뉴스레터

The activities of Kim Chun-Chu (603-661, reign 654-661) are responsible for the disappearance of Baekje and Koguryo of five countries in East Asia. He is a historic figure who not only changed the landscape of East Asia but also created Korea/Koreans centered on Silla/Sillans instead of Baekje or Koguryo.

Kim Chun-Chu's first activity in the arena of East Asia began in 642 when he visited Koguryo to request troops. In July of the same year, the Baekje forces under the command of King Uija took about 40 castles in western Silla. In August, having taken Daeya Castle in Hapcheon, the Baekje forces killed the castellan Pumseok and his wife, Chun-Chu's daughter Gotaso, and sent their heads to the capital of Baekje. This prompted Chun-Chu to conquer Baekje, and, with the approval of Queen Seondeok, he visited Koguryo, another enemy country, to request troops. In other words, Chun-Chu transformed his personal affair, i.e. revenge for the death of his daughter, into a public one, i.e. the conquest of Baekje.

Revenge for the Death of His Daughter Transformed into the Dream of Unifying the Three Kingdoms

Afterwards, Silla asked Tang for troops to defend the country against invasion by Baekje and Koguryo. The Seven Supporters who had intended Chun-Chu to be the king led Queen Jindeok's ascension to the throne and seized control of the regal office in 647. In 648, Chun-Chu went across the sea to meet Emperor Taizong of Tang. The meeting between Chun-Chu and Emperor Taizong of Tang was a political act that would bring about changes sweeping across countries in East Asia. Unlike the typical messengers of other countries who would feel overwhelmed in the presence of Emperor Taizong of Tang, Chun-Chu acted smart and confident. He requested approval of his visit to the State Academy to attend Sacrifice to Confucius and the lecture on the scriptures. Emperor Taizong of Tang gave him his approval and a copy of the newly compiled 『History of Chin』as a present, asking him, "What's on your mind?" Chun-Chu said that Baekje's invasion of Silla would leave all of its people captives and that would make Silla unable to pay tribute to Tang. In response, Emperor Taizong of Tang gave his words that he would send troops to subjugate both Baekje and Koguryo and give the land of Baekje south of Pyeongyang to Silla to ensure everlasting peace. When Chun-Chu suggested that Silla should change its royal robes according to the Chinese system, Emperor Taizong of Tang gave him novel clothes from the inner palace. Emperor Taizong of Tang gave Chun-Chu an official title and hospitality, having his all his officials of Grade 3 or higher throw a big farewell party for Chun-Chu. Chun-Chu returned, leaving behind his third son Munwang to guard the Emperor.

Chun-Chu impressed Emperor Taizong of Tang with the culture. In fact, he proceeded with his Chinification. project; In January of 649, he ordered Sillans to be dressed according to the manner of the Chinese court for the first time. In 664, he ordered women to also wear Chinese clothes. In 650, he adopted Youngwhi, Tang's name of the era. In other words, Silla had moved closer into the China-centered order of East Asia around this time. In the global city of Changan, Chun-Chu might have thought about where the small country Silla should be headed.

Chun-Chu ascended the throne in 654. The son of Yongsu determined to be the heir to the throne to succeed King Jinpyeong in 603, Chun-Chu was pulled away from the throne when expelled from the palace in 612. But the subsequent project to send him to the throne finally succeeded after 52 years of efforts by the Seven Supporters including Kim Yu-Sin. The Seven Supporters who masterminded Chun-Chu's ascension to the throne had the goal of achieving peace and prosperity by unifying the three kingdoms. This goal was elevated to the goal of the state when Chun-Chu became the king.

Once on the throne, Chun-Chu started making plans for conquering Baekje and Koguryo. At that time, Silla could not conquer either country without help. Chun-Chu asked Tang for troops to conquer Baekje. In March of 660, Emperor Gaozong of Tang sent 130,000 land and naval forces to help Silla conquer Baekje. Silla joined forces with 50,000 troops. On July 18, King Uija surrendered; Chun-Chu had his revenge for the death of his daughter Gotaso, and Silla destroyed Baekje. It was Tang that played the leading role in the war that destroyed Baekje, as evidenced by the fact that King Uija was captured and taken to Tang.

In 661, Chun-Chu died at the age of 59. The king's posthumous name was Muyeol, and his title for the shrine Taejong in recognition of his achievements. At the news of his death, Emperor Gaozong of Tang reportedly expressed his sorrow in Nakseongmun. His title for the shrine became controversial as it happened to be identical to that of Emperor Taizong of Tang. This suggests that Sill started walking the path of Chinification in the shrine system as well.

King Munmu, the son of Chun-Chu, finished what his late father had started by conquering Koguryo jointly with the Tang troops in 668. If Chun-Chu had not conquered Baekje, it would have been impossible for King Munmu to conquer Koguryo. In the course of another 9-year war, King Munmu drove away the Tang troops that were largely stationed in the old Baekje and Koguryo land south of Cheongcheon River. And King Sinmun, the grandson of Chun-Chu, overhauled the government system to rule over the people in the newly acquired land of the old Baekje and Koguryo. After all, Chun-Chu had himself really good descendents.

Kim Chun-Chu, the Creator of the Mainstream History of Korea Today

The integration of the three kingdoms (a.k.a. unification of the three kingdoms) initiated by Chun-Chu was indeed a historic event in which the destruction of Baekje and Koguryo changed the course of East Asia. Another consequence of the integration of the three kingdoms initiated by Chun-Chu would be worth noting here. According to the demographic surveys between 1985 and 2000, a majority of Korean family names are those of Silla kings (Park, Seok, and Kim) and of those who appeared in the foundation myth of Silla (e.g. Lee, Jung, Choi, Son, Seol, Bae). Family names originating in either Baekje or Koguryo are hard to find because Sillans weeded out the people of the old Baekje and Koguryo socially and politically with their rights as conquerors. Sillans became the major players in Korean history from that point on. If Baekje or Koguryo had unified the three kingdoms, a majority of the Koreans today would have been the descendants of their people.

The notion that Korea is a homogeneous nation with pure blood allegedly founded by Dangun is a myth created by the Korean historians. In particular, the historical view that equates Chun-Chu with the Five Traitors on the grounds that he used the foreign power (Tang) in destroying the countries of the same blood (Baekje and Koguryo) is also a misconception created by the contemporary historians of Korea. The historians of Goryeo and Josen as well as Silla had maintained either that Chun-Chu was the king who unified the whole country or that he ushered in the period of prosperity by relying on the commanding Tang in subjugating Koguryo and Baekje into Silla's land. Indeed, Kim Chun-Chu who led the integration of the three kingdoms created the mainstream history of Korea/Koreans/Korean society/Korean culture by combining countless different paths in Korean history into one.