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114-535: According to the Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms , Gojoseon was established in 2333 BCE by Dangun, who was said to be born from the heavenly prince Hwanung and a bear-woman, Ungnyeo . While Dangun is a mythological figure of whose existence no concrete evidence has been found, some interpret his legend as reflections of the sociocultural situations involving the kingdom's early development. Regardless,

228-454: A Bronze Age material culture with influences from Manchuria, eastern Mongolia, as well as Siberia and Scythian bronze styles, flourished on the peninsula. Korean bronzes contain a higher percentage of zinc than those of the neighboring bronze cultures. Bronze artifacts, found most frequently in burial sites, consist mainly of swords, spears, daggers, small bells, and mirrors decorated with geometric patterns. Gojoseon's development seems linked to

342-513: A beautiful woman named Ungnyeo . Hwanung later married Ungnyeo, and she gave birth to Dangun . While the Dangun story is considered to be a myth, it is believed it is a mythical synthesis of a series of historical events relating to the founding of Gojoseon. There are various theories on the origin of this myth. Seo and Kang (2002) believe the Dangun myth is based on integration of two different tribes, an invasive sky-worshipping Bronze Age tribe and

456-426: A cane, you will be able to meet your wife." Her husband did as the old man said and the dragon really brought his wife out and sent her in front of them. This story portrays Lady Suro's unparalleled beauty that the water souls cannot ignore. A monk who adores Kim Nang-Ja enthusiastically begged Gwaneum Bodhisattva to realise love with her. However, one day, he heard that she had married. Choshin fell asleep resenting

570-423: A joint expedition against Qi. Led by the brilliant tactician Yue Yi , it was highly successful and within a year most of Qi's seventy walled cities had fallen, with the exception of Zimu and Lu. However, with the death of King Zhao and the expulsion of Yue Yi to Zhao by the new king, King Wei of Yan, General Tian Dan managed to recapture all of the cities from the 5 kingdoms. Despite the wars, Yan survived through

684-606: A largely common culture. In the Yu Gong (Tribute of Yu), a section of the Book of Documents which was most likely composed in the 4th century BC, the author describes a China that is divided into nine regions, each with its own distinctive culture and products. The core theme of this section is that these nine regions are unified into one state by the travels of the eponymous sage, Yu the Great and by sending each region's unique goods to

798-574: A long period of time prior to the writing of Samguk yusa . Il-yeon, who died in the temple after the completion of Samguk yusa , was known for caring for commoners who suffered under Mongolian rule during the end of the Goryeo period. Furthermore, Il-yeon refused the highest position of the Kingdom's Priest in order to care for his aging mother. The Korean peninsula was not yet united when the Samguk yusa

912-706: A mythological god which founded a "sacred race" ( shinsŏng chongjok ), Korean nationalist historiography aims to portray ancient Korea as a golden age of "gods and heroes" where Korea's cultural achievements rivaled those of China and Japan. Accordingly, Shin Chaeho elevated Dangun to play a similar role as did the Yellow Emperor in China and which Amaterasu does in Japan. Choe Nam-seon , according to his Purham culture theory  [ ko ] , places Dangun even above

1026-611: A native bear-worshipping neolithic tribe, that led to the foundation of Gojoseon. Lee K. B. (1984) believes 'Dangun-wanggeom' was a title borne by successive leaders of Gojoseon. Dangun is said to have founded Gojoseon around 2333 BC, based on the descriptions of the Samguk yusa , Jewang Ungi , Tongguk t'onggam and the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty . The date differs among historical sources, although all of them put it during

1140-468: A prominent place in Korean history. In terms of similarity, both of them were written by Koryo scholars who believed they were descended from not Koguryo but Silla. So, this contributed to the main focus of both Samguk yusa and Samguk sagi to emphasize the history of Silla. However, in contrast, they have some differences. Firstly, while the author of Samguk yusa was a devoted Buddhist monk, Samguk sagi

1254-402: A result of the influence of new populations migrating to Korea from Manchuria and Siberia. This type of pottery typically has thicker walls and displays a wider variety of shapes, indicating improvements in kiln technology. This period is sometimes called the "Korean Bronze Age", but bronze artifacts are relatively rare and regionalized until the 7th century BCE. Rice cultivation was extensive in

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1368-521: A war with the Yan state, but this indicates Gojoseon was already a large enough state that it could wage war against the Yan and survive the loss of 2000 li (800 kilometers) of territory. Gojoseon is thought to have relocated its capital to the Pyongyang region around this time. In 195 BCE, King Jun appointed a refugee from Yan, Wi Man , to guard the frontier. Wi Man later rebelled in 194 BC and usurped

1482-413: A writing contest for poems or essays, and poem recitation. Samguk yusa consists of a total of five volumes and two books, and apart from the volume, it consists of nine books, including Wangryeok, Gii, Heungbeop, Tapsang, Uihae, Sinju, Gamtong, Pieun, and Hyo-seon. Wangnyeok is a brief chronology of the Three Kingdoms, Garakguk, Later Goguryeo, and Later Baekje. Gii contains the archive from Gojoseon to

1596-488: Is a collection of three volumes, 3rd to 5th volumes of the Book of the Three Kingdoms. The title Samguk Yusa is written in large letters and in small letters, it is written as "Seokju" in the blue silk cover of the book. Every damaged and missing part of the copy was repaired and fully recovered to match the original contents. The volume consists of total 107 pages, 50 pages of the third chapter (missing first 6 pages), 31 pages of

