Goguryeo

Goguryeo (also known as Koguryŏ or Gāogōulì) (37 BC-668) was an empire in Manchuria and northern Korea. It is referred to as one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, along with Baekje and Silla.

Culture

Remains of walled towns, fortesses, palaces, tombs, and artifacts have been found in North Korea, including ancient paintings in a Goguryeo tomb complex in Pyongyang. Some ruins are also still visible in Manchuria, for example at Onyeosan ("Five Maiden Peaks") near Ji'an (集安) in northeastern China along the present border with North Korea, site of the state's first permanent capital. Ji'an is also home to a large collection of Goguryeo era tombs, including what Chinese scholars consider to be the tombs of kings Gwanggaeto and his son Jangsu, as well as perhaps the most well-known Goguryeo artifact, the mammoth funeral stele of King Gwanggaeto, around whose interpretation a debate still rages. The stele is one of the primary sources for pre-fifth century Goguryeo history.

Related Topics:
North Korea - Goguryeo tomb complex - Manchuria - Onyeosan

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Goguryeo art, preserved largely in tomb paintings, is noted for the vigor of its imagery. It absorbed influences from the northern dynasties of China.

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Cultural vestiges of Goguryeo may be found in modern Korean culture, for example, Ondol, Goguryeo's unique floor heating system. A modernized version can be found in the floor of every modern house in Korea.

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