Geography — Goguryeo高句麗

Look into the Tongdian. It says, "In the second year of Jianzhao of Han, Jumong went southeast from North Buyeo, crossed the Busul River, came to the fortress of Heulseunggol and dwelt there. He called it Guryeo and took Go (高) for his surname." The Gogi says, "Jumong fled from trouble in Buyeo and came to Jolbon." Then the fortress of Heulseunggol and Jolbon seem to be one place.

The geography monograph of the Han shu says that the commandery of Liaodong is three thousand six hundred li from Luoyang and that Muryeo is among the counties belonging to it. This then is Mount Yiwulü, the northern garrison of the Zhou li. Great Liao set Yizhou below it. The commandery of Hyeondo is four thousand li northeast of Luoyang and has three counties belonging to it, and Goguryeo is one of them. Then the fortress of Heulseunggol and Jolbon, where Jumong is said to have had his capital, were likely within the borders of the Hyeondo commandery of Han and west of the Eastern Capital of the state of Great Liao. Is this the Goguryeo that the geography monograph of the Han shu calls a county belonging to Hyeondo?

In the old days, when Great Liao had not yet fallen, the Liao emperor was at Yanjing. Those of our people who went to court passed the Eastern Capital, crossed the Liao River, and after a day or two on the road came to Yizhou and turned toward Yan and Ji. By this it is known to be so.

From the time Jumong set his capital at the fortress of Heulseunggol, forty years passed, and in the twenty-second year of King Yuryu the capital was moved to the fortress of Gungnae.

Look into the Han shu. Among the counties belonging to the commandery of Nangnang there is Buri. Again, in the second year of Zongzhang, Li Ji, the Duke of Ying, received an edict and set up governorates and provinces and counties in the several fortresses of Goguryeo. Its list says, "North of the Amnok eleven fortresses had already surrendered, and one of them is the fortress of Gungnae. From Pyongyang to here is seventeen post stations." Then this fortress too is within the borders of the northern court, only where it is cannot be known.

Four hundred and twenty-five years passed with the capital at Gungnae, and in the fifteenth year of King Jangsu the capital was moved to Pyongyang. A hundred and fifty-six years passed, and in the twenty-eighth year of King Pyeongwon the capital was moved to the fortress of Jangan. Eighty-three years passed, and in the twenty-seventh year of King Bojang the country perished.

The fortress of Pyongyang seems to be the Western Capital of today, and the Pae River is the Daedong River. How is this known? The Tang shu says, "The fortress of Pyongyang is the commandery of Nangnang of Han. It follows the mountains and winds about to make its outer wall, and on the south it reaches the Pae River." The geography monograph says again, "Going northeast by sea from Dengzhou, keeping the shore on the south, and passing Chodo at the mouth of the Pae River, one comes to the northwest of Silla." The edict of Emperor Yang of Sui for the eastern campaign says again, "Let the army of the Changhae route, its boats stretching a thousand li, its high sails going like lightning, its great ships flying like clouds, cut straight across the Pae River and go far on to Pyongyang." Speaking from this, it is clear that the Daedong River of today is the Pae River, and then it may also be known that the Western Capital is Pyongyang.

The Tang shu says, "The fortress of Pyongyang is also called Jangan," and the Gogi says, "The capital was moved from Pyongyang to Jangan." Whether the two fortresses are the same or different, and how far or near they are, cannot be known.

Goguryeo dwelt at first in the northern land of China, and then moved little by little eastward to the side of the Pae River. Muye, a man of Balhae, said, "In the old days, when Goguryeo was at its height, its soldiers were three hundred thousand, and it stood against Tang as an enemy." It may be said that the land was good and the soldiers were strong.

When the last years came, the ruler and his ministers were dark and cruel and lost the way. Great Tang sent out its army twice and Silla gave its help, and they struck and settled it. Much of that land went into Balhae and Malgal, and Silla also took its southern borders and set up the three provinces of Hanju, Sakju and Myeongju with their commanderies and counties, and so made up the nine provinces.