1710-438: Is an incomplete set, researchers regard it as highly valuable. It is the first printed copy of the Samguk yusa to have been engraved on wood in 1934. This edition is considered meaningful from both the historical and academic perspectives as it is a crucial copy for the restoration of the original woodblock-printed copy of the Samguk yusa , given that it is the only source with which Chapters 28, 29, and 30, which are missing from

1824-682: Is complete out of all the Samguk yusa books published in Gyeongju in 1512 (the 7th year of King Jungjong). This edition is most used by academic scholars in research. The Beomeosa Samguk yusa (one book composed of volumes 4 and 5), designated as National Treasure No. 306-4, is kept at Beomeosa Temple in Busan in the form of one book not including volumes 1 to 3. Additional two woodblock-printed editions of Sanguk yusa have been excavated in addition to this copy, and they have been designated as National Treasure Nos. 306 and 306-3. Even though this edition

1938-573: Is estimated that Gojoseon developed so far as to be able to war against the Yan in the 4th century BCE. Gija , a man from the period of the Shang dynasty , allegedly fled to the Korean peninsula in 1122 BC during the fall of the Shang to the Zhou dynasty and founded Gija Joseon . Gija Joseon is recognized and mentioned in the earliest surviving Chinese record, Records of the Three Kingdoms . Gija's story

2052-452: Is known about this state except that it was the apparent predecessor to the Samhan confederacies. Around 300 BCE, iron technology was introduced into Korea from Yan state. Iron was produced locally in the southern part of the peninsula by the 2nd century BCE. According to Chinese accounts, iron from the lower Nakdong River in the southeast was valued throughout the peninsula and Japan. In

2166-432: Is represented by the star Zeta Capricorni in the "Twelve States" asterism , part of the lunar mansion " Girl " in the " Black Tortoise " symbol . Yan is also represented by the star Nu Ophiuchi in the "Left Wall" asterism in the "Heavenly Market" enclosure . Before the state of Qin unified China in 221 BC, each region had its own unique customs and culture, although all were dominated by an upper class that shared

2280-614: Is the age of the start of various institutions, teachings, religious practices, and cults. The tales are both descriptive and prescriptive because they have been the source of the Korean Buddhist tradition to the present day as the birth of the tradition is described in the book. The places which are mentioned in the book are important religious points in current South Korea also. “The naming of mountains in Samguk Yusa connects Korea with China and India and symbolically recreates

2394-560: Is the earliest extant record of the Dangun legend, which records the founding of Gojoseon as the first Korean nation. The Samguk yusa is National Treasure No. 306. Samguk yusa is a history book which is composed of five volumes in total and is divided into nine parts within the five volumes. The Samguk yusa documents various tales and legends which are categorized into two parts: historical events and Buddhist narratives. The text contains various historical narratives such as tales of

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2508-402: Is the earliest manuscript ever published in the late 14th century (the early Joseon Dynasty) before the 7th year of King Jungjong (1512) of Joseon Dynasty. Moreover, it is a valuable resource to correct errors in the edition in early Joseon period and it also works as a bibliography. Yan (state) Yan ( Chinese : 燕 ; pinyin : Yān ; Old Chinese pronunciation: * ʔˤe[n] )

2622-448: Is valuable as both of the history books are not accessible now. The inscription of Samguk Yusa is also a relatively credible source, but its contents are mainly confined to the mobilization of the peasantry for dike construction and the description of land property for the temple. There is scepticism surrounding this history book as well. It was not able to precisely interpret and explain the detailed picture of Silla itself as this book

2736-641: The Bamboo Annals and the Analects of Confucius, which were among the first works to mention Gija, but do not mention his migration to Gojoseon. Gija Joseon might have just existed as a symbol of the pre- Qin dynasty migrants who escaped the chaos of the Warring States period . Wi Man was a military officer of the Yan of northeastern China who fled to the northern Korean peninsula in 195 BCE from

2850-695: The Changbai Mountains on the Sino-Korean border as a part of Korean heritage, by virtue of connection with the mythical Dangun. The mountain, however, was also claimed by the Manchus of the Qing dynasty as part of their origin myth at least since the 17th century, and the mountain range is considered sacred in Han Chinese culture as well. This nationalist identification of Baekdu with Koreans

2964-503: The Han dynasty during the war between Han and Chu in order to keep his title, but once the war was finished he revolted. Liu Bang (later Emperor Gaozu of Han ) sent Fan Kuai and Zhou Bo to put down the rebellion, and they captured and executed Zang Tu. His son Zang Yan fled to exile among the Xiongnu . Lu Wan became the new King of Yan and reigned there for most of Liu Bang's life, until

3078-647: The Qin dynasty . In 207 BC, the Qin dynasty collapsed and China resumed a state of civil war . King Wu Chen of Zhao eventually sent General Han Guang to conquer Yan for Zhao, but upon his conquest, Han Guang appointed himself King of Yan. Han Guang had sent General Zang Tu to assist Xiang Yu , the king of Chu , in his war against Qin. When Zang Tu returned, Han Guang was ordered to become King of Liaodong instead. When Han Guang refused, Zang Tu killed him and declared himself King of both Yan and Liaodong. Zang Tu submitted Yan to

3192-460: The Samguk sagi . Since it is also the same in reserve, it is found that the two works complement each other. Kim Pu-shik attempted a more rational and logical approach towards the historical writings, whereas the romantic Buddhism approach of Samguk yusa of the Koryo dynasty allowed the readers to experience the old historical cultures such as superstitions, folklore, and mythical stories. Both of

3306-415: The Samguk yusa chiefly handled the stories of the upper class of Silla instead of the ordinary people. Although the readers who have the purpose of understanding the entire history have to merely rely on the resources that he chose to insert in the Samguk yusa , it is recommended as a worthwhile read for the purpose of comprehending the overall landscape of Silla. The three Kingdom periods in Samguk yusa

