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Korea in the World

History before 1945: Ancient Korea, Three Kingdoms

Image-Map of Gojoseon, an ancient Korean kingdom (fourth century BCE)

Ancient Korea

Various artifacts of Paleolithic origin unearthed in Korea indicate that human beings inhabited the peninsula from at least 700,000 BCE. By the Bronze Age, settlers migrating down from southern Siberia had established an extensive tribal confederation called Gojoseon (Old Joseon). Koreans commonly refer to the founder of Gojoseon as Grandfather Dangun. According to the ancient story recorded in old Korean historical accounts, Dangun was the son of a bear transformed into a woman and the heavenly ruler’s son, Hwanung, who had descended from heaven to govern the people. Gojoseon extended authority over Manchuria and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. The ancient state prospered for centuries before being destroyed by the invasion of China’s Han Dynasty in 108 BCE.
Image-Dangun in the founding myth of Korea
Image-Map of the Three Kingdoms of Korea (fourth century)

Three Kingdoms

Three separate larger proto-states and many smaller ones over Manchuria and the Korean Peninsula coalesced from the first century BCE, developing into three kingdoms by the end of the fourth century CE. Samguksagi (History of the Three Kingdoms), the oldest extant Korean historical record traces Silla Kingdom back to 57 BCE, Goguryeo Kingdom to 37 BCE, and Baekje Kingdom to 18 BCE. Buddhism and Confucianism were introduced by missionaries from China and Central Asia until the fourth century at the latest. They played a decisive role in the transformation of tribal governments into centralized kingdoms.

These three states absorbed others and fought for supremacy on the peninsula until the late seventh century. There were other rival powers to the three kingdoms, such as Buyeo Kingdom to the north and Gaya Kingdom to the south.
At first, Goguryeo Kingdom became stronger and built a great nation across Manchuria and the northern part of the peninsula, but the three states were eventually unified under Silla Kingdom, which formed a military alliance with the Tang Dynasty and succeeded in destroying Baekje Kingdom (in 660) and Goguryeo Kingdom (in 668). Silla Kingdom ultimately defeated Tang forces in 676 CE, and thereafter controlled most of the Korean Peninsula. The proto-Korean territories, in what is now called Manchuria, became the Balhae Kingdom that was established by former Goguryeo people and flourished for some two centuries before being destroyed by the Khitan. As such, the North-South States Period was newly opened as Silla Kingdom dominated the Korean Peninsula while Balhae Kingdom controlled Manchuria.

An extended period of prosperity and peace followed in Korea, with remarkable developments in the arts and sciences, particularly in the areas of religious scholarship, architecture, astronomy, agriculture, and literature.
Photo-Bulguksa Temple, built in the Silla era and Great Gilt-Bronze Incense Burner of Baekje
Image-Map of North–South States (ninth century) Gyeongju, the capital of Silla Kingdom, became one of the world’s largest and wealthiest cities in the eighth century, benefiting from international trade. The Bulguksa Temple and adjacent Seokguram Grotto in Gyeongju are unparalleled masterworks of global Buddhist architectural skill, and were designated as Korea’s first UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Metalwork reached a high technological level, becoming export items to all neighboring nations; the Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok, the two Gilt-Bronze Pensive Maitreya Bodhisattva statues and the Great Gilt-Bronze Incense Burner of Baekje Kingdom exemplify this remarkable achievement.

The culture of the Three Kingdoms was introduced to Japan and influenced the formation and development of Asuka culture. Evidence of this fact is found in the similarity between Korea’s Gilt-Bronze Pensive Maitreya Bodhisattva and its wooden counterpart in Koryu-ji Temple of Kyoto (Japan’s National Treasure No.1).
Photo-Gwanggaeto Stele and Seokguram Grotto

Korea in the World
It is not easy to understand a foreign country in a short time. is a brief introduction of Korea for educators unfamiliar to Korea. The booklet collects and summarizes significant historical, cultural, and politico-economical traces of Korea. An essential material for educators who want to bring Korea in the textbook and to classroom.

Publication | The Academy of Korean Studies

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