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Home›Korean history

Goryeo dynasty

The 474 years of Goryeo, from Wang Geon's founding in 918 to the end of the dynasty in 1392, in seven units: reunification, building the state, wars with the Khitan and Jurchen, military rule, the Mongol wars, celadon and printing, and the fall. A 3D timeline sets Goryeo's periods beside the Liao, Song, Mongol and Ming empires. Dates follow the National Institute of Korean History, and where sources disagree the units say so.

Progress

About this course

Later Baekje fell apart from the inside. Gyeon Hwon's son Singeom seized power and shut his father up in Geumsansa temple, and the old king escaped to Wang Geon. In the ninth month of 936 Wang Geon led an army recorded as 87,500 strong to Ilseon, today's Gumi. Before the battle began, four Later Baekje generals rode over to Gyeon Hwon in the Goryeo camp and surrendered. That is how the 474 years of Goryeo, from Wang Geon's founding in 918 to the end of the dynasty in 1392, became a single country.

The seven units follow the dynasty. After the founding come the reigns of Gwangjong and Seongjong, with a first state examination in 958 that passed only seven men. Wars with the Khitan and the Jurchen include Seo Hui winning six border districts in 993 with a single round of talks, and in 1019 only a few thousand Khitan soldiers made it home from Gwiju. Military rule follows, including the Choe family's slave Manjeok planning an uprising in 1198 to end slavery in the capital. Thirty years of Mongol wars include the monk Kim Yun-hu shooting the commander Saritai at Cheoin-seong in 1232. Celadon, the Tripitaka Koreana and metal type note that Jikji was printed in 1377, 78 years before Gutenberg's 42-line Bible. The last unit covers Yuan interference and the end of the dynasty. A 3D timeline sets Goryeo's periods beside the Liao, Song, Mongol and Ming empires.

In 1388 Yi Seong-gye was one of two commanders sent to attack Liaodong. At Wihwa Island in the Amnok River he asked to turn back, was refused, and in the fifth month turned the army around anyway, marched on Gaegyeong and took control of the government.

Before you start

Goryeo grew out of the Later Three Kingdoms, so Three Kingdoms of Korea gives the background, especially its last unit on Silla and Balhae. Many questions ask for a year, so keeping a small timeline from 918 to 1392 as you read will help.

When you finish

Afterwards you can explain how Wang Geon reunified the peninsula in 936, what Gwangjong's exams and Slave Review Act changed, and how Seo Hui won six districts by talking. You can describe the century of military rule and Manjeok's planned uprising, the thirty years of Mongol war, the making of celadon, the Tripitaka Koreana and Jikji, and why Goryeo ended in 1392.

  1. 1Wang Geon and the founding of GoryeoWhen Goryeo marched against Later Baekje in 936, the records count 87,500 soldiers, and Later Baekje's own founder, Gyeon Hwon, rode with them.
  2. 2Kings Gwangjong and Seongjong build the stateGoryeo's first state examination, in 958, passed only seven men.
  3. 3Wars with the Khitan and the JurchenIn 993 Seo Hui won six border districts for Goryeo with a single round of talks; in 1019 only a few thousand Khitan soldiers made it home from Gwiju.
  4. 4Aristocrats, revolts and a century of military ruleThe Choe family's own slave, Manjeok, planned an uprising in 1198 to end slavery in the capital.
  5. 5Thirty years of war with the MongolsAt Cheoin-seong, an earthen fort in today's Yongin, the monk Kim Yun-hu shot the Mongol commander Saritai in 1232, and the invading army turned back.
  6. 6Celadon, the Tripitaka Koreana and metal typeJikji was printed with movable metal type in 1377, 78 years before Gutenberg's 42-line Bible.
  7. 7Yuan interference, King Gongmin and the end of GoryeoSent to attack Liaodong in 1388, Yi Seong-gye turned his army around at Wihwa Island in the Amnok River; four years later he was king.

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Sources for this course (11)
  • 국사편찬위원회 우리역사넷 (contents.history.go.kr): 한국사 연대기 고려 「후삼국의 통일」「노비안검법」「광종」「최승로」「최승로 시무28조(고려사)」「귀주대첩」「천리장성 수축」「윤관의 9성 설치」「여진족이 건국한 금의 팽창」「거란(요)의 건국과 발전」「발해 멸망」「이자겸의 난」「무신정변」「교정도감」「만적의 난」「몽골의 고려침입」「처인성 전투」「김윤후」「삼별초」「쌍성총관부」「공민왕」「직지심체요절」「진포대첩」「요동 정벌」「위화도회군」「삼국사기」「명 태조 주원장」, 교과서 용어 해설 「강동 6주」「천리장성」「송상」「위화도 회군」, 고등학교 국사 7차 「거란의 침입과 격퇴」「이자겸의 난과 서경 천도 운동」「무신 정권의 성립」, 재미있는 초등역사 「서희」「고려청자」, 신편 한국사 15권 「금과의 통교」 17권 「≪삼국사기≫의 편찬」, 한국문화사 「상감청자의 제작」
  • 한국민족문화대백과사전 (encykorea.aks.ac.kr): 개경, 후삼국 통일, 서희, 시무28조, 천리장성, 묘청의 난, 만적의 난, 삼별초항쟁, 기철, 청자 상감 운학문 매병
  • 국립중앙박물관 (museum.go.kr) 큐레이터 추천 소장품 「청자 상감동채 모란무늬 매병」
  • 유네스코 국제기록유산센터 (unescoicdh.org) 「백운화상초록불조직지심체요절 하권」
  • 국가기록원 「직지와 흥덕사지」 (theme.archives.go.kr)
  • 금성출판사 티칭백과 「합천 해인사 대장경판」(문화재청 2015년 8월 경판 수 81,352장 발표 인용)
  • Where sources disagree: Battle of Gwiju 1019 (우리역사넷, 7차 교과서) vs 1018 (3차 초등 교과서, the year the invasion began)
  • completion of the Cheolli Jangseong 1044 (우리역사넷) vs 1041 (한국민족문화대백과)
  • Tripitaka Koreana 81,258 blocks (colonial-era count, includes Joseon recarvings) vs 81,352 (Cultural Heritage Administration recount, 2015)
  • inlaid celadon from the mid-12th century (우리역사넷 초등역사) vs common only from the late 12th century (한국문화사)
  • start of Yuan interference 1259 or 1270.

Checked: 2026-10-17