoms== {{main|Proto-Three Kingdoms of Korea}} [[Image:History of Korea-001.png|thumb|200px|Proto-Three Kingdoms, c. 001 AD.]] [[Image:Ddol-mangB.jpg|200px|thumb|Gold buckle of the Proto-Three Kingdoms period]] The Proto-Three Kingdoms period, sometimes called the Several States Period (열국시대), is the time before the rise of the [[Three Kingdoms of Korea]], which included [[Goguryeo]], [[Shilla]], and [[Baekje]], and occurred after the fall of [[Gojoseon]]. This time period consisted of numerous states that sprang up from the former territories of Gojoseon. Among these states, the largest and most influential were [[Dongbuyeo]] and [[Bukbuyeo]]. === Buyeo and other Northern states=== {{main|Buyeo Kingdom}} After the fall of [[Gojoseon]], [[Buyeo Kingdom|Buyeo]] arose in today's [[North Korea]] and southern [[Manchuria]], from about the [[2nd century BC]] to [[494]]. Its remnants were absorbed by [[Goguryeo]] in 494, and both Goguryeo and [[Baekje]], two of the [[Three Kingdoms of Korea]], considered themselves its successor. Although records are sparse and contradictory, it is thought that in 86 BCE, [[Dongbuyeo]] (East Buyeo) branched out, after which the original Buyeo is sometimes referred to as [[Bukbuyeo]] (North Buyeo). [[Jolbon|Jolbon Buyeo]] was the predecessor to [[Goguryeo]], and in 538, Baekje renamed itself ''Nambuyeo'' (South Buyeo). [[Okjeo]] was a tribal state that was located in the northern [[Korean Peninsula]], and was established after the fall of Gojoseon. Okjeo had been a part of Gojoseon before its fall. It never became a fully-developed kingdom due to the intervention of its neighboring kingdoms. Okjeo became a tributary of Goguryeo, and was eventually annexed into Goguryeo by [[Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo|Gwanggaeto Taewang]] in the 5th century. [[Dongye]] was another small kingdom that was situated in the northern [[Korean Peninsula]]. Dongye bordered [[Okjeo]], and the two kingdoms faced the same fate of becoming tributaries of the growing empire of [[Goguryeo]]. Dongye was also a former part of [[Gojoseon]] before its fall. === Samhan === {{main|Samhan}} Samhan (三韓) refers to the three confederacies of [[Mahan]], [[Jinhan]], and [[Byeonhan]]. The Samhan were located in the southern region of the [[Korean Peninsula]]. These three confederacies eventually become the foundations, at which [[Baekje]], [[Silla]], and [[Gaya]] were established. Mahan was the largest and consisted of 54 states. Byeonhan and Jinhan both consisted of 12 states, bringing a total of 78 states within the Samhan. The term "Samhan" is later used to describe the [[Three Kingdoms of Korea]]. Today, the [[hanja]] name for Korea comes from the hanja of Samhan (韓). ==Three Kingdoms period== {{main|Three Kingdoms of Korea}} ===Goguryeo=== {{main|Goguryeo}} [[Image:History of Korea-476.png|thumb|left|240px|Gogoryeo's greatest extent, in 476 AD.]] [[Image:Goguryeo tomb mural.jpg|thumb|210px|An example of a [[Complex of Goguryeo Tombs|Goguryeo tomb mural]].]] Goguryeo was founded the earliest and was the largest of the three kingdoms. It was founded in 37 BC by [[Dongmyeongseong of Goguryeo|Jumong]] (posthumous name Dongmyeongseong). Later, [[Taejo of Goguryeo|King Taejo]] centralized the government. Goguryeo was also the first Korean kingdom to adopt Buddhism as the state religion in 372, under [[Sosurim of Goguryeo|King Sosurim]] reign. Goguryeo reached its zenith in the fifth century, when reign of the [[Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo|King Gwanggaeto]] and his son, [[Jangsu of Goguryeo|King Jangsu]] expanded into almost all of Manchuria and part of inner Mongolia, and took the [[Seoul]] region from Baekje. Gwanggaeto and Jangsu subdued Baekje and Silla during their times. Goguryeo later fought and defeated massive [[China|Chinese]] invasions in the [[Goguryeo-Sui War]] of [[598]] - [[614]], contributing to [[Sui Dynasty|Sui]]'s fall, and continued to repel the [[Tang dynasty]]<ref name=multiple>[http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/korea/history.htm#The%20Ko%20Choson Korea's History (Ko-Choson, Three