Today’s Hong-Seung area was called Eun-Ju·Hong-Ju(운주·홍주運州·洪州) during the First Goreyo period. In the year 904 AD, when Goong-Yae(궁예弓裔) came into power with Gong-Ju(공주公州) and established Tae-Bong(태봉泰封), he stationed his military in Eun-Ju(운주運州) so that this area could be used asthesouthernstrongpoint.OntheHyun-Jong(현종顯宗)year9(1018AD), King Hyun-Jong nationally reorganized Sok-Gyun(속군屬郡) and the area was renamedHong-Ju(홍주洪州).Shortlyafterwards,fifteenGyun-Hyun(군현郡縣) counties located nearby were added to Hong-ju.
Eun-Ju was situated in a crucial location between Taebong·Goreyo and later-BaekJae(후백제後百濟), which caused a constant battle between the two nations over the ownership of this area. In 904 AD, when King Wang-Gun(왕건王建) established Goreyo Dynasty, Eun-Ju, which belonged to Taebong at the time, became part of later-BaekJae. However, on Tae-Jo(태조太祖) year 10 (927AD), Wang-Gun’s military defeated Eunjuseungju(운주성주運州城主) Geung- Joon(긍준兢俊) and Eun-Ju now belonged to Goreyo. Around Taejo year 15, Eun-Ju became part of later-BaekJae again. On Taejo year 19(946AD), a big battle was foughtbetweenGoreyoandlater-BaekJae.Wang-GunofGoreyowonthis combat and set foundation for unification of later three kingdom. On Taejo year 19 (936 AD), Geungjoon of Goreyo played an important role at the battle of Il-Icheon(일리천一利川) against later-BaekJae’s Shin-Gun(신검神劍). In conclusion, Eun-Ju contributed a great deal to the unification effort.
Taejo WangGun’s wife, Hong-Bok-Won(홍복원興福院) came from the Hong- Seung area. The wife’s last name was Hong and the Hong Clan established themselves in the Honseung area. King GongMin’s teacher, Buddhist monk Bo-Wu(보우普愚) also came from Hong-Seung. Another important family to note istheLeeclan,notablyLee-Chum(이첨李詹).WithGoreyo’sestablishment, Hong-seung became the hub of Chungnam area.