뉴스레터

The site of YI Seung-Hyu
in the Duta Mountain,
Samcheok (Historical Site No. 421)

Yi Seung-Hyu was born in 1224 (the 11^th year of King Gojong) during the military rule of the Choi family. He lived until 1300 (the 26^th year of King Chungryeol) when Goryeo was suffering from the oppressive rule of Yuan Dynasty of China. He lost his father when he was still a child, but he studied hard and was selected in a government officials recruitment test. He moved into a place called Gudong of the Duta Mountain in present Samcheok, Gangwon-do where he lived plowing a field himself and supporting his mother. In 1273 he was selected as the official in charge of records for a diplomatic delegation to the Yuan Dynasty. During the reign of King Chungryeol, he criticized wrong politics of that time in 15 items followed by another petition presented to the king who was not pleased with it and dismissed him. He then returned to Samcheok and retired from the public life. Characterized with his honesty, he was not greedy for the world and liked the teachings of Buddhism.

Solving the problems of the times during a rapidly changing harsh period

Yi Seung-Hyu lived his public life in a rapidly changing chaotic period both in and outside his country. The Mongol's large scale invasion of Goryeo starting in 1231 lasted until 1260 when negotiations for peace reached an agreement. Mongol's national power was vigorously expanding during the reign of King Chungryeol (1275~1308). Four of his books have been known so far where you can find his dream that he wanted to go through a rapidly changing harsh period trying to solve the problems of the era.

《Binwangnok (賓王錄)》is a record of his return journey to the Yuan Dynasty as a member of the delegation in charge of records. Written in 1273 (the 14^th year of King Wonjong) at his age of 50, the book has a great value also as the oldest record of a journey to Beijing. 《Naejeonnok (內典錄)》is presumed to have been a history of Buddhism containing the spread of the religion, scriptures, translations and its history, and 《Dongangeosajip (動安居士集)》, a collection of YI Seung-Hyu's poems, is known to have been written in 1360 during the reign of King Gongmin. Finally, 《Jewangungi (帝王韻紀)》is the most famous book written by him. Produced in 1287 (the 13^th year of King Chungryeol), 《Jewangungi (帝王韻紀)》is composed of 2 volumes describing the dynasties of China and Korea. In Volume 1, the preface is followed by summarized descriptions about the history of China from the Period of Legends till the Yuan Dynasty with a summary of the legitimate successions of Chinese dynasties in the past. In 《Jewangungi (帝王韻紀)》Dangun was placed at the very beginning of Korean History to declare that the Koreans constitute a racially homogeneous nation descending from Dangun and in its geographic section the East of the Liao River was described as a region separated from the mainland China and this region belonged to Joseon (Korea). In the geography section, the East of the Liao River was declared as the stage of our history because the author was aware of the territories of Buyeo, Koguryeo and Balhae, which means that the stage of China's history is restricted to the West of the Liao River.

Balhae described in 《Jewangungi (帝王韻紀)》

After the fall of Koguryeo, Balhae was established on the same land. The author of 《Jewangungi (帝王韻紀)》viewed that Balhae was a country of the same nation descending from Dangun, and accordingly described Balhae's history before Goryeo.

In its section for the history of Balhae, 《Jewangungi (帝王韻紀)》records about the country's establishment, its people's influx into Goryeo just before its fall, and the period of its existence and the kings of Balhae. 'DAE Jo-Young, a former general of Koguryo, established a country based on a fortress on the south of Taebaek Mountain on the day of Gapsin in the first year of Cheukcheon, and named the country Balhae,' the book says.

《Jewangungi (帝王韻紀)》clearly says that the founder of Balhae was 'a former general of Koguryo'. With regard to the site of the foundation, 《Jewangungi (帝王韻紀)》says it was 'the fortress on the south of the Taebaek Mountain' and further explains in a note that 'it is Namchaek Fortress of today'. In relation to this record, attention is given to Balhae's Chaekseong district which is referred to in the Balhae section of 《The Book of Later Tang》. Chaekseongbu was the site for the Yemaek in older days where Balhae's Donggyeong Yongwonbu was located. This seems to be Balian Cheng in Hunchun, Jilin Province of today and is conveniently located close to the East Sea and the Duman River. Namchaek Fortress seems to be somewhere south of Chaekseong.

The book says that in the 8^th year during the reign of Goryeo's first king Taejo the whole country of Balhae came to the capital of Goryeo to greet the king of Goryeo, and of those who came first were the senior officials for protocol and government supervision. The 8^th year of King Taejo's rule was 925 AD, which is different from 923 mentioned in Seju. Gathering from the record on Daehwagyun that follows, the author seems to assume that the 8^th year of King Taejo was the year in which Balhae was destroyed. However, Balhae was destroyed in the 9^th year of King Taejo of Goryeo (926) according to 《The History of Liao Dynasty (遼史)》.

《Jewangungi》

The senior officials for protocol and government supervision are described as those first people who led other people to Goryeo, and the author added a note that a total of 600 households including Daehwagyun, the senior official for protocol, Daeriseo, the senior official for government supervision, and generals Sindeok, Daedeok and Jiwon came to Goryeo. Similar records are found in 《The History of Goryeo (高麗史)》and 《A Short History of Goryeo (高麗史節要)》, but 《Jewangungi (帝王韻紀)》should be regarded as a primary historical document among those remaining at present as it was written earlier. In addition, Balhae was established in 684 and lasted for 242 years according to 《Jewangungi (帝王韻紀)》. However, scholars of today understand that Balhae was established in 698 and was destroyed by the Khitans in January 926, which means that Balhae lasted for 228 years.

As we have seen in the above, YI Seung-Hyu, an intellectual of Goryeo who lived in a rapidly changing harsh period, established a system of the overall Korean History starting from Dangun and included Balhae in the History of Korea, which had a great influence on writings of Korean history during the later period of Goryeo and Joseon Dynasty.