Kingdoms, Parhae Kingdom, Unified Shilla, Koryo Dynasty, Colonial Period, Independence Struggle, Provisional Government of Korea, Independence Army, Republic of Korea,)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> under several important generals including [[Yeon Gaesomun]] and [[Yang Manchun]]. However, numerous wars with China exhausted Goguryeo and it fell into a weak state. After internal power struggles, it was conquered by an allied Silla-Tang forces in 668. ===Baekje=== {{main|Baekje}} [[Image:History of Korea-375.png|thumb|left|200px|Baekje's greatest extent, in 375 AD.]] [[Image:Baekje Diadem King 2.jpg|130px|thumb|One of the two [[Crown of Baekje|gold diadem ornaments]] worn by the Baekje King [[Muryeong of Baekje]].]] [[Baekje]]'s foundation by King Onjo in 18 BCE [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN1588113795&id=UuAIyYdrHJQC&pg=PA249&lpg=PA249&dq=paekche+18+bce&sig=qWEAprigj3Y81rj8le73UvjvQbo], as stated in the [[Samguk Sagi]] followed those of its neighbors and rivals, Goguryeo and Silla. The [[Sanguo Zhi]] mentions Baekje as a member of the [[Mahan confederacy]] in the [[Han River (Korea)|Han River]] basin (near present-day [[Seoul]]). It expanded into the southwest ([[Chungcheong]] and [[Jeolla]] provinces) of the peninsula and became a significant political and military power. In the process, Baekje came into fierce confrontation with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanderies in the vicinity of its territorial ambitions. At its peak in the 4th century, it had absorbed all of the Mahan states and subjugated most of the western Korean peninsula (including the moder provinces of [[Gyeonggi]], [[Chungcheong]], and [[Jeolla]], as well as part of [[Hwanghae]] and [[Gangwon]]) to a centralized government. Baekje acquired Chinese culture and technology through contacts with the [[Southern Dynasties]] during the expansion of its territory. Baekje played a fundamental role in transmitting cultural developments, such as [[Chinese characters]], [[Buddhism]], iron-making, advanced [[pottery]], and ceremonial burial into ancient [[Japan]].<ref>"[http://theseoultimes.com/ST/?url=/ST/db/read.php?idx=580 Korean Buddhism Basis of Japanese Buddhism]," ''Seoul Times'', June 18, 2006; "[http://www.asiasocietymuseum.org/buddhist_trade/koreajapan.html Buddhist Art of Korea & Japan]," Asia Society Museum; "[http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2046.html Kanji]," JapanGuide.com; "[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761568150_4/Pottery.html Pottery]," MSN Encarta; "[http://www.japanvisitor.com/index.php?cID=359&pID=334&cName=Japanese History of Japan]," JapanVisitor.com.</ref> Other aspects of culture were also transmitted when the Baekje court retreated to Japan after Baekje was conquered. Baekje was defeated by a coalition of Silla and [[Tang Dynasty]] forces in 660. ===Silla=== {{main|Silla}} [[Image:History of Korea-576.png|thumb|left|200px|Silla's greatest extent in 576 AD (before Unified Silla).]] [[Image:Hwangnyongsa Pagoda miniature.jpg|160px|thumb|Down-sized replica of the famous 80 meter tall pagoda at [[Hwangnyongsa]] Temple which was destroyed by the Mongols.]] According to legend, the kingdom [[Silla]] began with the unification of six chiefdoms of the [[Jinhan confederacy]] by [[Bak Hyeokgeose]] in 57 BCE, in the southeastern area of Korea. Its territory included the present-day port city of [[Busan]], and Silla later emerged as a sea power responsible for destroying Japanese pirates, especially during the [[Unified Silla]] period. Silla artifacts, including unique gold metalwork, show influence from the northern nomadic steppes, with less Chinese influence than are shown by Goguryeo and Baekje. Silla expanded rapidly by occupying the [[Han River (Korea)|Han River]] basin and uniting the city states. By the 2nd century, Silla existed as a large state, occupying and influencing nearby city states. Silla began to gain power when it annexed in 562 the [[Gaya confederacy]], between Baekje and Silla. Silla often faced pressure from Baekje and Japan, and at various times allied