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Alternate meaning: Bohai Sea

Balhae (Korean) or Bohai (Chinese) was a kingdom in northeast Asia from AD 698 to 926, occupying parts of Manchuria, northern Korea and the Russian Far East. It was founded by Dae Joyeong, a former Goguryeo general. It considered itself a successor of Goguryeo, but like other Korean and Japanese kingdoms, it sent tributes to China. At founding, it was called the state of Jin (振國), but the Tang Dynasty in 713 called it Bohai.

In the confusion of the Khitan attack against the Tang in 696, Goguryeo remnants, led by Geolgeol Jung sang and Sumo Mohe tribe, led by Qisi Piyu escaped eastward to their homeland. The two leaders died but Dae Jo young, the son of Geolgeol Jung sang, established the State of Jin. Dae Jo young established his capital at Dongmu Mountain in the south of today's Jilin province. Tang called Dae Jo young "Prefecture King of Balhae" in 713, and "State King of Balhae" in 762.

The second king Mu, who felt encircled by Tang, Silla and Black Water Mohe along the Amur River, attacked Tang and his navy briefly occupied a port on the Shandong Peninsula in 732. Later, a compromise was forged between Tang and Balhae, which resumed tributary mission to Tang. He also sent a mission to Japan in 728 to threaten Silla. Balhae kept diplomatic and commercial contacts with Japan until the end of the kingdom. Because of its proximity to many powerful states, Balhae became a buffer zone for the region.

The third king Mun expanded its territory into the Amur valley in the north and the Liaodong Peninsula in the west. He also established the permanent capital near Lake Jingpo in the south of today's Heilongjiang province around 755.

After destroying Balhae in 926, the Khitan established the puppet Dongdan Kingdom, which was soon followed by the annexation by Liao in 936. Balhae aristocrats were moved to Liaoyang but small fragments of the state remained semi-independent. Some Balhae people fled southward to Goryeo, including a son of the last king. Some descendants of the royal family live in Korea, changing their family name to Tae (太). The Jurchen Jin Dynasty favored the Balhae people as well as the Khitans. The fourth, fifth and seventh emperors were mothered by Balhae concubines. The 13th century census of Northern China by the Mongols distinguished Balhae from other ethnic groups such as Goryeo , Khitan and Jurchen. This suggests that the Balhae people still preserved their identity.

Characterization and political interpretation

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In North and South Korea, Balhae is regarded as a Korean state and is positioned in the "North-South Period" (with Silla) today, although such a view has had proponents in the past. They emphasize its connection with Goguryeo and minimize that with the Mohe. While South Korean historians think the ruling class was of Goguryeo and the commoners were Mohe, North Korean historians think Balhae ethnography was mostly Goguryeo. (See Encyclopedia Britannica entries and .)

Chinese historians consider Balhae a vassal of the Tang Dynasty: the succession of Balhae kings had to be sanctioned by the Tang Dynasty, and a heir who lacks this sanction can only be known as 知國務 ("State Affairs Leader"), not king; also, every king was also simultaneously the Prefect of Huhan Prefecture (忽汗州都督府都督). Chinese historians consider Balhae to be composed of the Balhae ethnic group, which was mostly based on the Mohe.

Russian scholars think of Balhae as an independent Mohe state, with Central Asian and Chinese influence. Japanese scholars also view Balhae as an independent state, likening to Manchukuo for its friendly relationship with Japan.

Koreans and traditional Chinese historians believe the founder Dae Joyŏng was of Goguryeo stock. The Old Book of the Tang says that Dae Joyŏng was of kind (高麗別種), and the New Book of the Tang states that he is "from the Sumo Mohe of the former realm of Goguryeo." Some modern Chinese historians argue that Sumo Mohe is not a region, but an ethnic non-Korean tribe.

Sovereigns of Balhae/Bohai 698-926

The names in this table are given in McCune-Reischauer romanisation, Hangŭl/Chosŏn’gŭl, Chinese characters and Pinyin.

An important source of cultural information on Balhae was discovered at the end of the 20th century at the Ancient Tombs at Longtou Mountain, especially the Mausoleum of Princess Zhenxiao.

Capitals of Balhae Kingdom

• Tongmu Mountain (Hangul : 동모산 now : Dunhua)
• (Hangul : 구국/영승)
• Zhongjing (Hangul : 중경 now :서고성) from 742 - 755
• Shangjing (Hangul : 상경 / 발해진) from 755 - 785
• Dongjing (Hangul : 동경 now : Hunchun) from 785 - 794
• Shangjing (Hangul : 상경 / 발해진) from 794 - 926

See also

• History of Korea
• Ethnic groups in Chinese history
• Provinces of Balhae Kingdom

External links

• Britannica Concise Encyclopedia article on Balhae/Bohai)

• Bohai
• Primorsky Krai