Until now, many history buffs in China cannot tell difference between Goguryeo and Goryeo, or relationship between Goguryeo and Goryeo. This article briefly talks about development from Goguryeo to Goryeo so that people can better understand relationship and differences between Goguryeo and Goryeo.

There have been two Goryeo regimes in history: one is an ethnic regime in Northeast China founded by Ju Mong of Buyeo; They have overlapping parts in geography, but they are not on same line. The difference between former Goryeo and later Goryeo is same as between Qin dynasty and former Qin dynasty, Western Jin dynasty and Later Jin dynasty, Tang dynasty and Later Tang dynasty, except that same country name was used.

Former Goryeo, also known as Goguryeo. In 37 BC Zhu Meng, a native of Fuyu in northeast, founded a kingdom in city of Heshenggu (now Huangren, Liaoning). In 14 AD, late Fuyu occupied Goguryeo County, Xuantu County of Han Dynasty, and changed its name to "Gaoguryeo". During Han Dynasty, people called Goguryeo "Gaogul" or "Gurly" for short.

After establishment of Goguryeo, he continued to destroy four districts of Northeast Korea and finally occupied all Liaodong regions and North Korea under Southern and Northern Dynasties. With expansion of territory, territory of Goguryeo also continued to migrate. In AD 3, Goguryeo moved its capital to "inner city" which is Ji'an City in Jilin Province, where Goguryeo was capital for over 400 years. In 427, Goguryeo moved capital to Pyongyang.

During Southern and Northern Dynasties, Goguryeo was renamed Goryeo. I don't know when name "Woe" first appeared. According to inscriptions discovered by archaeologists, Goguryeo was renamed "Goryeo" at least during reign of King Wenjiming (492-519), and King Wenjiming called himself ""King of Goryeo".

A Brief History of Goguryeo

From point of view of history books, this probably reflects name change. In past, Hanshu, Three Kingdoms, Jinshu, etc. called him Gaogul, while Northern History, Southern History, Songshu, Weishu, Zhoushu, Northern History ". Qishu", "Nanqishu", "Chen Shu" and so on became known as "Korea". During Sui Dynasty, name of Goryeo became known throughout country through Emperor Yang of Sui's "Three Expeditions in Goryeo".

"Goryeo" is written in "Old Tang Book"

So now we should call mode "Goguryeo" or "Koryeo"? Very simply, it was called "Gaoguli" in Han, Wei and Jin dynasties, but it should be called "Gaoli" in Sui and Tang dynasties. We can also see this way of referring to latest high school history textbooks. The new textbooks clearly state: “Emperor Yang of Sui Dynasty relied on his strength, built a lot of construction, was extravagant and extravagant, and conquered Goryeo three times". The textbook notes: “Goryeo was an ethnic regime on China's northeastern frontier at that time. It was originally called Goguryeo, and name Goryeo first appeared during Southern and Northern Dynasties."

During Sui Dynasty, people always talked about "Three Conquests of Goryeo", but there was no such thing as "Three Conquests of Goguryeo". Similarly, we can also say that Tang Dynasty destroyed Goryeo, there is no problem with that. "Sui Shu", "Old Tang Shu", "New Tang Shu" and so on have "Korean Biography".

Of course, Korean people later founded Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), which was second dynasty in Korean history and not former Goryeo Dynasty. In fact, people in ancient times often referred to Goryeo dynasty as "Later Goryeo" to distinguish it from Goryeo. In Korean history, Goryeo, Baekje, and Silla were referred to as "former three kingdoms", known as "Later Three Kingdoms". .

First three countries

The founder of later Goryeo was Wang Jian, a native of Chenhan. At that time, place he occupied was mainly land of former Goryeo, that is, land of North Korea, so he thought he had inherited great rule of Goryeo, so he adopted name of country "Goryeo". Seo Hee, minister of Goryeo during reign of King Seonjong, once clearly stated, "Our country is old Gogoryo, so it is called Goryeo." It is a phenomenon that Di people used "Qin" as their country name in history and Xianbei people used "Wei" as their country name.

In modern times, to distinguish them, first is called "Korea Gao", and second - "Korea Wang". In fact, according to traditional administration in Chinese history, former does not need to change name and is directly called "Gaoli", while latter uses name of Goryeo and needs to add a "post" called Master of Goryeo.

Chinese historians have also had trouble understanding Goryeo in past. Until 1990s, historians believed that Goryeo was a political force in North Korean history, while some argued that at least Goryeo, whose capital was moved to Pyongyang, no longer belongs to China. But after 1990s, we began to think that Goryeo is China's national power. Due to constant changes in diplomatic relations between China, North Korea and South Korea, especially when certain border issues were raised, it became a political task to distinguish Goryeo from Goryeo in 1990s, so people referred to former Goryeo as "Google" in 1990s years. that time. Because of this phenomenon, many people didn't know that "Goryeo" is a simplified name for "Gaogryeo". Today, we are more confident in our culture and simply use the word "Goryeo".