Taebong

Taebong was a state established by Gung Ye(궁예, 弓裔) on the Korean peninsula in 901, during the Later Three Kingdoms period.

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Gung Ye was known as a bastard son of King Heonan or of King Gyeongmun. A soothsayer prophesied that the new-born baby would bring disaster to Silla, so the King ordered his servants to kill him. However, his nurse hid Gung Ye and raised him secretly, joining Yang Gil's rebellion force in 892.

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Silla, after nearly a millennium of history, was declining fast and Gung Ye soon started his own rebellion in present-day Kaesong in 898. He eventually defeated Yang Gil and other local lords in central Korea and proclaimed himself a king in 901.

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Gung Ye named his state Hu-Goguryeo (meaning "Later Goguryeo") or, in shorthand, Goryeo. It was changed to Majin (마진, 摩震) in 901, and to Taebong in 911. Taebong at its peak expanded to present-day provinces of North and South Hwanghae, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, South P'yŏngan and North Chungcheong.

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In later days, Gung Ye proclaimed himself a Buddha and became a tyrant who sentenced death to anyone opposing him, including his wife Kang. Four generals of Taebong, Hong Yu(홍유, 洪儒), Bae Hyeon-gyeong(배현경, 裵玄慶), Sin Sung-gyeom(신숭겸, 申崇謙) and Bok Ji-gyeom(복지겸, 卜智謙) overthrew Taebong and established Wanggeon(왕건, 王建) as the King in 918. Soon after, the Goryeo Dynasty began.

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Taebong influenced Goryeo culturally. Gung Ye was originally a Buddhist monk. He encouraged Buddhism and changed the manners of national ceremonies to Buddhist way including Palgwanhoe (팔관회, 八關會) and Seokdeungnong (석등롱, 石燈籠). These influences survived after death of Gung Ye and fall of Taebong.

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Gung Ye: Gung Ye (ruled 901?918) was the king of a short-lived state (901-918) (see Later Three Kingdoms) on the Korean peninsula. Although he was a member of the Silla royal family, he became a victim of power struggle among royal family members at the late 9th century Silla and at last became rebel leader ...

Korean peninsula: The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 1,100 kilometres from the continental Asian mainland into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan (East Sea) on the east, the East China Sea to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strai...

901: Events...