3420-593: The Samhan confederacies, the beginnings of Baekje and Silla , continuing to absorb migration from the north. The Samhan confederacies were Mahan , Jinhan , and Byeonhan . King Jun ruled Mahan, which was eventually annexed by Baekje. Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla gradually grew into the Three Kingdoms of Korea that dominated the entire peninsula by around the 4th century. Samguk yusa Samguk yusa ( Korean :  삼국유사 ; Korean pronunciation: [sʰam.ɡuk̚.ju.sa] ) or Memorabilia of

3534-562: The Xiongnu against the Han . In response, Emperor Wu commissioned a two-pronged attack, one by land and one by sea, against Gojoseon. The two forces attacking Gojoseon were unable to coordinate well with each other and suffered large losses. Eventually, the commands were merged, and Wanggeom fell in 108 BCE. Han took over the Gojoseon lands and established Four Commanderies of Han in the western part of former Gojoseon. Gojoseon disintegrated by

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3648-824: The Yellow River to the Yalu River and from the mountains of Shanxi to the Liaodong Peninsula . As the northernmost of all the Chinese states during this time period, Yan faced incursions from steppe nomads and as such, built great walls. According to Sima Qian 's Records of the Grand Historian , King Wu of Zhou deposed King Zhou of Shang at the Battle of Muye ( c.  1046 BC ) and conferred titles to nobles within his domain, including

3762-431: The sadaejuui followers, and the big-power chauvinists". The first mentions of Gojoseon are found in historical records of Guanzi . It locates Gojoseon around Bohai Bay and mentions the state trading with Qi (齊) of China. The Zhanguoce , Shanhaijing , and Shiji —containing some of its earliest records—refers to Joseon as a region, until the text Shiji began referring it as a country from 195 BC onwards. By

3876-486: The 1st century BCE as it gradually lost the control of its former fiefs. Many successor states sprang from its former territory, such as Buyeo , Okjeo , Dongye . Goguryeo and Baekje arose out from Buyeo. Around 2000 BCE, a new pottery culture of painted and chiseled design was developed. These people practiced agriculture in a settled communal life, probably organized into familial clans. Rectangular huts and increasingly larger dolmen burial sites were found throughout

3990-488: The 4th century BCE, other states with defined political structures developed in the areas of the earlier Bronze Age "walled-town states"; Gojoseon was the most advanced of them in the peninsular region. The city-state expanded by incorporating other neighboring city-states by alliance or military conquest. Thus, a vast confederation of political entities between the Taedong and Liao rivers was formed. As Gojoseon evolved, so did

4104-593: The Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, but when Kim Nang-ja came at night and asked to have a relationship, he went to his hometown together with joy and lived for more than 40 years. In the meantime, he had five children, but he was poor and wandered around. His 15-year-old child starved to death while passing through Haehyeonryeong Pass in Myeongju, but he failed to hold a funeral. When Kim Nang-ja says, "Let's break up with each other rather than continue

4218-534: The Chinese Sexagenary Cycle . In terms of structure, 24 out of 49 pages are generally longer than 1 cm in length compared to Jeongdeokbon edition. In terms of content, it can be seen that it was published in the early Joseon Dynasty, as they were written in the style to avoid the names of Goryeo Dynasty's kings. Moreover, it includes many differences compared to the Jeongdeok edition, which

4332-448: The Chinese and Japanese emperors, because those rulers were supposedly Shamanistic rulers of the ancient Korean "Părk" tradition. The Dangun story also lends credence to claims that Korean heritage is over 5000 years old. According to Hyung Il Pai, the popularity of Dangun studies can be said to "reflect the progressively ultra-nationalistic trend in Korean historical and archaeological scholarship today". Shin Chaeho named Mount Paektu in

4446-508: The Chinese characters used in the text in Hangul (Korean alphabet), it is an applicable material for researchers of Korea’s ancient language. It was designated as the national treasure of the Republic of Korea on August 27, 2020 This book contains volumes 3-5 of Samguk yusa . The first 10 pages of volume 3, and pages 18 to 31 of volume 5 (total of 23 pages) are missing. The cover of this book

4560-527: The King of Zhou in present-day Xi'an and was awarded a position in the king's court. Some time during the 7th century BC in the late Western Zhou or early Eastern Zhou , Yan absorbed the State of Ji , a smaller kingdom to the north and moved its capital to that of Ji in modern-day Xicheng District , Beijing. To the south, the bordering states of Zhao and Qi were Yan's main rivals. The mountainous border in

4674-475: The Three Kingdoms is a collection of legends, folktales and historical accounts relating to the Three Kingdoms of Korea ( Goguryeo , Baekje , and Silla ), as well as to other periods and states before, during and after the Three Kingdoms period. " Samguk yusa is a historical record compiled by the Buddhist monk Il-yeon in 1281 (the 7th year of King Chungnyeol of Goryeo) in the late Goryeo Dynasty." It

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4788-501: The Three Kingdoms period, myths, legends, genealogies, histories, and Buddhist tales, which have helped maintain folklore from medieval Korea. "Yusa" is a term used to describe a text that is supplementary to an earlier work. Samguk yusa is intended to provide additional information to texts such as the Samguk Sagi . The beginning of Samguk yusa describes Dangun Wanggeom , who is a mythological ancestor of all Koreans, founding

4902-597: The Warring States period. In 227 BC, with Qin troops on the border after the collapse of Zhao, Crown Prince Dan sent an assassin named Jing Ke to kill the king of Qin (later Qin Shi Huang ), hoping to end the Qin threat. The mission failed, with Jing Ke dying at the hands of the King of Qin in Xianyang . Surprised and enraged by such a bold act, the king of Qin called on Wang Jian to destroy Yan. Crushing

