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The Founding of Balhae and Its Political System
After the destruction of Koguryo, the remaining people in Manchuria
rose up in a restoration movement.
Tae Cho-yong, a former general of Koguryo, led the remaining
people of Koguryo and the Mohe tribe to found a new state in
the area of Dongmiaoshan in Dunhuaxian, Jilin calling his country
Chin in 698. Later Chin was renamed Balhae.
Balhae recovered almost all of the old Koguryo territory and
dominated Manchuria, the Maritime Provinces and northern Korea
to become a powerful nation. The ruling classes were mostly
composed of the people of Koguryo, and the Mohe tribe formed
the greater part of its population.
Balhae, with a strong consciousness as being the successor of
Koguryo, stood in confrontation with Tang and Shilla, and maintained
friendly relations with Japan and Tujue in the beginning stages.
From the mid-8th century on, under the reign of King Mun, Balhae
maintained peaceful relations with Tang and actively exchanged
culture and goods. The official institutions of Balhae were
modelled after the Tang system, consisting of three councils--Chongdangsong,
Sonjosong and Chungdaesong--each with six divisions.
This system resembled the Tang structure in form but in terms
of operation possessed unique characteristics. Important state
affairs were determined at aristocrats' meetings in Chongdangsong.
For local administration, the country was divided into five
regional capitals, 15 provinces and 62 counties.
Governors and magistrates were stationed as local rulers in
each province and county. |
