Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom
| Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom* | |
|---|---|
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| State Party |  People's Republic of China
|
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | i, ii, iii, iv, v |
| Reference | 1135 |
| Region** | Asia-Pacific |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2004 (28th Session) |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO. | |
Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom, located in and around Ji'an, Jilin in the People's Republic of China, received UNESCO's World Heritage Site designation.[1]. The site contains the archaeological remains of three cities (Wunu Mountain City, Guonei City, and Wandu Mountain City), and forty identified tombs of Koguryo imperial and noble families[1].
Capital Cities
Wunu Mountain City severed as the first capital of Koguryo(Goguryeo) Kingdom. Guonei City(Gungnae-seong) and Wandu Mountain City(Hwando) served at other times as the capital of the Koguryo Kingdom[1]. Wunu Mountain City has been only partly excavated. Guonei City, within the modern city of Ji’an, played the role of a supporting capital after the main Koguryo capital moved to Pyongyang. Wandu Mountain City contains many vestiges including a large palace and many tombs[1].
The Capital Cities of the Koguryo Kingdom provide an early example of mountain cities, later imitated by neighboring cultures. The system of capital cities represented by Guonei City and Wandu Mountain City also influenced the construction of later capitals built by the Koguryo regime[1]. The capital cities of the Koguryo Kingdom represent an artistic blending of human creation and nature whether with the rocks or with forests and rivers[1].
Wu Nu Shan
| Wu Nu Shan | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 821 metres (2,693 ft) |
| Location | Liaoning, China |
| Geographic coordinates | 41°19.6′N 125°24.7′E |
| Easiest Climbing route | cable car |
Wu Nu Shan (Chinese: 五女山; pinyin: Wǔ Nǚ Shān), which means the mountain of Five Women, is a mountain of historical and cultural significance located in the north of the town of Huanren, in Huanren Manchu autonomous county, Liaoning Province, China. The tallest peak is the 821 metre-high Main Peak.
Wu Nu Shan is the birthplace of the Korean Kingdom "Goguryeo" civilization and the last feudal dynasty—Manchu's Qing Dynasty. Its peculiar and beautiful landscapes had made it internationally famous in the last years.
History
Wu Nu Shan has a long history of human living. Recent years some archaeologists found historical remains and relics on the mountain. The oldest ones that had been proven are the potteries of the late Neolithic Age, more than 4500 years ago. Those relics also include some human-used weapons and producing tools which have thousands of years of history. According to the history books, 37 year B.C., the Korean kingdom Goguryeo was founded above the mountain, and the Goguryeo moved the capital to Gungnae Seong in the year 3. In 1424 when the third king of Jurchen Li Manzhu invaded Liao Ning with his troops, they quartered at this mountain and founded the Manchu kingdom.[2]
Location
Wu Nu Shan is located in the northeast of Huanren County and the northwest of the Hun Jiang River, 8 km from the county. Its main peak measures 821 metres above sea level, has a length of 1500 m from the north to the south side and a width of 300 m from the east to the west side. Its central coordinate is 41°19’36”N，125°24’44”E.[2]
Natural significance
Wu Nu Shan is located in the north temperate zone so the four seasons are four different beautiful portraits. There are more than 60 natural tourist spots. In the spring and summer one will find flowers, trees, butterflies and birds ; and down the river green waves of water and tourist ships together will make a paradise down the world. In the deep fall of year, red is the main color of the mountain because of the famous Chinese sweet gums. At the end of the year, the mountain will change a white coat and become a jade dragon lying besides the river.
Cultural significance
Wu Nu Shan is called "The First Defensive City Wall In The East," it has all the elements of a defensive city wall---temple, palace, barn, barracks, water source, and a city wall of more than 200 metres above the relative sea level. Therefore, the Goguryeo kingdom could quarter at the mountain as long as there can in the cold weapon era.[3]
Prominence
- 1994 Awarded as the Most Protected Culture Relic
- 1999 One of the Top10 National Archaeological Discovery
- 2002 Awarded as the AAAA Class National Tourist Spot
- 2004 Nominated on the UNESCO World Heritage List[3]
Gungnae-seong
Gungnae-seong was the second capital city of the ancient Kingdom of Goguryeo. It was chosen to become the capital city by the kingdom's second ruler, King Yuri during the 10th month of the year 3 C.E. The city was sacked several times until the rise of the 19th ruler king Gwanggaeto the Great, who greatly expanded Goguryeo's territory and made it a formidable power in the northeast Asia. When King Gwanggaeto died during 413 C.E., his son, King Jangsu, inherited the throne and moved the capital down to Pyongyang in the year 427 C.E.