5016-464: The account of Dangun has played an important role in the development of Korean identity. Today, the founding date of Gojoseon is officially celebrated as National Foundation Day in North and South Korea . Some sources claim that in the 12th century BCE, following the establishment of Gojoseon, Jizi (also known as Gija), a sage who belonged to the royal family from the Shang dynasty , immigrated to

5130-465: The actual sacred places of Buddhism in Korea. ” Most of the stories in Samguk yusa included a common topos, when temples and statues’ remains are found and disclosed on key locations such as mountains. This can be described as a form of hierophany and the religious key places of Silla included those locations. The story in Samguk Yusa enlists ten thousand of Buddhas and bodhisattvas changing themselves at

5244-503: The adoption of bronze technology. Its singularity finds its most notable expression in the idiosyncratic type of bronze swords, or "mandolin-shaped daggers" ( 비파형동검 ; 琵琶形銅劍 ). The mandolin-shape dagger is found in the regions of Liaoning , Hebei , and Manchuria down to the Korean Peninsula. It suggests the existence of Gojoseon dominions. Remarkably, the shape of the "mandolin" dagger of Gojoseon differs significantly from

5358-474: The ambassador assassinated Wi Jang (長降) and claimed to Emperor Wu that he had defeated Joseon in battle. Emperor Wu, unaware of this deception, made him the military commander of the Commandery of Liaodong. The outraged King Ugeo made a raid on Liaodong and killed She He. Scholars also hypothesize that the initiation of war may also have been because the Han dynasty was concerned that Gojoseon would ally with

5472-475: The apex of the different mountains. Moreover, this story introduces Korea as a country with the best karmic conditions in the world for building a large statue of the Buddha, even more suitable than India, the home of Buddhism. The mountains were later changed into one large religious area including of multiple temples and shrines. Each of the locations was devoted to certain buddhas and bodhisattvas and were used for

5586-446: The authenticating presence of Chinese civilization. Until the 12th century CE, Koreans commonly believed that Dangun bestowed upon Korea its people and basic culture, while Gija gave Korea its high culture, and presumably, standing as a legitimate civilisation. Many modern experts have denied Gija Joseon's existence for various reasons, mainly due to contradicting archaeological evidence and anachronistic historical evidence. They point to

5700-594: The behaviour of East Asians, including China and Korea, was marginally dealt with in the Buddhism-dominant Samguk yusa tales as a subjugated religion. For example, in the Tale of the Monk Chinjong, Chinjong's filial reasons for not wanting to enter the monastic life are countered by his mother, and this reflects that the monastic life would be regarded as even more filial behaviour than ignoring

5814-531: The book of Gogeumju ( 古今注 ) written by Cui Bao (崔豹) of the Western Jin period, poetry called Gonghuyin (箜篌引) or Gongmudohaga  [ ko ] ( 공무도하가 ; 公無渡河歌 ) is said to be of Gojoseon origin. The poetry is as follows: 公無渡河 "Don't cross the river, my love." 公竟渡河 "My love eventually crossed the river.' 墮河而死 "Now that my love is drowned," 當奈公何 "There's nothing that I can do." Numerous small states and confederations arose from

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5928-470: The bulk of the Yan army at the frozen Yi River , Ji fell the following year and the ruler, King Xi, fled to the Liaodong Peninsula. In 222 BC, Liaodong fell as well, and Yan was overrun by Qin. Yan was the third to last state to fall, and with its destruction the fates of the remaining two kingdoms were sealed. In 221 BC, Qin conquered all of China, ending the Warring States period and founding

6042-496: The capital as tribute. Other texts also discussed these regional variations in culture and physical environments. One of these texts was The Book of Master Wu , written in response to a query by Marquis Wu of Wei on how to cope with the other states. Wu Qi , the author of the work, declared that the government and nature of the people were reflective of the terrain they live in. Of Yan, he said: Yan's defensive formations are solid but lack flexibility(燕陳守而不走). and: The Yan are

6156-413: The city of Shinsi. Then a bear and a tiger came to Hwanung and said that they wanted to become people. Hwanung said to them that if they went in a cave and lived there for 100 days while only eating mugwort and garlic he would change them into human beings. However, about halfway through the 100 days the tiger gave up and ran out of the cave. The bear, in contrast, successfully restrained herself and became

6270-588: The copy withdrawn relatively early among other extant copies of the Jeongdeok Edition of Samguk yusa, and has value as the bibliography of the Jeongdeok Edition (also known as the Imshin Edition of King Jungjong).” It is the only copy of the Jeongdeok Edition to include Korean endings on the Chinese characters. The Jung-gu version of Samguk Yusa is the only copy with Volume 2 and no other volumes. In this copy, 4 sheets (17-20) out of 49 pages of

6384-482: The decline and eventual downfall of Gojoseon, described in Yan records as "arrogant" and "cruel". But the ancient kingdom also appears as a prosperous Bronze Age civilization with a complex social structure, including a class of horse-riding warriors who contributed to the development of Gojoseon and its northern expansion into most of the Liaodong basin. Around 300 BCE, Gojoseon lost significant western territory after

6498-401: The definitive 1512 recension. Ha Chongnyong and Yi Kunjik produced a critical edition of Samguk yusa in 1997. According to Ha Chongnyong, Iryeon wrote only the fifth fascicle, since his name is mentioned only in that section of the text. The 1512 edition of the text mentions a dynastic chronology at the beginning, which has several discrepancies with the information that appears later in