and warred with Baekje and Goguryeo. In 660, King [[Muyeol of Silla]] ordered his armies to attack [[Baekje]]. General [[Kim Yu-shin]], aided by [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] forces, conquered Baekje. In 661, Silla and Tang moved on [[Goguryeo]] but were repelled. King [[Munmu of Silla|Munmu]], son of Muyeol and nephew of General Kim launched another campaign in 667 and Goguryeo fell in the following year. ===Gaya=== {{main|Gaya confederacy}} [[Gaya Confederacy|Gaya]] was a confederacy of chiefdoms in the [[Nakdong River]] valley of southern [[Korea]], growing out of the [[Byeonhan confederacy]] of the [[Samhan]] period. In 562, Gaya ultimately was absorbed into [[Silla]]. ==North and South States== {{main|North South States Period}} The term North-South States refers to [[Unified Silla]] and [[Balhae]], during the time when Silla controlled the Korean peninsula while Balhae expanded into [[Manchuria]]. During this time, culture and technology significantly advanced, especially in Unified Shinla. ===Unified Silla=== {{main|Unified Silla}} [[Image:Temple-at-gyeongju.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Bulguksa]]|[[Bulguksa]] Temple is a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]].]] After the unification wars, the Tang Dynasty established territories in the former Goguryeo, and began to administer and establish communities in Baekje. Silla attacked the Chinese in Baekje and northern Korea in 671.<ref name=multiple>[http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/korea/history.htm#The%20Ko%20Choson Korea's History (Ko-Choson, Three Kingdoms, Parhae Kingdom, Unified Shilla, Koryo Dynasty, Colonial Period, Independence Struggle, Provisional Government of Korea, Independence Army, Republic of Korea,)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> China then invaded Silla in 674 but led by General [[Kim Yu-shin]], Silla defeated the Chinese army in the north. Silla drove the Tang forces out of the peninsula by 676 to achieve unification of most of the Three Kingdoms. Unified Silla was a time when Korean arts flourished dramatically and Buddhism became a large part of Silla culture. Buddhist monasteries such as the [[Bulguksa]] are examples of advanced Korean architecture and Buddhist influence. State-sponsored art and architecture from this period include [[Hwangnyongsa]] Temple, [[Bunhwangsa]] Temple, and [[Seokguram]] Grotto, a [[World Heritage Site]]. Unified Silla was also a time of peace, as the [[Song Dynasty]] of China was nonaggressive. The Song was also an important trading partner with Silla. Silla began to experience political troubles in 780. This severely weakened Silla and soon thereafter, descendants of the former Baekje established Later Baekje. In the north, rebels revived Goguryeo, beginning the [[Later Three Kingdoms]] period.<ref name=multiple>[http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/korea/history.htm#The%20Ko%20Choson Korea's History (Ko-Choson, Three Kingdoms, Parhae Kingdom, Unified Shilla, Koryo Dynasty, Colonial Period, Independence Struggle, Provisional Government of Korea, Independence Army, Republic of Korea,)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Unified Silla lasted for 267 years until, under [[Gyeongsun of Silla|King Gyeongsun]], it was replaced by [[Goryeo]] in 935.<ref >http://www.rootsinfo.co.kr/history/king08.html Wang Geon changed the name of dynasty to Goryeo.</ref> ===Balhae=== {{main|Balhae}} [[Image:Pressapochista4.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Balhae stele at the [[National Museum of Korea]].]] [[Balhae]] was founded in the northern part of former lands of Goguryeo by [[Dae Joyeong]], a former Goguryeo general. Balhae controlled the northernmost areas of the Korean Peninsula, much of Manchuria (though it didn't occupy Liaodong peninsula for much of history), and expanded into present-day [[Primorsky Krai|Russian Maritime Province]]. Balhae styled itself as Goguryeo's [[successor state]]. It also adapted from the Tang Empire, for example in the layout of its capitals. In a time of relative peace and