Just before the fall of Goguryeo, Gungnae-seong fell to the Silla-Tang alliance when General Yeon Namsaeng, son of Yeon Gaesomun, surrendered the city in 666 C.E. The kingdom of Goguryeo itself fell in 668 C.E. when Tang army captured Pyongyang and took King Bojang and Yeon Namgeon into custody.
This place is present-day Ji'an (集安).
Wandu Mountain City
Wandu Mountain City (Chinese: 丸都山城) (Korean transliteration Hwando Mountain Fortress), along with Gungnae-seong(Guonei), served as the second capital of Goguryeo (Hanzhi: 高句麗, Pinyin: Gaogouli, Hangul: 고구려). The remains of this city are a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in 2.5 kilometers to the west of Ji'an, Jilin, China.
History
- "On October of the 22nd year (of Yuri of Goguryeo), the Yuri King moved the capital to Gungnae-seong, and built the Weina Rock fortress ".[4]. Since the 1st year of Yuri of Goguryeo is 19 B.C.E., the 22nd year is 3 C.E. Gungnae-seong was a fortress on Yalu River's plain, while Weina Rock fortress(尉那巖城) was a fortified city in the mountain which was later renamed to Hwando,(丸都) by Sansang of Goguryeo.
- "On February of the 2nd year (of Sansang of Goguryeo), Hwando City was built." "On October (of the 13th year of Sansang of Goguryeo), the Sansang King moved the capital to Hwando".[5]). Since the 1st year of Sansang of Goguryeo is 197 C.E., the 2nd year is 198 C.E. and the 13th year is 209 C.E.
Tombs
The site includes archaeological remains of 40 tombs: 14 tombs are imperial, and 26 are nobles. Which were built by Koguryo, A kingdom that ruled over parts of northern China and the northern half of the Korean Peninsula from 37 B.C.E. to 668 C.E.[1].
Some of the tombs have elaborate ceilings, designed to roof wide spaces without columns and carry the heavy load of a stone or earth tumulus (mound) which was placed above them. The tombs, particularly the important stele and a long inscription on one of the tombs, shows influence of Chinese culture on Koguryo. The paintings in the tombs, while showing artistic skills and specific style, are also an example of strong influence from various cultures[1].
The tombs represent a masterpiece of the human creative genius in their wall paintings and structures[1].
Gallery
- Koguryo King Jangsu's family tomb.jpg
Koguryo King Jangsu's family member tomb.
- Koguryo King Jangsu tomb.jpg
Koguryo King Jangsu's tomb.
- Koguryo King Jangsu tomb distant.jpg
King Jangsu's tomb viewed from a distance.
- Old Koguryo City Wall.jpg
Remains of Koguryo City wall.
- King's Tombs.jpg
5th century tombs of rulers of an ancient Korean (Koguryŏ) kingdom
- View from King's Tomb.jpg
View of countryside from King's tomb.
See also
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Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 UNESCO World Heritage Site. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1135
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Wu Nu Shan. travel.tom.com.. Retrieved July 8, 2008. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Travel" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Historically Famous Wu Nu Shan. baike.baidu.com.. Retrieved July 8, 2008. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Baike" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Volume 13. Retrieved July 8, 2008. (page 18) of Samguk Sagi
- ↑ Volume 16. Retrieved July 8, 2008.(pages 21 and 23) of Samguk Sagi
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Chŏn, Ho-tʻae. 2007. The Dreams of the living and hopes of the dead: Gogureo tomb murals. Seoul, Korea: Seoul National University Press. ISBN 9788952107299.
- Kim. 2004. Koguryo tomb murals: World cultural heritage. Seoul: ICOMOS-Korea. OCLC 66479811.
- Kim, Li-na. 2004. Koguryo tomb murals. Seoul, Korea: ICOMOS-Korea. OCLC 59009020.
- Tongbuga Yŏksa Chaedan (Korea). 2007. Koguryo: a glorious ancient Korean kingdom in Northeast Asia. Seoul, Korea: Northeast Asian History Foundation. OCLC 173623530.
- Veg, Sebastian. 2005. Preservation of the Koguryo kingdom tombs. [S.l.]: Unesco. OCLC 71724726.
External links
- Wu Nu Shan's Landscapes (Chinese). Retrieved July 8, 2008.
- Wǔ Nǚ Shān (Chinese). Retrieved July 8, 2008.
- Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom in UN site. Retrieved July 8, 2008.
- The Forgotten Glory of Koguryo. Retrieved July 8, 2008.
- Koguryo: Proud History of Korea. Retrieved July 8, 2008.
- Rewriting History. Time (August 16, 2004). Retrieved July 8, 2008.
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