GGHS 2019 Winter - Team 1

Write introduction about topic here.

Team

No.	Team Topic	Teacher	Role	Name (Korean)	No. of Students
1	Ganghwa and Goryeo (강화와 고려)	Russell Charles KELLY	Leader	김정○	8
			Vice-Leader	권량○
				김유○
				이송○
				이하○
				한여○
				한혜○
				이시○

Topic

Ganghwa Island was the capital of the Goryeo Dynasty for 38 years during the Mongol invasion. From 1232 to 1270, Ganghwa Island was the capital of the Goryeo Dynasty. When Mongolia invaded, the Goryeo Dynasty's Gojong and Choi's a military officials moved the capital to Ganghwa Island and fought for 38 years. Moving a nation's capital because of an invasion is a rare case, so Ganghwa has a big significance. Ganghwa Island has a historical significance as it is a place where, as the capital, we can understand the central culture of Goryeo. Although it was a short period of time, at a time when it is difficult for us to access Kaesong, the center of Goryeo culture, we can see it here in Ganghwa.

Heading 1(Background)

"Yongheunggung was the residence where King Cheoljong (r. 1849-1863), the 25th king of the Joseon dynasty, once lived. He lived here because his family had been exiled to Ganghwa due to his brother's involvement in treason in 1844. When the preceding king, Heonjong (r. 1834-1849), died without an heir, Cheoljong, a member of the royal Yi family, was selected to become king." ^[1]

Heading 2(advantage)

Ganghwa Island, which is close to the mainland, is an island that can take advantage of the Mongolian military's weakness, was largely protected by tidal difference and tidal currents. It was chosen as the capital because it was close to Gaegyeong and it was a convenient geographical location for connecting with local areas and transporting between them. Ganghwa Island, a key geographical location, became the capital and had many advantages.

First, they were able to resist the Mongol invasion without surrendering for 38 years.It was a measure to maintain independence while showing courage to develop a long-term war of engagement. Making a stand on Ganghwa Island was designed to end humiliating diplomatic relations with the Mongols and counter them with a long-term perspective. Through the Gangdo epoch, Ganghwa gained numerous historical sites and relics from the Goryeo Dynasty and has became a historic area, which is also known as a museum without a roof. Military key points for maintaining the Choi(최씨) administration: moving the capital to Ganghwa was the most effective way to show resolve against Mongolia. In December 1231, Choi Woo, decided Ganghwa Island as the destination of transfering of the capital, led by Yoon Lin, vice president of Seungcheonbu who had been studying various regions since he made peace with Mongolia, and Noksa Banmun, who said, "Only Ganghwa Island is the best place to avoid riot."

Heading 3(Script)

Heading 4(Weakness)

1.The transfer of the capital was achieved only by the greed of the ruling class.

If the purpose of Ganghwa Island was not to maintain power but to resolve Mongolia, they should have actively participated in the war that was taking place in the mainland. If it was difficult to support the mainland with military power on Ganghwa Island, they should have relieved the people's pain by taking measures such as reducing taxes at least. However, the military rule has only spent time in seclusion, ignoring the suffering of the people. The vast land of Goryeo was then entrusted to the people at the moment when Choi's regime decided to fight against Ganghwa Island. We can’t call it a country that was protected by the king.

2. The transfer of the capital was uncomfortable due to the rainy season.

In Korea, torrential rain falls during the summer, and 800 years ago, it was the same. Why did they move during the rainy season? It is obvious that there were many difficulties along the way. The road was muddy after nearly ten days of rain. The road must have been muddy as hundreds of thousands of people moved at once. The procession would have been slowed by bogging down in the mud. ‘The goryeo history’portrays it this way.

“At last, the rain continued for 10 days, and the mud was knee deep. People and horses slipped over because of the mud. The wives of government officials and their families were about to take off their shoes to walk in the mud. Countless people without families wept, not knowing where to go or what to do."

This was the journey from Gaegyeong to Ganghwa. With hundreds of thousands of people moving at once, how could no accident happen? Those who fell and drowned must have been innumerable. The road to Ganghwa would have been a battlefield of panic, with young crying mothers, mothers scurrying for their children, and injured and screaming.

3. In the process of making Ganghwa into the capital, the people suffered greatly.

Ganghwa residents must have panicked when people flocked from the mainland. Perhaps it was more of a disaster than a blessing that Ganghwa was to be the new capital. They might have been deprived of their land, and it would have become difficult to live in various parts. Many people would have worked so hard to build a palace and a castle. And they would have also been involved in constructing many kilometers of fortress walls. Therefore, for those living in Ganghwa, the capital must have been at disaster, not a blessing.

Heading 4(Script)

Map(s)

Network Graph(s)

SAMPLE: VH2018_부석사reference.lst
YOUR TEAM GRAPH: GGHS2019W_Team1.lst

References

인천광역시 문화유산 - 영문 해설문 포함 (한국학중앙연구원)

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