6612-632: The different ways that people could consider themselves Korean by eliminating diverse and possible viewpoints that are not rooted in this conservative mythology. In order to honor and pass down Il-yeon's achievements and life, the Inagak temple holds annual festivals such as the Cultural Festival of Il-yeon Samguk Yusa under the assistance of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the festival activities include an academic seminar for academics,

6726-536: The dominant type of art in ancient Korean art history. “The Tapsang section, in particular, mainly focuses on the founding of pagodas, Buddhist images and temples, is an essential source for the study of various remains and relics of both historical and archeological value. Lastly, the book includes various written records about young soldiers during the Silla Dynasty. Samguk sagi and Samguk yusa are often compared in terms of Korean history books, both holding

6840-466: The earliest extant publication of the text is from 1512 CE. 20th-century Korean scholars such as Choe Nam-seon established the Buddhist monk Il-yeon (1206–1289) as the main compiler of the text, on the basis that his name (and full official title) was indicated in the fifth fascicle . This view is widely accepted among modern scholars. The compilation is believed to have been expanded by Iryeon's disciple Muguk (1250–1322) and several others prior to

6954-400: The elite class. Around the 6th century BCE, burnished red wares, made of a fine iron-rich clay and characterized by a smooth, lustrous surface, appear in dolmen tombs, as well as in domestic bowls and cups. In 1964, through a joint excavation by China and North Korea, Gangsang tomb ( 강상무덤 ; 崗上墓 ) and Nusang tomb ( 누상무덤 ; 樓上墓 ) were found in 1964 at the Liaodong peninsula. Nusang

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7068-522: The emperor discovered that he had sent officials to the courts of the rebel Chen Xi and the Xiongnu chanyu Modu . Summoned to the imperial court, Lu Wan feigned illness and then fled to the Xiongnu, who honored him as the King of the Eastern Nomads ( Donghu ) until his death. In the meantime, Yan came under direct control of the Han dynasty and was treated as a princely appanage . Yan

7182-474: The encroaching Han dynasty . He founded a principality with Wanggeom-seong as its capital, which is thought to be in the region of present-day Pyongyang. The 3rd-century Chinese text Weilüe of the Sanguozhi recorded that Wi Man usurped King Jun and thus took over the kingship of Gojoseon. Gojoseon mythology and history can be divided into three phases, Dangun, Gija Joseon, and Wi Man Joseon. Around

7296-429: The existence of Buddhism in the pre-modern era, the time of the tale's telling. Turning to the statistics, the writings of Samguk Yusa consist of Buddhist stories, including both the principles of Buddhism and various Buddhist monks, accounting for approximately forty-nine percent (49.5%) of the total. In terms of adequate factual delivery, Samguk Yusa conveys relatively insufficient historical information, such as about

7410-598: The explanation of Kwallogup (officials' land) and Sigup (the land for producing food), which are well described in Samguk sagi in detail. Nonetheless, the Samguk yusa and Samguk sagi are mutually regarded as complementary regarding uncompleted ancient recordings among Koreans today. Many of the founding legends of the various kingdoms in Korean history are recorded in Samguk yusa . The text covers legends from many Korean kingdoms, including Gojoseon , Wiman Joseon , Buyeo , Goguryeo , Baekje , Silla , and Gaya . Unlike

7524-439: The filial piety. Furthermore, the book is quite biased in terms of providing an unbiased description of the social stratum. The aristocracy and members of the upper class constitute over half of the total number of narrative protagonists, with the figures correlated with Buddhist monks or nuns making up approximately twenty-five percent, and commoners only making up around eight percent of the contexts. It can be clarified that

7638-496: The first nation of Korea, named Gojoseon . The text also contains several well known tales such as Choshin's Dream and Lady Suro. Samguk yusa , was written in the Ingak Temple in the 13th century. The author, Il-yeon, became a monk at the age of eight in 1214, working as an abbot in various temples, attending royal conferences at the king's command, and hosting important Buddhist events until his death in 1289. The book

7752-681: The former Gojoseon territory. After the fragmentation of the Han Empire during the 3rd century and the subsequent chaotic 4th century , the area escaped Chinese control and was conquered by Goguryeo in 313 CE. The capital of Gojoseon was Wanggeom (modern Pyongyang ) from at least the 2nd century BCE. In the southern region of the Korean Peninsula, the Jin state arose by the 3rd century BCE. There are three different main founding myths concerning Gojoseon, which revolve around Dangun, Gija, or Wi Man. The myths revolving around Dangun were recorded in

7866-437: The fourth chapter, and 26 pages of the fifth chapter (missing last 4 pages). On the other hand, it is possible that most of the early Joseon books were not applied to the subjects of the Goryeo kings' names, such as Yong (the father of King Taejo) and Mu (the name of Hyejong) who were replaced by other characters in honor and samga. In terms of content, there are many differences in text from various books of Jeongdeokbon. This book

7980-416: The historical books are also generally focused on certain backgrounds in terms of religion. Despite Samguk sagi 's reasonable writing, nationalist historians and scholars refer to it as a Chinese Confucian-centered book, arguing that it instils a subordinate attitude ( Sadae ) with the ancient tradition ignored. In contrast, in the case of Samguk yusa , the majority of the text is dedicated to Buddhism, which

8094-409: The intention of integrating them into the whole story. In terms of Il-yeon's research approach, Il-yeon regarded the quality and quantity of the resources as crucial elements for his work, used the "inserted textual commentary" in order to seriously evaluate his resources, allowed the readers to access comparative information about the history, and even expressed concerns about the reliability when there