stability in the region, Balhae culture flourished, especially during the long reign of the third [[Mun of Balhae|Emperor Mun]] (r. 737-793). Like Silla culture, the culture of Balhae was strongly influenced by Buddhism. However, Balhae was severely weakened by the tenth century, and the [[Khitan people|Khitan]] Liao Dynasty conquered Balhae in 926. No historical records from Balhae have survived, and the Liao left no histories of Balhae. Goryeo (see below) absorbed some Balhae territory and received Balhae refugees, including the crown prince and the royal family, but compiled no known histories of Balhae either. The [[Samguk Sagi]] ("History of the Three Kingdoms"), for instance, includes passages on Balhae, but does not include a dynastic history of Balhae. The eighteenth century [[Joseon dynasty]] historian [[Yu Deukgong]] advocated the proper study of Balhae as part of Korean history, and coined the term "North and South States Period" to refer to this era. ===Later Three Kingdoms=== {{main|Later Three Kingdoms}} The Later Three Kingdoms (892 - 936) consisted of [[Silla]], [[Hubaekje]] ("Later [[Baekje]]"), and [[Taebong]] (also known as Hugoguryeo, "Later [[Goguryeo]]"). The latter two, established as [[Unified Silla]] declined in power, were viewed as heirs to the earlier [[Three Kingdoms of Korea]]. [[Taebong]] (Later Goguryeo) was originally led by Gung Ye, a Buddhist monk who founded Later Goguryeo. The unpopular Gung Ye was deposed by [[Wang Geon]] (877-943) in 918, when Gung Ye killed his wife and son.<ref >http://www.rootsinfo.co.kr/history/king08.html Wang Geon changed the name of dynasty to Goryeo</ref> Wang Geon was popular with his people, and he decided to unite the entire peninsula under one government. He attacked Later Baekje in 934 and received the surrender of Shinla in the following year. In 936, Goryeo conquered Later Baekje. ==Goryeo== {{main|Goryeo}} [[Image:Goryeo Pagoda.jpg|thumb|150px|The famous [[Gyeongcheonsa Pagoda]] from the [[Goryeo Dynasty]].]] [[Image:Korea-Goryeo celadon-Incense burner-01.jpg|thumb|150px|Kingfisher glazed Goryeo celadon incense burner, a national treasure of South Korea.]] [[Goryeo]] was founded in 918 and by 936, replaced Silla as the ruling dynasty of Korea. ("Goryeo" is a short form of "Goguryeo" and the source of the English name "Korea.") The dynasty lasted until 1392. During this period laws were codified, and a civil service system was introduced. [[Buddhism]] flourished, and spread throughout the peninsula. The development of [[celadon]] industry flourished in 12th and 13th century. The publication of [[Tripitaka Koreana]], and world's first metal printing technology in 13th century, attests to Goryeo's cultural achievements. In 1231 the [[Mongols]] began its [[Mongol invasions of Korea|campaigns against Korea]] and after 25 years of struggle, the royal family relented by signing a treaty with the Mongols. For the following 80 years Goryeo survived, but under the interference of the Mongols. In the 1340s, the Mongol Empire declined rapidly due to internal struggles. King [[Gongmin of Goryeo|Gongmin]] was free at last to reform a Goryeo government. Gongmin had various problems that needed to be dealt with, which included the removal of pro-Mongol aristocrats and military officials, the question of land holding, and quelling the growing animosity between the Buddhists and Confucian scholars. Another problem was that [[Wokou|"Japanese" pirates]] were now organizing deep raids into the country. General [[Taejo of Joseon|Lee Seonggye]] distinguished himself by repelling the pirates in a series of successful engagements. The Goryeo dynasty would last until 1392, when Lee Seonggye, who had heavy support among aristocracy, would easily take power in a coup. ==Joseon== {{main|Joseon Dynasty}} In 1392 a Korean general, [[Taejo of Joseon|Yi Seonggye]], was sent to China to campaign against the [[Ming Dynasty]], but instead he returned to overthrow the Goryeo king and establish a new dynasty. He named it the [[Joseon Dynasty]] in honor of the previous Joseon before (Gojoseon is the first Joseon. "Go" was added to