Hansanju, Gugwonseong, Namcheon-hyeon, Guseong, Inggeunnae-gun, Sulcheon-gun, Gollaegeun-hyeon, Yanggeun-hyeon, Geummullae-gun, Doseo-hyeon, Inghol, Gaechasan-gun, Noeumjuk-hyeon, Naehyehol, Sabokhol, Sasan-hyeon, Maehol, Dangseong-gun, Sanghol, Busan-hyeon, Yulmok-gun, Ingbeollo-hyeon, Jechapaui-hyeon, Maesohol-hyeon, Janghanggu-hyeon, Jubuto-gun, Suihol, Geompo-hyeon, Dongjahol-hyeon, Pyeonghoeap-hyeon, Bukhansan-gun, Goruinae-hyeon, Wangbong-hyeon, Maeseong-gun, Chiljung-hyeon, Pahaehosa-hyeon, Cheonjeonggu-hyeon, Surihol-hyeon, Dareulseong-hyeon, Biseong-gun, Naeeulmae, Cheorwon-gun, Yanggol-hyeon, Seungnyang-hyeon, Gongmokdal, Buyeo-gun, Eosanae-hyeon, Osahamdal, Ajinap-hyeon, Soeupdu-hyeon, Ijinmae-hyeon, Ujam-gun, Janghang-hyeon, Jangcheonseong-hyeon, Majeoncheon-hyeon, Busogap, Yakjiduchi-hyeon, Gureogap, Dongbihol, Deongmul-hyeon, Jillimseong-hyeon, Hyeolgu-gun, Dongeumna-hyeon, Gomokgeun-hyeon, Suji-hyeon, Daegok-gun, Sugokseong-hyeon, Sipgok-hyeon, Dongeumhol, Dorap-hyeon, Ogok-gun, Naemihol, Hanseong-gun, Hyuryuseong, Jangsae-hyeon, Donghol, Geumdal, Gueulhyeon (the present Pungju), Gwolgu (the present Yuju), Yulgu (the present Eullyul-hyeon), Jangyeon (it remains so today), Magyeongi (the present Cheongsong-hyeon), Yangak (the present Anak-gun), Panmagot (the present Gahwa-hyeon), Unghani (the present Sunyeong-hyeon), Ongcheon (the present Ongjin-hyeon), Bujini (the present Yeonggang-hyeon), Gokdo (the present Baengnyeong-jin), Seungsan (the present Sinju), Gahwaap, Busapaui-hyeon, Usuju, Beollyeokcheon-hyeon, Hoengcheon-hyeon, Jihyeon-hyeon, Pyeongwon-gun, Naeto-gun, Sayeori-hyeon, Jeoksan-hyeon, Geunpyeong-gun, Simcheon-hyeon, Yanggu-gun, Jeojok-hyeon, Okgi-hyeon, Samhyeon-hyeon, Seongcheon-gun, Daeyanggwan-gun, Maegok-hyeon, Gosama-hyeon, Geupbeolsan-gun, Ibeolji-hyeon, Suseongcheon-hyeon, Munhyeon-hyeon, Moseong-gun, Dongsahol, Suip-hyeon, Gaengnyeon-gun, Jeongmok-hyeon, Gwansul-hyeon, Jeoranhyeon-hyeon, Cheonseong-gun, Gyeonggok-hyeon, Cheongdal-hyeon, Salhan-hyeon, Gajidal-hyeon, Eojitan, Maesidal, Cheonjeong-gun, Busadal-hyeon, Dongheo-hyeon, Naesaeng-gun, Euracha-hyeon, Uo-hyeon, Juyeon-hyeon, Haseullaju, Naemae-hyeon, Dongto-hyeon, Jisan-hyeon, Hyeolsan-hyeon, Suseong-gun, Seungsan-hyeon, Ikhyeon-hyeon, Dalhol, Jeosuhyeol-hyeon, Pyeongjinhyeon-hyeon, Dorim-hyeon, Hyuyang-gun, Seupbigok, Tosang-hyeon, Giyeon-hyeon, Gokpo-hyeon, Jukhyeon-hyeon, Manyak-hyeon, Pari-hyeon, Ujinya-gun, Pacha-hyeon, Yasihol-gun, Joram-gun, Cheongi-hyeon, Gulhwa-hyeon, Ihwahye-hyeon, Usi-gun, Ahye-hyeon, Siljik-gun, Ugok-hyeon.

The provinces and commanderies and counties of Goguryeo above are a hundred and sixty-four in all. The names Silla changed them to, and the names of today, are to be seen in the geography monograph of Silla.