Go of Balhae

"Dae Joyeong" redirects here. For the historical drama, see Dae Joyeong (drama).

Go of Balhae
Hangul	고왕
Hanja	高王
Revised Romanization	Go wang
McCune–Reischauer	Ko wang
Birth name
Hangul	대조영
Hanja	大祚榮
Revised Romanization	Dae Jo-yeong
McCune–Reischauer	Tae Choyŏng

Monarchs of Korea Balhae
Go 698-719 Mu 719–737 Mun 737–793 Dae Won-ui 793 Seong 793-794 Gang 794–809 Jeong 809-812 Hui 812–817 Gan 817–818 Seon 818–830 Dae Ijin 831–857 Dae Geonhwang 857–871 Dae Hyeonseok 871–894 Dae Wihae 894–906 Dae Inseon 906–926

Dae Jo-yeong (died 719), also known in Korea as King Go (Hangul: 고왕, Hanja: 高王), established the state of Balhae, reigning from 699 to 719. His origin is heavily disputed (see below); most Korean scholars believed that he was of Goguryeo heredity, but most scholars in China believed that he was of Mohe (Malgal) ancestry.

Background and Early life

Dae Jo-yeong was the first son of general Dae Jung-sang (Hangul: 대중상, Hanja: 大仲象) or Qiqi Zhongxiang (Chinese: 乞乞仲象 pinyin: Qǐqǐ Zhòngxiàng) of Goguryeo, and was born in an unknown place.

After the fall of Goguryeo to the Silla-Tang armies, Dae Jung-sang remained in a part of Goguryeo which had not been attacked during the 3rd Goguryeo-Tang war. After, Dae Jung-sang was against the Tang. In the confusion of the Khitan uprising led by Li Jinzhong against the Tang (Zhou) in May 696, Dae Jung-sang led 8,000 Goguryeo remnants peoples, the Sumo Mohe people, to Dongmo mountain. And the Baishan Mohe leader Geolsa Biu (Hangul: 걸사비우, Hanja: 乞四比羽 pinyin: Qǐsì bǐyǔ), made an alliance and sought independence.

Establishing Balhae

The Tang killed Geolsa Biu, and Dae Jung-sang also died. Dae Jo-yeong integrated the armies of Goguryeo people and some Malgal tribes and resisted Tang's attack. His overwhelming victory over the Tang at the Battle of Cheonmun-ryeong (Hangul: 천문령, Hanja: 天門嶺) enabled him to continue on his father's empire. He claimed himself the King of Jin in 698, and established "Jin state" (Hangul: 진국, Hanja: 辰國). He put his capital at Dongmo Mountain in the south of today's Jilin province, and built Dongmo mountain fortress, which was to become Jin's capital.

He attempted to expand his influence in international politics involving the Tang, the Göktürks, the Khitan, Silla and some independent Mohe tribes. At first he dispatched an envoy to the Göktürks. Then he reconciled himself with the Tang when Emperor Zhongzong was restored to the throne.

In 712, he renamed his empire, Balhae. In 713 he was given the titular title of "Prefecture King of Balhae" by Emperor Xuanzong. Upon reaching a period of rest within the empire, King Go made it clear that Silla was not to be dealt with in a peaceful stance because they were the ones who received the help of the Tang to conquer Goguryeo, which was the predecessor state to Balhae. This aggressive stance towards Silla was continued on by his son and successor King Mu of Balhae.

Death and Succession

Dae Jo-yeong died in 719, and his son Dae Muye assumed the throne. Dae Jo-yeong was given the posthumous name "King Go."

Controversial origins

The ethnicity of Dae Jo-yeong is disputed. Traditional Chinese historians believed that he belonged to an ethnic minority group in Goguryeo. The Old Book of Tang says that he was of “Goryeo [Goguryeo] stock” (고려별종, 高麗別種), while the New Book of Tang states that he is “from the Sumo Mohe (Malgal) region of the former realm of Goguryeo.”

He was the son of the Dae Jung-sang, a leader of Goguryeo remnants and thought by some to be the founder of a revived Goguryeo that later became Balhae. Under the control of Tang, many Goguryeo refugees were moved to Yingzhou (modern-day Chaoyang). Balhae soon gained control of most of the former Goguryeo territory and went on to reign as king for many years.

Family

Dae Jo-yeong had at least two wives. His only known sons through his first wife were Dae Muye, and Dae Munye. The sons through his other wife or wives were Dae Chwi-jin, Dae Ho-bang, and Dae Nang-a. The only concrete fact regarding Dae Jo-yeong's sons was that Dae Muye was the firstborn and oldest among them.

Legacy

After the fall of Balhae, the last prince led all of the Balhae aristocracy into the fellow successor state of Goguryeo, Goryeo. Dae Jo-yeong's descendants include modern-day Koreans who bear the surname "Tae" (태).

In South Korea, a television drama on KBS1 was launched since September 2006 in his honor. Roughly 30% (based on 2007 survey) of the Korean viewers enjoyed this programme.

Republic of Korea Navy

Dae Jo-yeong built a vast army and a powerful navy just as the Taewangs of Goguryeo had done.

The third Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin class destroyer commissioned by the Republic of Korea Navy is named Dae Jo-yeong. KDX-II class destroyers are named after significant figures in Korean history such as admiral Yi Sun-sin.

See also

• Rulers of Korea
• List of Korea-related topics

References

Preceded by (Dae Jung-sang)

Kings of Balhae 699–719

Succeeded by Mu of Balhae

External links

• Portrait of Dae Joyoung (Korean)