본문 바로가기
  • Home

The Formation and the Structure of Silla’s Gun-Hyeons in North Han River Valley

박성현 1

1연세대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This paper aims to examine the structure of Silla’s gun-hyeons (郡縣, local administrative unit) in North Han River valley and to solve the problems about the formation processes of Silla’s gun-hyeon system. There were 1 ju (州), 7 guns (郡), and 11 hyeons (縣) in the valley. The locations of them can be traced and the territories of them can be set by the small valleys of the main stream and branches of North Han River. The local administrative system of mid-old Silla (514-654) was gun and seong (城, fortress) system. There are some disputes on the translation into gun-hyeon system of unified Silla (668-935). Silla took 10 guns in the valley of North Han River and the neighboring area from Koguryo in 551. In the center place of unified Silla’s gun-hyeon, a fortress which was constructed in the mid-old Silla period has been discovered. Gun was territorial but seong was a base point. Seongs in a gun changed into a gun and a few hyeons. Each of them divided the territory of the old gun. There were two main road in the valley. One is from west to east along the river and the other is from south to north across the valleys. Silla made a Sak-ju (朔州) provine along the south-north road because the capital was located in the south east part of the state. Gun-hyeons of Sak-ju were arranged along the two roads and the administrative center of Sak-ju was located in the cross point. The water system of North Han River could be used to transport grain. In the center place of unified Silla’s gun-hyeon, a seong was remained and chons (村, village) were distributed in the territory. The function of the fortress in the unified Silla period is a matter in dispute. It can be clarified if the sites of fortresses and villages are more discovered and excavated.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.