The People of Former State of Koguryo and Silla : The East Asia Situation in the Late 7th Century

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Other Title
  • 高句麗遺民と新羅 --七世紀後半の東アジア情勢--
  • コウクリイミン ト シラギ : ナナセイキ コウハン ノ ヒガシアジア ジョウセイ

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Abstract

In 670 the people of the former state of Koguryo 高句麗 revolted against Tang 唐 with the support of Silla 新羅. Silla had been in conflict with Tang over the territory that had been controlled by Baekje 百濟. Therefore, Silla supported the people of the former Koguryo who revolted against Tang in order to stop Tang's large-scale military intervention. In this process, Keommujam 劍牟岑, from the former Koguryo state, invited Ansung 安勝, who was a son of the Koguryo minister Yongjaengto 淵淨土, to return from Silla and recommended him as their lord. But, Ansung killed Keommujam and escaped to Silla with 4, 000 households from the former Koguryo. Silla recognized Ansung as the legitimate son of Koguryo's last king, appointed him as the king of Koguryo, and supported the people of the former Koguryo who resisted Tang. In such circumstances, Silla supported the diplomacy of the people of the former Koguryo towards Japan. Because of conflict with Tang, Silla had to improve relations towards their former-enemy Japan and to prevent Japan from cooperating with Tang. Therefore, Silla used the people of the former Koguryo, who had maintained good relations with Japan before the state's downfall, and tried to obtain Japan's support with the people of the former Koguryo. After suppression of the resistance by the people of the former Koguryo to Tang, Koguryo envoys were dispatched under the escort of Silla missions on the pretext of requesting support for So Koguryo 小高句麗, which had been revived in Silla, in order to prevent Japan from cooperating with Tang. The Silla missions disguised themselves as missions from Imna 任 那, which had previously maintained good relations with Japan, in order to gain an advantage in diplomacy with Japan. After the downfall of Koguryo, Silla used the people of the former Koguryo instead of the Imna mission in order to build good relations with Japan. The activities of the people of the former Koguryo were closely related to Silla, Tang and Japan in the late 7th century. Here we can see the meaning of the activities of the people of the former Koguryo in East Asian history.

Journal

  • 東洋史研究

    東洋史研究 75 (1), 98-136, 2016-06-30

    THE TOYOSHI-KENKYU-KAI : The Society of Oriental Researches, Kyoto University

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