Myo Cheong
Encyclopedia
Myo Cheong was an influential Buddhist monk
and geomancer
of the royal court who lived during the Goryeo Dynasty in Korea
.
of king Injong of Goryeo
, Myo Cheong argued that Korea had become weakened by Confucian ideals. His views directly conflicted with Kim Bu-sik
, a China-oriented confucian scholar. On a broader scale, this represented the ongoing struggle between the Confucian and Buddhist elements in Korean society.
It was during this period an organized Jurchen state was putting pressure on Goryeo. The trouble with the Jurchens was partly due to Goryeo's underestimation of the newly established state and the ill treatment of its envoys (i.e. killing them and humiliating their corpse). Goryeo's dislike for the Jurchens stemmed from the fact that they were once a subservient tribe under Goryeo's predecessor state Goguryeo
, and took Jurchen assertion of equality with Goryeo as an offense. Taking advantage of the situation, Myo Cheong purposed to attack the Jurchens and that moving the capital to Pyongyang
would assure success.
The King actually did listen to him and was persuaded. However, the rest of the court
and the bureaucracy
did not support the move and had to back out of his commitments to Myo Cheong.
Eventually, Myo Cheong led a rebellion
against the government
. He moved to Pyongyang
,(which at the time was called Seogyeong(西京)), and declared the establishment his new state of Daewhe. According to Myo Cheong, Kaesong
was "depleted of virtue." This made Pyongyang the ideal location for the supposed dynastic revival.
In the end, the rebellion was crushed by the scholar-general Kim Bu-sik
.
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
and geomancer
Geomancy
Geomancy is a method of divination that interprets markings on the ground or the patterns formed by tossed handfuls of soil, rocks, or sand...
of the royal court who lived during the Goryeo Dynasty in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
.
Myo Cheong's Rebellion
During the reignReign
A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation or of a people . In most hereditary monarchies and some elective monarchies A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office...
of king Injong of Goryeo
Injong of Goryeo
Injong of Goryeo was the 17th monarch of the Korean Goryeo dynasty. He was the eldest son of king Yejong and Empress Sundeok....
, Myo Cheong argued that Korea had become weakened by Confucian ideals. His views directly conflicted with Kim Bu-sik
Kim Bu-sik
Kim Busik was an official and a scholar during Korea's Goryeo period. He is best known for compiling the Samguk Sagi, the oldest extant record of Korean history....
, a China-oriented confucian scholar. On a broader scale, this represented the ongoing struggle between the Confucian and Buddhist elements in Korean society.
It was during this period an organized Jurchen state was putting pressure on Goryeo. The trouble with the Jurchens was partly due to Goryeo's underestimation of the newly established state and the ill treatment of its envoys (i.e. killing them and humiliating their corpse). Goryeo's dislike for the Jurchens stemmed from the fact that they were once a subservient tribe under Goryeo's predecessor state Goguryeo
Goguryeo
Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
, and took Jurchen assertion of equality with Goryeo as an offense. Taking advantage of the situation, Myo Cheong purposed to attack the Jurchens and that moving the capital to Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
would assure success.
The King actually did listen to him and was persuaded. However, the rest of the court
Noble court
The court of a monarch, or at some periods an important nobleman, is a term for the extended household and all those who regularly attended on the ruler or central figure...
and the bureaucracy
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
did not support the move and had to back out of his commitments to Myo Cheong.
Eventually, Myo Cheong led a rebellion
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
against the government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
. He moved to Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
,(which at the time was called Seogyeong(西京)), and declared the establishment his new state of Daewhe. According to Myo Cheong, Kaesong
Kaesong
Kaesŏng is a city in North Hwanghae Province, southern North Korea , a former Directly Governed City, and the capital of Korea during the Koryo Dynasty. The city is near Kaesŏng Industrial Region and it contains the remains of the Manwoldae palace. It was formally named Songdo while it was the...
was "depleted of virtue." This made Pyongyang the ideal location for the supposed dynastic revival.
In the end, the rebellion was crushed by the scholar-general Kim Bu-sik
Kim Bu-sik
Kim Busik was an official and a scholar during Korea's Goryeo period. He is best known for compiling the Samguk Sagi, the oldest extant record of Korean history....
.
See also
- History of KoreaHistory of KoreaThe Korean Peninsula was inhabited from the Lower Paleolithic about 400,000-500,000 years ago. Archeological evidence indicates that the presence of modern humans in northeast Asia dates to 39,000 years ago. The earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 8000 BC, and the Neolithic period began...
- Goryeo Dynasty
- Shin Chaeho