distinguish between the two). King Taejo moved the capital to [[Hanseong]] (formerly [[Hanyang]]; modern-day [[Seoul]]) and built the [[Gyeongbokgung]] palace. In 1394 he adopted [[Confucianism]] as the country's official religion, resulting in much loss of power and wealth by the Buddhists. Joseon experienced advances in science and culture; most notably, the [[hangul]] alphabet was invented by [[King Sejong]] in 1443. The Joseon Dynasty is believed to have been the longest-lived actively ruling dynasty in East Asia during the last millennium. ===Economy=== Joseon maintained a stable economy during peaceful times. After the Joseon court was established and completed, the economy began to prosper as well. Early during the Joseon Dynasty, the economy was stable, especially during [[King Sejong]]'s rule. However, the economy suffered after the Japanese invasions 1592-1598 and internal court corruption, bribery, and heavy tax, strained the Korean economy. ===Social hierarchy=== The Joseon formed a class system that greatly affected the economy. The king was at the top of the system, while the [[yangban]]s and government officials and generals were below him. Yangbans were influential scholars during the Joseon Dynasty. The middle class consisted of a few merchants and craftsmen. ===Foreign invasions=== [[Image:KoreanEmbassy1655KanoTounYasunobu.jpg|thumb|150px|Korean Embassy to Japan, 1655, attributed to Kano Toun Yasunobu. [[British Museum]].]] Joseon dealt with a pair of [[Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598)|Japanese invasions from 1592 to 1598]] (''Imjin War''). This conflict brought prominence to Admiral [[Yi Sun-sin]], and the use of [[turtle ship]]s and [[hwacha]]s by the Korean military. Subsequently, there were invasions from [[Manchuria]] in 1627 (see the [[First Manchu invasion of Korea]]) and again in 1636 (see the [[Second Manchu invasion of Korea]]), after which the Joseon dynasty recognized the legitimacy of the [[Qing]] Empire. There was trade with the Japanese at [[Busan]], and emissaries were sent to [[Edo]] in Japan. Europeans were not permitted to trade at Korean ports until the 1880s. ==19th century== [[Image:Koreans oldest pic 3.jpg|150px|thumb|One of the earliest photographs depicting Koreans, taken in 1863.]] During the 19th century, Korea tried to control foreign influence by closing the borders to all nations but China. In 1853 the [[USS South America]], an American gunboat, visited [[Busan]] for 10 days and had amiable contact with local Korean officials. Several Americans who were shipwrecked on Korea in 1855 and 1865 were also treated well and sent to China for repatriation. The Joseon court which ruled Korea, was well aware of the foreign invasions and treaties involving Qing China, as well as the [[Opium Wars]], and followed a cautious policy of slow exchange with the West. ===French Invasion (1866)=== {{main|French Campaign against Korea, 1866}} In 1866, reacting to greater numbers of Korean converts, the Korean court clamped down on the illicit French missionaries, massacring French Catholic missionaries and Koreans converts alike. That same year France invaded and occupied portions of Ganghwa Island in the fall of 1866. The Korean army lost heavily, and the French abandoned the island. This event is also called 'Byeonginyangyo'(병인양요) ===US Korean expedition (1871)=== {{main|United States Korean expedition}} The ''General Sherman'', a British owned armed merchant marine sidewheel schooner, attempted to open Korea to trade in 1866. After an initial miscommunication, the ship sailed upriver and became stranded near Pyongyang. After being ordered to leave by Korean officials, the American crewmen killed four Korean inhabitants, kidnapped a military officer and engaged in sporadic fighting that continued for four days. After two efforts to destroy the ship failed, the USS General Sherman was finally set afire by Korean [[fireships]] laden with primitive explosives. {{wikisourcepar|Littell's Living Age/Volume 129/Issue 1662/A Glimpse of the Korea|a description of a visit to Korea by a British ship in 1876}} In