The Late Goryeo Dynasty Royal Study

This paper closely centers on the issue of the royal power of the later period of Koryo Dynasty Korea, states the clash channels and its evolution course and its natures in the different periods during the struggle of the interference and anti-interference, control and anti-control between Yuan Dynasty China and Koryo Dynasty Korea, and then clarifies the various elements of Koryo Dynasty's survival under the cruel oppression of the Yuan imperial court.This paper is made up of three parts: introduction, text and conclusion.The text consists of six chapters.Chapter one states the decline of the royal power in the reign of Wonjong(reigned 1259-1274). In Wonjong earlier stage(1260-1269), military officials were in power. Lin yan(林衍)'s arbitrary dethrone provided Mongols critics with a handle to interfere with Koryo, thereby resulting in the Wonjong's further going and seeking refuge for Mongols. In Wonjong later stage(1270-1274), with the Lin Weimao(林惟茂)'s being killed, the age of military officials ended. In this period, Koryo was in the substantive turning point that Koryo changed from being controlled by military officials to by Mongols, which led to koryo on the way of the semi-independence state. It can be said that with the end of the Koryo-Mongol war and Koryo's submission to the authority of Mongols, Mongol Yuan completed basically the organic preparations of interfering and controlling Koryo by setting up Daluhuachi(达鲁花赤), Dongning fu(东宁府), Shuangcheng zongguan fu(双城总管府), opening up lands and stationing troops within the boundaries of Koryo and finishing the various arrangements for going on a punitive expedition to Japan.Chapter two states the Koryo's capacity of son-in-law in the reign of Ch'ungyol Wang(reigned 1274-1308). Ch'ungyol Wang married princess Qiguo dazhang(齐国大长公主), the daughter of Yuan shizu(元世祖) and started the political unit by marriage between Koryo and Yuan. This was the most serious period of Mongol Princess's interfering with Koryo internal affairs. The son-in-law capacity of Ch'ungyol Wang had great influences on the Koryo-Yuan relations. In the positive way, Ch'ungyol Wang made efforts to gain the limited royal power and national interests, such as dismantling Daluhuachi(达鲁花赤), returning Dongning fu(东宁府) and Danluo fu(耽罗府). In the negative way, the heavy economic burdens of Yuan's imposing on Koryo surpassed any afterward periods, such as opening up lands and stationing troops, setting up Zhengdong xingsheng(征东行省), building ships, providing grains and labored service.Chapter three states the political reform carried out by Ch'ungson Wang(reigned 1308-1313) and his two ascendances the throne. In 1298, Ch'ungson Wang carried out a comprehensive reform in the field of political, economic, social, religion, such as abolishing Zhengfang(政房), setting up Cilinyuan(词林院), putting Piao Quanzhi(朴全之) and other "Qixueshi"(七学士) of Cilinyuan(词林院) in important positions to push on the reform. But Because the reform had affected the vested interest of the forces of the power and influence and also because the reform had the anti-Yuan nature, the reform was interfered strongly by Yuan and ended in the abdication of Ch'ungson Wang. In 1308, Ch'ungyol Wang died, and Ch'ungson Wang resumed the king throne, he controlled the Koryo in the remote Yuan capital Dadu(大都)for five years. In the reign of Ch'ungson Wang, it can be said that Koryo had been less controlled and interfered in political and less extorted in economic and the Koryo royal power reached the apex during the one hundred years of Yuan interference.Chapter four states the shake of the king throne of Ch'ungsuk Wang(reigned 1313-1330, 1332-1339). During the twenty-five years of the reign of Ch'ungsuk Wang, from 1313 to 1320, he was merely nominal and did nothing, the real power was in the hands of Ch'ungson Wang in Yuan capital Dadu(大都); from 1321-1324, Ch'ungsuk Wang had been detained in Yuan Dadu(大都) for four years, during which Shenwang(沈王) got a chance to step in the king throne struggle by the support of Yuan Yingzong(元英宗). But with various elements their campaigns for supporting Shenwang(沈王) ascending throne and establishing Zhengdongxingsheng(征东行省) failed. From February 1330 to December 1331, Koryo was in the control of Ch'unghye Wang, the son of Ch'ungsuk Wang. Therefore, it can be said that during the reign of Ch'ungsuk Wang the political situation of Koryo was unstable and seriously interfered by Yuan.Chapter five states the political relations between Ch'unghye Wang(reigned 1330-1332, 1339-1340) and Ch'ungmok Wang(1344-1348). Ch'unghye Wang ascended throne in February 1330 when he entered Yuan as a hostage in less two years. It is clear that the political changes of the Yuan royal court played a decisive role. In March 1339, Ch'ungsuk Wang died and left last wishes that he wished Ch'unghye Wang resume king throne. But Boyan(伯颜), the prime minister of Yuan royal court didn't presented this to the Yuan emperor until he was expelled in February 1340 and Ch'unghye Wang resumed king throne. In 1344, Ch'unghye Wang was arrested into Yuan and died on the way of exile. The destiny of Ch'unghye Wang changed with the Yuan royal court political power and finally became their victim. Ch'ungmok Wang ascended the throne at the age of eight and on the throne for only four years. During his reign princess Dening(德宁), Ch'ungmok Wang's mother queen, acted as regent who married Ch'unghye Wang in 1330 and had no chance to be involved in Koryo's political affairs during the reign of Ch'unghye Wang.Chapter six states the Kongmin Wang(reigned 1351-1374)'s restitution of royal power. In the reign of Kongmin Wang, the situation of the East Asian changed suddenly, Yuan Dynasty declined and even extinct and replaced by Ming Dynasty. Kongmin Wang used this opportunity to carry out two reforms. In the reform happened in the fifth year of Kongmin Wang, pro-Yuan forces were uprooted, Zhengdongxingsheng liwensuo(征东行省理问所)was abolished, Shuangcheng zongguanfu(双城总管府)was recovered, the official system was transformed, the reign title of Yuan Dynasty was stopped, which made Koryo cast off the Yuan's control and interference and maintain independence and keep the initiative in her hands, and then realize the resurgence of Koryo Dynasty.