고려초기 三韓一統意識과 ‘高麗三京’ －東京 연혁의 역사적 함의－

Abstract

Examined in this article is how Dong’gyeong, the Eastern Capital of Goryeo was established in the early years of the dynasty, only to be abolished later, and then resurrected. The issue will be examined also in terms of its connection with the “Three Goryeo Capitals(高麗三京)” theory, which served as sort of an ideological basis for the Eastern Capital, in order to determine the historical nature of the Notion of “Three Hans being one(三韓一統意識),” which served as the philosophical backbone for the dynasty itself. The “Three Goryeo Capitals” theory was originally from Goguryeo, but after uniting the Later Three dynasties the Goryeo government utilized it, with a nuance which was the same with the “Three Hans being one” notion. Such utilization began when King Seongjong established Dong’gyeong at the Gyeongju city and visited the place himself. Creating an Eastern Capital which could also be considered as a pair with the Western Capital “Seogyeong(西京)” would project an ideological nuance that Goryeo was in fact an embodiment of both Shilla and Goguryeo. Yet later, when Khitan invaded Goryeo, residents in the Northwest regions of the Korean peninsula as well as refugees from the fallen Balhae dynasty proved to be significantly instrumental in repelling the Khitan forces, and as a result a notion of Goryeo inheriting the traditions of Goguryeo was strongly formed. Partly due to such change, Dong’- gyoeng was abolished. But it was also later resurrected, when Goryeo decided not to intervene in the Heung’yo-guk(興遼國) insurrection and chose to pursue a more amicable relationship with the Khitan Liao, causing the notion of Inheriting Goguryeo(高句麗繼承意識) to decline and reinforcing the notion of “Three Hans being one” in the progress.