response, the United States confronted Korea militarily in 1871, killing 350 Koreans and retreating in what the Koreans call the [[Sinmiyangyo]]. Five years later, the reclusive Korea signed a trade treaty with Japan, and in 1882 signed a treaty with America, ending several centuries of isolationism. ===Japanese penetration=== By 1876, a rapidly modernizing [[Japan]] forced Korea to open its ports and successfully challenged the Qing Empire in the [[First Sino-Japanese War|Sino-Japanese War]] (1894-1895). In 1895, the Japanese murdered [[Empress Myeongseong of Korea|Empress Myeongseong]],<ref>[http://www.kimsoft.com/2002/jp-rape.htm Murder of Empress Myeongseong]</ref> who had sought Russian help, and the Russians were forced to retreat from Korea. === Korean Empire === {{main|Korean Empire}} In 1897, Joseon was renamed the [[Korean Empire]], and King Gojong became [[Emperor Gojong of Korea|Emperor Gojong]]. A period of Russian influence followed, until Japan defeated Russia in the [[Russo-Japanese War]] (1904-1905). Korea effectively became a [[protectorate]] of Japan on [[25 July]] [[1905]], the 1905 Protectorate Treaty having been promulgated without Emperor Gojong's required seal. ==Japanese occupation== {{main|Korea under Japanese rule}} In 1910 [[Japan]] effectively annexed [[Korea]] by the [[Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty]]. While the legality of the treaty is still asserted by Japan, it is generally not accepted in Korea because it was not signed by the Emperor of Korea as required and violated international convention on external pressures regarding treaties. Korea was controlled by [[Japan]] under a so-called [[Governor-General of Korea]] until Japan's unconditional surrender to the Allied Forces, on [[15 August]] 1945, with ''de jure'' sovereignty deemed to have passed from Joseon Dynasty to the [[Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea]]. European-styled [[transport]] and [[communication]] networks were established across the nation. This facilitated Japanese exploitation, but modernization had little if any effect on the Korean people, but was mainly being used to serve Japanese trade needs, and their tight centralized controls. The Japanese removed the [[Joseon Dynasty|Joseon]] hierarchy, destroyed the [[Gyeongbokgung|Korean Palace]], and revamped Korea's taxation system to evict tenant farmers, export Korean rice crops to Japan which provoked Korean famines; and brought in a punitive series of measures which included murdering those who refused to pay taxes in the provinces; forced slavery in roadworks, mines, and first sweat shop factories in Korea. Then Japan further promoted slavery of Koreans in Japan and its occupied territories by transporting forced slaves to these areas. After the Korean Emperor Gojong died in January 1919, with a rumor of poisoning, liberation rallies against Japanese invaders took place nationwide on 1 March 1919 (the [[March 1st Movement|March 1st (''Samil'') Movement]]). This movement was suppressed by force and about 7,000 were killed by Japanese soldiers and police.<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9050797?query=march%20first%20movement&ct= March 1st Movement]</ref> An estimated 2 million people took part in peaceful, pro-liberation rallies. (The Japanese record claims less than half million.) Many Korean Christians, including an entire village of [[Jeamri]], were crucified or burnt alive in churches as they fought for [[Korean liberation movements|Korean liberation]]. This movement was partly inspired by United States president [[Woodrow Wilson]]'s speech of 1919, declaring support for right of self determination and an end to colonial rule for Europeans. No comment was made by Wilson on Korean liberation, perhaps as a pro-Japan faction in the USA sought trade inroads into China through the Korean peninsula. The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was established in [[Shanghai]], China, in an aftermath of March 1st Movement, which coordinated the Liberation effort and resistance against Japanese control. Some of the achievements of the Provisional