8208-485: The late Three Kingdoms Period. The purpose of Gii is written at the beginning of the passage. Heungbeop is about the rise of Buddhism in the Three Kingdoms, and Tapsang includes pagodas and Buddhist images. Uihae contains narratives of famous monks during the Silla period. Sinju includes the tales about miracles that happened through esoteric Buddhism during the Silla dynasty. Gamtong is about stories of devotion. Pieun contains

8322-549: The later Korean work Samguk yusa of the 13th century. This work states that Dangun , the offspring of a heavenly prince and a bear-woman, founded Gojoseon in 2333 BC, and was succeeded by Gija (Qizi) after King Wu of Zhou had placed him onto the throne in 1122 BC. A similar account is found in Jewang Ungi . According to the legend, the Lord of Heaven, Hwanin had a son, Hwanung , who descended to Baekdu Mountain and founded

8436-469: The legends of solitary heroes. Hyoseon contains folktales of filial piety and Buddhist virtues. Although it is divided into many parts, the composition of the entire book can be briefly described below: The text was written in Classical Chinese , which was used by literate Koreans at the time of its composition. The earliest version of the text is believed to have been compiled in the 1280s, and

8550-587: The lower parts of South Korea and Manchuria in the periods between 1900 BCE to 200 CE. The beginning of the Bronze Age on the peninsula is usually said to be 1000 BCE, but estimates range from the 13th to 8th centuries BCE. Although the Korean Bronze Age culture derives from the Liaoning and Manchuria, it exhibits unique typology and styles, especially in ritual objects. By the 7th century BCE,

8664-489: The mid- Joseon dynasty , the established view among historians traced Korean origins to Chinese refugees, considering Korean history that of a long series of kingdoms connected with China. As such, the Gija Joseon and Silla states were valorized, while the Gojoseon and Goguryeo states were not considered as important. According to this view, the first state in Korea, Gija Joseon , was founded by Jizi in 1122 BCE, who

8778-411: The minister took advantage and seized power. While this crisis happened, in 314 BC Qi invaded and in a little over several months practically conquered the country. However, due to the misconduct of Qi troops during the conquest of Yan a revolt eventually drove them away and the borders of Yan were restored. Yan's new king, King Zhao of Yan then plotted with the states of Zhao, Qin , Han and Wei for

8892-420: The miserable life as it is," Choshin agrees and awakes from his dream while trying to leave the road after sharing the children with each other. After experiencing a miserable life of poverty and bareness in a dream, he realizes how vain human life is. It is owned by Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies. This book is known as the earliest edition of Samguk Yusa . It is the only book without missing pages and

9006-490: The more factually-oriented Samguk sagi , the Samguk yusa focuses on various folktales, legends and biographies from early Korean history. Given its mythical narratives, Samguk yusa ' s reliability is questionable. The author attempted to keep original phrases drawn from various sources, including Chinese Buddhist literature, Korean historical literature, and languages written in epigraphy, and he sometimes omitted unnecessary phrases or paraphrased several expressions with

9120-580: The mythical Emperor Yao 's reign (traditional dates: 2357 BC? – 2256 BC?). Samguk yusa says Dangun ascended to the throne in the 50th year of the legendary Yao's reign, Annals of the King Sejong says the first year, and Tongguk t'onggam says the 25th year. In the 7th century BCE, the Yan pioneered the Northeast regions. According to The Growth of Yan and The Context of Guanzi , it can be presumed that Gojoseon grew through trade in this era. It

9234-555: The northern nomadic tribes. The currency of Yan was crafted into the shape of a knife, a form closely associated with the nomads. This form of currency might have been specially made for trade with the nomads, demonstrating the importance of commercial relations with them. The strongest opposition came from the Qi, one of the strongest states in China. A succession crisis started in Yan in 325 BC when king Zikuai symbolically resigned his throne in favor of his minister Zizhi to prove his humility;

9348-572: The northern part of the Korean Peninsula and became the founder of Gija Joseon . There are many interpretations of Gojoseon and Gija Joseon as well as debates regarding Gija Joseon's existence. In 194 BCE, the ruling dynasty of Gojoseon was overthrown by Wi Man (Wei Man in Chinese), a refugee from the Han vassal state of Yan , who then established Wiman Joseon . In 108 BCE, the Han dynasty, under Emperor Wu , invaded and conquered Wiman Joseon. The Han established four commanderies to administer

9462-534: The other copies, can be included, along with the missing letters and errors in the copy published in 1512 (the 7th year of King Jungjong’s reign). Additionally, the collection at Beomeosa Temple is found to be closely related to the one published in 1512 in terms of its font, size, and spacing between the lines, which shows its importance for bibliographical research was recognized even during the Joseon Dynasty . Moreover, as it contains information on how to read

9576-409: The other hand, studies have found that " Samguk Sagi was almost immediately accepted as one of the most definitive histories of its time and within several decades was read even in China." Therefore, it can be considered that even though the Samguk yusa was written a century later, Iryon considerably relied on the Samguk sagi . Moreover, the Samguk yusa contains the historical elements not found in

9690-535: The peninsula. Bronze daggers and mirrors have been excavated, and there is archaeological evidence of small walled-town states in this period. Dolmens and bronze daggers found in the area are uniquely Korean and cannot be found in China. A few dolmens are found in China, mostly in the Shandong province. In the Mumun pottery period (1500 – 300 BCE), plain coarse pottery replaced earlier comb-pattern wares, possibly as

9804-485: The recent age. Moreover, it is one of the limited sources for the study of ancient Korean language systems. Especially, 14 pieces of hyangga (ancient Korean folk songs) are an essential part of a study in classical Korean literature. Moreover, the writer, Iryon uses different styles of writing including ones from the Sinitic Buddhist Culture. The book also includes plenty of information on Buddhist art,

