¡á Goryeong during the Goryeo Period

¡á Goryeong during the Joseon Period


Goryeong during the Goryeo Period

  • The Change of Administrative Districts

Wanggeon (the founder of Goryeo) succeeded in the unification of the Late Three Kingdoms by obtaining voluntary submission from King Gyeongsun of Silla and conquering Hubaekje. He reorganized local governments. As a part of the work, in 940 (the twenty third year of his reign), he altered the names of ju, bu, gun and hyeon, and reorganized them as gun and hyeon of the Silla period.

After the fall of Daegayaguk, Goryeong became Daegaya-gun, and then was renamed as Goryeong-gun in accordance with the reorganization of local administrative districts that King Gyeongdeok carried out. During the Unified Silla period Goryeong-gun had two hyeons ¡ª Yaro-hyeon and Sinbok-hyeon. Of these, the name of Yaro-hyeon was continually used in the Goryeo period, and in 1018 (the ninth year of the reign of King Hyeonjong) became an eup belonging to Hapcheon-gun where Jinju-mok controlled.

However, the record of Sinbok-hyeon is not clear even in Samguksagi (Historical Record of the Three Kingdoms). It is assumed that this hyeon was abolished and incorporated into Goryeong-gun when in the early Goryeo period Goryeong-gun became an eup belonging to Gyeongsan-bu.

In 940 (the twenty third year of the reign of King Taejo of Goryeo), Goryeong-gun was a gun belonging to Gyeongsan-bu. In 1018 (the ninth year of the reign of King Hyeonjong), the gun and hyeon institution was nation wide reformed once again. At that time, another 13 hyeons came to belong to Gyeongsan-bu.

They include: Indong-hyeon, Jirye-hyeon, Gari-hyeon, Palgeo-hyeon, Geumsan-hyeon, Hwanggan-hyeon, Gwanseong-hyeon, Aneup-hyeon, Yangsan-hyeon, Yisan-hyeon, Daegu-hyeon, Hwawon-hyeon and Habin-hyeon. Hence, one gun and 14 hyeons, including these 13 hyeons and Yakmok-hyeon, were controlled by Gyeongsan-bu.

The basic administrative organization of Goryeong-gun continued until the late Goryeo period, except for the fact that in 1175 (the fifth year of the reign of King Myeongjong) Gammu (an official post) was dispatched and came to deal with administrative affairs. He worked for small a hyeon where Hyeollyeong (head of hyeon) cannot be dispatched. He supervised hyeon and was in charge of drifting people. The Gammu institution continued until the Joseon period, and then was renamed as Hyeon-gam.

  • The Conveyance of Daejanggyeong
    and Gaegyeongpo in Goryeong

Buddhism was the national religion of Goryeo. There were many excellent Buddhist arts, including Buddhist images, and famous temples in Goryeong. The affair relating to the conveyance of Daejanggyeong (the complete collection of Buddhist Scriptures) is most notable in the relations between Goryeo Buddhism and Goryeong.

The Palman-daejanggyeong (the Tripitaka Koreana) which is presently preserved in the Haeinsa of Hapcheon was re-made in a refuge of Gangdo during the reign of King Gojong. The completion of the Palman-daejanggyeong was a great work which was unable to be accomplished without the national solidarity based upon Buddha¡¯s love. It is not clear that when the Palman-daejanggyeong was moved to Haeinsa.

However, this was moved to the Haeinsa via Gaepo of Gaejin-myeon, Goryeong-gun. Gaepo, which is 6km distant from the east of Goryeong-eup, was an important traffic center of the Nakdonggang side. Gaepo, where curious rocks and cliffs continue to be connected, was well-known to poets and other intellectuals from old times. This was also famous for its trading center of grains, fish and salt.

Originally, it was called Gaesanpo, but was later renamed as Gaegyeongpo. During the Japanese imperialism period it came to be called just Gaepo that the letter ¡®gyeong¡¯ is omitted. This is because Japan had an intention to eliminate the Korean people¡¯s soul, which is fond of learning and loves their country.

The Palman-daejanggyeong manufactured in the Namhae was moved by ship. This arrived in Gaepo of Goryeong via the Nakdonggang. As soon as this arrived here, many of those bonzes who were dwelling in the Yeongnam region crowded. They carried several pieces of the Palman-daejanggyeong on their back or head. They passed through Alteo village of Gaejin-myeon in Goryeong-gun, went by way of Goryeong-eup and went over the Sindongjae. Finally, they arrived in the Haeinsa.

Goryeong during the Joseon Period

In the early Joseon period, the local administrative system as well as the central administrative system were the same with those of Goryeo. However, in 1414 (the fourteenth year of the reign of King Taejong), they were on a large scale reformed. That is, the state was administratively divided into eight dos that ju, bu, gun and hyeon are its sub-institutions. Heads of ju and bu were Buyun, Moksa and Dohobusa. And heads of gun and hyeon were Gunsu and Hyeollyeong (or Hyeon-gam), respectively.

At that time, the dominion of Goryeong was handed over from Gammu to Hyeon-gam. The Hyeon-gam of Goryeong was able to govern his own administrative district without any intervention or pressure from neighbouring higher officials or yangban (the upper class of the two classes in old Korea). In general, heads of gun and hyeon led the officials in their local areas and executed the tasks relating to administration, juridical problems and army, receiving the vertical command of Gamsa (supervisor). Such an administrative system was kept without any great change.

However, in the late Joseon period there was a slight change in the administrative district of Goryeong. In 1614 (the seventh year of the reign of King Gwanghaegun), a big incident took place. Lee Chang-rok in Seongju blamed the king and his government for their misbehaviour. As a result, Seongju-mok was temporarily abolished and incorporated into Goryeong-hyeon. And two years later (in 1616) Seongju-mok was separated from Goryeong-hyeon.

In 1895 (the thirty-second year of the reign of King Gojong), with the change of the local administrative system, Goryeong-hyeon was renamed as Goryeong-gun which controls 14 regions, including Eupnae, Gueum, Songcheon, Gugok, Uchon, Hami, Yiryang, Allim, Yucheon, Handong, Sangdong, Gogok, Naegok and Gwandong. In addtion, Hyeon-gam was replaced to Gunsu. One revenue official was also allocated.

In 1906 (the tenth year of the era of Gwangmu), the local administrative system was reorganized. Goryeong-gun absorbed the nine bangs of Seongju-gun (Dasan, Deokgok, Ingok, Soya, Beolji, Gahyeon, Dochang, Heuksu and Wulla) and the three bangs of Hyeonpung-gun (Jinchon, Dapgok and Wangji). Goryeong-gun therefore came to govern 26 bangs.