'Geunchogo of Baekje' (?-375, r. 346-375) was the 13th king of
Baekje, one of the
Three Kingdoms of Korea. He reigned over the apex of Baekje's powers.
Background
He was the second son of the 11th king
Biryu and became king upon the death of the 12th king
Gye. His reign seems to have marked the permanent ascendancy of the descendants of the 5th king
Chogo (reflected in Geunchogo's name) over those of the 8th king
Goi, and ended the alternating kingship of the two lines.
Strengthening royal power
Upon ascending the throne, he set out to solidify the royal power within the Baekje state. He reduced the power of the
aristocracy and set up a system of
local government with regional heads appointed by the court. He married a wife from the
Jin clan, setting a precedent for his successors.
He moved the capital to
Hansan, today's
Seoul.
Territorial expansion
Under Geunchogo, the kingdom reached its greatest geographic extent and political power. The remaining tribes of
Mahan were annexed in the year 369, completing Baekje's control over all of present-day
Jeolla-do.
Gaya confederacy states west of the
Nakdong River were also made Baekje dependencies.
In 369, Baekje was invaded by
Goguryeo, but counterattacked in force (Battle of Chiyang). In the year 371, the Baekje army of 30,000, led by Crown Prince
Geungusu, took the fortress of
Pyongyang and killed
Gogugwon of Goguryeo.
At the end of these conquests, Baekje ringed the
Yellow Sea, and controlled much of the
Korean peninsula, including all of
Gyeonggi,
Chungcheong, and
Jeolla and parts of
Gangwon and
Hwanghae provinces.
Foreign relations
In 366, Geunchogo allied with
Silla, which bordered Baekje on the east, maintaining a rough balance of power among the Three Kingdoms.
Geunchogo also imported
Chinese culture and learning from the Eastern
Jin Dynasty. According to both Korean and Chinese sources, the first
diplomatic contact between Baekje and China took place in
372, when Geunchogo sent a mission to the court of Jin. In the same year, the Jin court sent a mission granting him the title of "General Stabilizing the East and Administrator-General of
Lelang."
During his reign, Baekje activated and led the commercial trading among China, Korean Peninsula and Japan; known as the triangle trade. Traditionally the commerce was mostly dominated by Chinese emperors; however, after China lost control of Lelang, northern China came under the rule of
Foreign People including
Xiongnu,
Xianbei and
Qiang, all of who were inexperienced at sea. Baekje established commanderies in the
Liaoxi regions of China and advanced into
Kyūshū of Japan, and rose as the new trading center of
East Asia.
[1]
Baekje also exported culture to Baekje's allies in the
Wa kingdom of
Yamato period Japan. The evidence of friendly relationship of Baekje with Japan is the
Seven-Branched Sword which Geunchogo granted to the
Yamato ruler. Geunchogo also sent scholars
Wang In and
Ajikki to Japan to spread knowledge of
Confucianism and
Chinese characters.
Culture
Geunchogo also encouraged culture; as Baekje forces occupied former
Daebang, many Chinese scholars were invited and came to Geunchogo's court. With advanced Chinese cultures adopted from those people and also imported culture from
Eastern Jin through trade, Baekje people enjoyed higher quality of life.
Also during his reign, a history of Baekje called ''Seogi'' (서기, 書記) was compiled by the scholar
Go Heung (고흥, 高興). Its primary purpose was not only to record history, but also to justify his and his family's rule and to display the power of Baekje. However, it has not survived.
Notes and references
1. http://kdaq.empas.com/koreandb/history/kpeople/person_view.html?n=9587&in=29204#his http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=26587
See also
★
History of Korea
★
List of Korea-related topics
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