9918-616: The records of mythical events (historical and cultural facts from the Gojoseon to the Late Three Kingdoms period). Even though, part 3 and 5 remain out of a total of five books, this copy is valuable in that it is a complete edition without any missing pages as an early Joseon book. In addition, it has an important value in that it can supplement letters that are difficult to read among the Samguk Yusa published in 1512 (7th year of King Jungjong's reign) and identify cited literary works of which there are no extant copies. This book

10032-480: The remnants of Gojoseon, including Goguryeo , the Buyeo kingdom , Okjeo , and Dongye . Three of the Chinese commanderies fell to local resistance within a few decades, but the last, Nakrang, remained an important commercial and cultural outpost until it was destroyed by the expanding Goguryeo in 313 CE. Jun of Gojoseon is said to have fled to the state of Jin in the southern Korean Peninsula. Jin developed into

10146-657: The ritual practices to be performed. The text covers a wide range of subjects, including geography, literature, religion, art, and folklore, as well as ancient history. The stories naturally came from the Goryeo people's lives under the extreme suffering in the Mongol-dominant era in order to strengthen both their identity as a nation and as descendants of a common ancestor. Among them, there are representative stories. When Soon Jeong-gong had lunch at Imhaejeong Pavilion while taking office as Gangneung Taesu during King Seongdeok's reign, Soon Jeong's wife, lady Suro saw that

10260-414: The royal azalea flowers were in full bloom asked people around her to pick those flowers and an old man who was walking along the street with a cow listened to his wife, picked the flower to her. After this, a dragon suddenly appeared from the sea, dragged Soon Jeong's wife, Lady Suro, into the sea and an old man appeared suddenly and said, "If you gather the people and sing a song and hit the river hill with

10374-525: The rulers of the Yan. In the 11th century BC, Yan's capital was based in what is now Liulihe Township , Fangshan District , Beijing , where a large walled settlement and over 200 tombs of nobility have been unearthed. Among the most significant artifacts from the Liulihe Site is a bronze ding with inscriptions that recount the journey of the eldest son of the Duke of Yan, who delivered offerings to

10488-526: The son of a tiger and a bear – the latter being common in Japanese folklore – who brought civilization to the Korean peninsula. Shin and the other historians who promulgated this myth had been influenced by Daejonggyo , a new religious movement which worshipped Dangun, but attacked pre-annexation textbook narratives of Dangun which portrayed him as the brother of the Japanese god Susanoo . To Shin, Dangun

10602-558: The strongest states in China. During the Warring States period from the 5th to 3rd centuries BC, Yan was one of the last states to be conquered by the armies of Qin Shihuang : Yan fell in 222 BC, the year before the declaration of the Qin Empire . Yan experienced a brief period of independence after the collapse of the Qin dynasty in 207 BC, but it was eventually absorbed by the victorious Han . During its height, Yan stretched from

10716-650: The sword artifacts found in China. Megalithic dolmens appear in Korean peninsula and Manchuria around 2000 BCE to 400 BCE. Around 900 BCE, burial practices become more elaborate, a reflection of increasing social stratification. Goindol, the dolmen tombs in Korea and Manchuria, comprising upright stones supporting a horizontal slab, are more numerous in Korea than in other parts of East Asia. Other new forms of burial are stone cists (underground burial chambers lined with stone) and earthenware jar coffins. The bronze objects, pottery, and jade ornaments recovered from dolmens and stone cists indicate that such tombs were reserved for

10830-456: The text were restored. The cover is restored in a Manja pattern with a five-needle red thread, and the binding is in good condition. On the front cover, "Hwangmajungyangwolmaedeuk Nisannamssigajang" is written with ink in the center. Moreover, the word, "Nisanjang" on the middle of back cover, indicates that it was purchased and kept by a person with surname Nam in February of the 55th year of

10944-510: The text. According to Robert Buswell, Jr. and Donald S. Lopez, Jr. , this chronology may have been a fourteenth-century addition to Iryeon's compilation. Importance as the national treasure “Samguk yusa is considered as an extremely important cultural heritage representing ancient Korean history, geography, literature, religion, language, folklore, art, archeology, etc. ” The Samguk Yusa mostly includes ancient literary works about history, Buddhism, and legends, most of which does not exist in

11058-593: The throne of Gojoseon. King Jun fled to Jin in the south of the Korean Peninsula . In 109 BCE, Emperor Wu of Han invaded near the Liao River . A conflict would erupt in 109 BCE, when Wi Man's grandson King Ugeo ( 우거왕 ; 右渠王 ) refused to let Jin's ambassadors through his territory in order to reach the Han dynasty. King Ugeo refused and had his son, Prince Wi Jang (長降) escort the ambassador back home. However, when they got close to Han's borders,

11172-525: The title and function of its leader, who came to be designated as "king" ( Han ), in the tradition of the Zhou dynasty , around the same time as the Yan (燕) leader. Records of that time mention the hostility between the feudal state in Northern China and the "confederated" kingdom of Gojoseon. Notably, a plan to attack the Yan beyond the Liao River frontier is recorded. This confrontation led to

11286-556: The west between Zhao and Yan became the area in which their armies often clashed. Despite this, the war between Zhao and Yan usually dragged on into a stalemate, requiring the help of other kingdoms to conclude. At the turn of the 3rd century BC, General Qin Kai launched a series of campaigns against the Donghu and Gojoseon , expanding the kingdom's frontiers nearly one thousand kilometers east to northwestern Korean Peninsula . A Great Wall