Government include the [[Battle of Chingshanli]] of 1920 and the ambush of Japanese Military Leadership in China in 1932. The Provisional Government is considered to be the de jure government of the Korean people between the period 1919 to 1948, and its legitimacy is enshrined in the preamble to the [[constitution]] of the [[Republic of Korea|South Korea]]. Continued [[Anti-Japanese sentiment in Korea|anti-Japanese]] uprisings, such as the nationwide uprising of students in November 1929, led to the strengthening of military rule in 1931. After the outbreaks of the [[Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945)|Sino-Japanese War]] in 1937 and [[World War II]] Japan attempted to exterminate Korea as a nation. Worship at Japanese [[Shinto]] shrines was made compulsory. The school curriculum was radically modified to eliminate teaching in the Korean language and history within Korea. The continuance of [[Culture of Korea|Korean culture]] itself began to be illegal. Korean culture and economy suffered heavy losses. The Korean language was banned and Koreans were forced to adopt Japanese names.<ref>宮田 節子 [Miyata, Setsuko]. "創氏改名" [Creating Surnames and Changing Given Names}, 明石書店 [Akashi-shoten], 1992, al. ISBN 4-7503-0406-9 </ref> Numerous Korean cultural artifacts were destroyed or taken to Japan.<ref>Newsweek.com. [http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6919593/site/newsweek/ Who rightfully owns Korean artifacts looted by Japan?]</ref> To this day, valuable Korean artifacts can often be found in Japanese museums or among private collectors. Newspapers were prohibited from publishing in Korean and the study of Korean history was banned at university with Korean textbooks burnt, destroyed, or made illegal which [[Editing Agency of Korean History]] oversaw.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} According to an investigation by the South Korean government, 75,311 cultural assets were taken from Korea. [[Japan]] has 34,369, The [[United States]] has 17,803.<ref>http://news.naver.com/news/read.php?mode=LSD&office_id=001&article_id=0001429084</ref> Some [[Koreans]] left the [[Korean peninsula]] to [[Manchuria]] and [[Primorsky Krai]]. Koreans in Manchuria formed resistance groups known as [[Dongnipgun]] (Liberation Army) which would travel in and out of the Korean-Chinese boundary, fighting [[guerrilla warfare]] with the Japanese forces. These guerilla armies would come together in 1940s as [[Korean Liberation Army]] and the Liberation Army took part in allied action in China and parts of South East Asia. Tens of thousands of Koreans also joined the [[Peoples Liberation Army]] and the [[National Revolutionary Army]]. During [[World War II]], Koreans were forced to support the Japanese war effort. Tens of thousands of men<ref>山脇 啓造 Yamawaki, Keizo. 近代日本と外国人労働者―1890年代後半と1920年代前半における中国人・朝鮮人労働者問題 ''Modern Japan and Foreign Laborers: Chinese and Korean Laborers in the late 1890s and early 1920s'', 明石書店 Akashi-shoten, 1994, et al. ISBN 4750305685 </ref> were conscripted into Japan's military. Around 200,000 girls and women, mostly from Korea and China, were conscripted as sex slaves, euphemistically called "[[comfort women]]".<ref>[http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/east/03/29/japan.comfort.women/index.html] [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/10/15/congress_backs_off_of_wartime_japan_rebuke/] [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3693/is_200101/ai_n8953696] [http://www.comfort-women.org/ Comfort-Women.org]</ref> ==The division of Korea== {{main|Division of Korea}} [[Image:Soldiers Climbing Sea Wall in Inchon.