Scholarly opinion on the main direction of development of Koguryo is divided between northward and southward expansion. It can be said that most research until now has focused on Koguryo’s northward expansion and research concerning southward expans...
Scholarly opinion on the main direction of development of Koguryo is divided between northward and southward expansion. It can be said that most research until now has focused on Koguryo’s northward expansion and research concerning southward expansion has been neglected. The process of Koguryo’s southward expansion can be divided into three stages.
During the first phase of expansion Koguryo's territory reached the Yalu(Apnok_鴨綠)river. By the end of the second phase, the Taedong river area and by the end of the third phase, Koguryo’s territory expanded to the Han river area. Among the three phases, the move of the capital to Pyongyang, or the phase of expansion to the Taedong river area, has great historical significance concerning Koguryo’s southward expansion.
I have examined the international situation during the 4th centuries which became the background of the move of the capital to Pyongyang. The characteristics seen here were the new international situation after the 4th century where China was divided into many contending states.
I have examined archaeological relics of the two capital cities of Kuknaesong and Pyongyang, including tomb relics in order to show the changes which took place between the move of the capital from Kuknaesong to Pyongyang. As a result, we have seen that Kuknaesong before the move of the capital to Pyongyang was no longer suited as the capital city because it was too small and overcrowded to serve as the capital city.
I have concentrated on the southward expansion of Koguryo, specifically on the move of the capital to Pyongyang, by examining the administration of Pyongyang before becoming the capital city and the background of the move of the capital to Pyongyang. The administration of Pyongyang before the move of the capital began in earnest during the reigns of King Kokukwon and Kwangaeto, which shows that the move of the capital to Pyongyang during the reign of King Jangsu was carefully planned in advance.
The external factor of the move of the capital to Pyongyang was the new international situation after the 4th century where China was divided into many contending states. The domestic reason for the move of the capital to Pyongyang was the sudden increase in the area of the capital city, because the number of government officials had increased following the expansion of territory under King Kwangaeto, and a need to bring change in the administration of the ruling apparatus.
In response to the external and internal circumstances at the time, the move of the capital to Pyongyang during the 15th year of the reign of King Jangsu(427), was Koguryo's reaction to the above situation.