Draft Three Kingdoms Period
| Title | Three Kingdoms Period (1C BCE - 7C CE) |
|---|---|
| Author | Lyndsey Twining |
| Record | History of the Three Kingdoms, Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms |
| Concept | Samhan Confederacy (Mahan, Jinhan, Byeonhan), Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye, Tang China, Buddhism, |
The Three Kingdom’s period refers to the time between the 1st century BCE until the 7th Century CE on the Korean peninsula and extending into Manchuria (in present-day China and Russia). At the beginning of this period, the southern part of the peninsula was occupied by tens of local city-states organized into three confederacies: Mahan (southwest), Jinhan (southeast), and Byeonhan (mid-south), collectively referred to as the Samhan (lit. “three han”). Meanwhile, in the northern part of the peninsula and extending into Manchuria were various kingdoms, including Buyeo (far north), Okjeo (far northeast), Dongye (mid-east), and Goguryeo (north). By the 4th century CE, as local city-states consolidated power in each region, Mahan, Jinhan, and Byeonhan would develop into the kingdoms of Baekje, Silla and Gaya, respectively, while northern kingdoms were consolidated by Goguryeo. It was around this time that Buddhism was introduced to the peninsula, becoming the official religion of the kingdoms. By the end of the 5th century, Goguryeo extended far into Manchuria and left only the southern-most regions of the peninsula to Baekje, Gaya, and Silla. In the mid-6th century, Silla fully conquered Gaya and made territorial gains at the expense of Goguryeo. After further territorial struggles between Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla (the three kingdoms from which the period gets its name) from the late 6th until the mid-7th century, Silla was able to weaken Baekje and Goguryeo through an alliance with Tang China and consolidated the southern two-thirds of the peninsula into what is known as Unified Silla in 676. Information on these periods can be found in the History of the Three Kingdoms[1] and Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms[2], from the 12th and 13th centuries, respectively. The origins of modern cultural differences between the southwest and southeast regions of the peninsula date back to this period.
Related Topics
Worksheet
Maps of the Three Kingdom's Period
Cultural Heritages from the Three Kingdom's Period
UNESCO Baekje Historical Areas National Treasure Pensive Bodhisattva from 6th-7th Century Silla UNESCO Gyeongju Historic Areas UNESCO Complex of Koguryo Tombs (in North Korea)
Resources
- Center for International Affairs, Korea in the World, Academy of Korean Studies, 2015, p.7.
Three separate kingdoms fought for supremacy on the peninsula from the 1st century BC until the 7th century AD. Goguryeo in the north, Baekje in the southwest, and Silla in 676 AD. A long period of peace followed under Silla until the early 10th century when it became weak and was forced to submit to the new Kingdom of Goryeo in 935 AD. Remarkable developments took place in the arts and sciences during the unified Silla period, especially in the areas of Buddhism, architecture, astronomy, agriculture and literature.
- History - The Three Kingdoms Period (K H Gardiner) - Encyclopaedia of Korea, p. 488-497