11400-511: Was a disgruntled Chinese advisor to the Shang dynasty . The story of how he brought poetry, music, medicine, trade, and a political system to the Korean peninsula was conceived similarly to the proposed Founding of Rome by the Trojan refugee Aeneas . But by the 1930s, under the influence of Shin Chaeho 's histories, the Jizi Korean founding story became less popular than that of Dangun ,

11514-611: Was an ancient Chinese state during the Zhou dynasty . Its capital was Ji (later known as Yanjing and now Beijing ). During the Warring States period, the court was also moved to another capital at Xiadu at times. The history of Yan began in the Western Zhou in the early first millennium BC. After the authority of the Zhou king declined during the Spring and Autumn period in the 8th century BC, Yan survived and became one of

11628-414: Was both the founder of the Korean minjok and the first Korean state ( kuk ), and thus the necessary starting point for Korean history. In response to a challenge by the Japanese scholars Shiratori Kurakichi and Imanishi Ryū of Dangun as a fabrication by the author of the Samguk yusa , nationalist historian Choe Nam-seon attacked Japanese mythology as being built upon fabrications. By focusing on

11742-399: Was cemented by the operation of Korean independence movement partisans operating from the Chinese border and legitimized with associations to the history of the Gojoseon and Balhae states. The Chinese civilizational connection to ancient Korea continues to be attacked by North Korean historians, who allege that the history of Gija Joseon was "viciously distorted by the feudal ruling class,

11856-447: Was composed, so one of the Samguk yusa myths, Dangun, which is regarded as the root of all Koreans, has long been believed to have contributed to the idea of "one blood, one nation" among Koreans, as well as helped themselves to be characterized as a "common blood race". However, there is also criticism that the sense of one blood could lead to not only marginalizing those who are not regarded as "genuinely Korean," but also restricting

11970-508: Was constructed on Yan's new northern borders, and five commanderies , Shanggu , Yuyang , Youbeiping , Liaoxi and Liaodong , were subsequently established for the defense against the Donghu. The Central Plains states seemed to hold Yan culture and other peripheral states like Qin in low regard. Archaeological discoveries in the state of Yan have uncovered ornaments that, while inscribed with Chinese writing, were close in style to that of

12084-423: Was found earlier prior to the excavation in 1958 Gangsang and Nusang tombs are considered to be burial cairn tombs of local nobilities of Gojoseon. Some consider the tombs as the evidences of the slavery that could have existed, but others find that the evidences are inadequate and lacking to deduce such conclusion. Around this time, the state of Jin occupied the southern part of the Korean peninsula. Very little

12198-535: Was further developed in later Korean texts such as Samguk yusa and Jewang ungi . By the middle of Goryeo dynasty, a state cult had developed around Gija. The Dongsa Gangmok of 1778 described Gija's activities and contributions in Gojoseon. The records of Gija refer to Eight Prohibitions ( 범금팔조 ; 犯禁八條 ), that are recorded by the Book of Han and evidence a hierarchical society with legal protections of private property. In pre-modern Korea, Gija represented

12312-509: Was insufficient information to depict. Besides, Il-yeon attempted to use various versions of the same story when he recorded folktales and myths. For instance, when Il-yeon recorded the story of Tangun at the beginning of the book, he exactly added the comments that the Tangun story was quoted from both the Wei-shu [Wei Dynasty History] and Tangun Kogi [Ancient Record of Tangun]. This comment

12426-443: Was published in Gyeongju in 1512 (the 7th year of the reign of King Jungjong), and acts as a reference to compare and correct the mistakes in the Jeongdeok edition. This copy of Samguk Yusa , designated as National Treasure of Korea (No. 306-3) is an early Joseon edition. Along with Royal calendar, the brief chronology of Silla, Goguryeo, Baekje, Gaya, and Unified Silla, Later Goguryeo (including Goryeo), and Later Baekjae, it contains

12540-519: Was restored, and the five-hole woven with a red thread was used for the title page. This book was kept by Choe Nam-seon, and was later donated to Korea University in Seoul. This book originated from the edition published in Gyeongju in 1512 (the 7th year of the reign of King Jungjong of the Joseon Dynasty), which is the most commonly used version in the latest academic fields. “The book belongs to

12654-490: Was tailored to the Korean style under the Buddhist author's influence with the only occasion when Confucianism is witnessed is Part 9 which expresses filial piety as a way of Buddhism. Naturally, the contents of Samguk yusa could not help being influenced more greatly by Il-yeon's Buddhist value than Samguk sagi . Il-yeon's work provides four bizarre stories depicting the discovery of archaeological artifacts to demonstrate

12768-568: Was written by a Confucian scholar-statesman, Kim Pu-shik , allowing readers to access the two different historical works according to the perspectives of the Buddhist or Confucian official. According to the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea, "the book contains a wide range of records about young soldiers of the Silla Period, which are more religious and poetical than those written in Samguk sagi ." On

12882-474: Was written during the Mongol conquest of Europe and East Asia, including China and Korea. They invaded Korea for the first time in 1231, and it brought a devastating blow to the lives of Koreans by destroying valuable cultural properties, recordings, and literature. This invasion motivated Il-yeon to protect all of the folklore and stories handed down. Il-yeon collected and analyzed many works of Korean culture for

12996-438: Was written in the Koryo period, during which a lot of time had passed from the three kingdoms period. The stories of the other nations of the three-kingdom period "Koguryo" and Paekche " are excluded, making up the overwhelming bulk of the Silla stories, especially the stories that came from Korea's south-eastern region, "Kyngsang," known as Il-yeon's place of birth. With regard to religion, Confucianism, which greatly influenced

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