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Soldiers climbing a sea wall in [[Incheon]] during a decisive moment in the timeline of the [[Korean War]].]] The unconditional surrender of Japan, the earlier collapse of [[Nazism|Nazi]] [[Germany]], combined with fundamental shifts in global politics and ideology, led to the division of Korea into two occupation zones effectively starting on [[September 8]], [[1945]], with the [[United States]] administering the southern half of the peninsula and the [[Soviet Union]] taking over the area north of the [[38th parallel north|38th parallel]]. The Provisional Government was ignored, mainly due to American misconception that it was too communist-aligned. This division was meant to be temporary and was first intended to return a unified Korea back to its people until the United States, [[United Kingdom]], [[Soviet Union]], and [[Republic of China]] could arrange a trusteeship administration. At the [[Cairo Conference]] on [[22 November]] [[1943]], it was agreed that Korea would be free "in due course Korea shall become free and independent”; at a later meeting in [[Yalta]] in February 1945, it was agreed to establish a four-power trusteeship over Korea. On [[August 9]] [[1945]], [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] tanks entered northern [[Korea]] from [[Siberia]], meeting little to no resistance. Japan surrendered to the Allied Forces on [[15 August]] 1945. In December 1945, a conference convened in [[Moscow]] to discuss the future of Korea. A 5-year trusteeship was discussed, and a joint Soviet-American commission was established. The commission met intermittently in [[Seoul]] but deadlocked over the issue of establishing a national government. In September 1947, with no solution in sight, the [[United States]] submitted the Korean question to the [[UN General Assembly]]. Initial hopes for a [[Korean reunification|unified]], independent Korea quickly evaporated as the politics of the [[Cold War]] and opposition to the trusteeship plan from Korean anti-communists resulted in the 1948 establishment of two separate nations with diametrically opposed political, economic, and social systems. On [[June 25]] [[1950]], by its resolution 82<ref>http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/064/95/IMG/NR006495.pdf?OpenElement The link usually doesn't work. Access the document through the UN website, their archive of Security Council Resolutions.</ref> the Security Council of the [[United Nations]] recognised the [[South Korea|Republic of Korea]] as the sole legal government of Korea. In June 1950 the [[Korean War]] broke out when North Korea breached the 38th parallel line to invade the South, ending any hope of a peaceful reunification for the time being. Because of the American rule over South Korea, post-independence South Korea became a democracy, like the United States of America. Similarly, due to the Soviet occupation of North Korea, post-independence North Korea established a communist government, parallel to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. ''See [[History of North Korea]] and [[History of South Korea]] for the post-war period.'' ==Notes== <references /> ==References== *{{cite book|author=Byeon Tae-seop (변태섭)|title=韓國史通論 (Hanguksa tongnon) (Outline of Korean history), 4th ed.|year=1999|id=ISBN 89-445-9101-6}} *Yang, S.C. (1999). ''The North and South Korean political systems: A comparative analysis.'' (Rev. Ed.). Seoul: Hollym. ISBN 1-56591-105-9 ==See also== * [[List of Korea-related topics]] * [[Prehistory of Korea]] * [[List of Korean Kings]] * [[Military history of Korea]] ==External links== *http://www.koreaorbit.com/history-of-korea/history-of-korea-dynasties.html *http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/korea/history.htm#The%20Ko%20Choson *http://www.rootsinfo.co.kr/history/king01.html -in Korean *[http://www.memorykorea.go.kr:7779/english/ Archival Heritage of Korea] *[http://kyujanggak.snu.ac.kr/info/info01.jsp Kyujanggak Achieve](big pdfs of many history classics of Korea in their original written Classical Chinese) {{History of Asia}} [[Category:History of Korea| ]] [[de:Korea#Geschichte]] [[es:Historia de Corea]] [[fr:Histoire de la Corée]] [[ko:한국의 역사]] [[id:Sejarah Korea]] [[he:היסטוריה של קוריאה]] [[ka:კორეის ისტორია]] [[lt:Korėjos istorija]] [[nl:Geschiedenis van Korea]] [[ja:朝鮮の歴史]] [[no:Koreas historie]] [[pl:Historia Korei]] [[ru:История Кореи]] [[sv:Koreas historia]] [[th:ประวัติศาสตร์เกาหลี]] [[vi:Lịch sử Triều Tiên]] [[tpi:Histeri long Koria]] [[uk:Історія Кореї]] [[zh:朝鮮半島歷史]]