Lifestyle through Koguryo/Goguryeo Heritage

Throughout 5,000 history of Korea, Koguryo/Goguryeo is meaningful, and Significant to all Korean. A leading power during the Three Kingdoms period, Koguryo/Goguryeo occupied the present territory of North Korea and also held sway over the vast Manchurian (Liaoning, Jilin, Helongjiang provinces, China) region for some 945 years until the late 7th century AD, when 35 kingdoms rose and fall in China during the same period. By the 4th century, Koguryo/Goguryeo had been firmly established as a powerful kingdom and frequently clashed with China, while successfully containing its southern rivals. (In c. 220 B.C., under Qin Shi Huang, sections of earlier fortifications were joined together to form a united defence system against invasions from the north that is Koguryo/Goguryeo Kingdom. Construction continued up to the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), when the Great Wall became the world's largest military structure. Its historic and strategic importance is matched only by its architectural significance.)

People of Koguryo/Goguryeo were fond of dancing and singing. Because they lived in a tense society, which had to fight wars constantly, and whose rules and laws were stringent, the citizens understandably found a relaxing pastime they needed in festive activities, such as drinking, singing and dancing. Come every October, the kingdom held various events, ceremonies and festive activities, including the Dongmaeng Festival (whose main purpose was to worship the gods of heaven and ancestors), where citizens of all levels gathered and enjoyed the event together. Unlike the memorial services of the Chinese, characterized by rigid formalities and solemn appearances (so as to stir up the fear of gods among viewers), Koguryo's events and ceremonies (the Dongmaeng Festival, in particular) provided a forum of festivity where people mingled with one another, engaging in drinking, singing and dancing activities (in celebration of the "gods' descent to this world").

In the beginning of each year, as was the custom, many village people would join in the festive events held at riverside locations. Kings also used to come and watch citizens enjoying entertainment activities, which included 'stone-throw games,' a custom that has been handed down to the mid-20th century.

Other popular pastime activities the Koguryo/Goguryeo people enjoyed included games like "baduk" ("go"), "jang-gi" (Chinese chess), "chukguk" (soccer), dice-play, "yut-nori" (the four-stick game), "tuho" (throwing-arrows-in-jar), ssireum ("sumo") and a bare-hand duel called "subak(수박)." Subak eventually evolved into Taekwondo, Korea's most well known martial art, as the sport passed through the Koryeo and Joseon/Chosun Kingdoms. Ssireum(씨름, Sumo), which has become a very popular sport today, is a game of wrestling in which two players compete to wrestle the other to the ground using cloth-sashes, which are tied around the waists and thighs of the players.

People also enjoyed circuses brought from Central Asia, listening to musical performances, or playing musical instruments like the six-string Korean zither or flute.

China’s involvement in “stealing Korean history,” which refers to the histories of ancient kingdoms including Goguryeo(Koguryo) and Balhae(Palhae), is in full swing thanks to the launch of its Northeast Project and the designation of the Goguryeo(Koguryo) relics in China as UNESCO World Heritage.

China’s Northeast Project and the Problems It Poses.

Until the early 1980s, most Chinese history books and textbooks documented Koguryo /Goguryeo as part of Korea’s history. In the 1990s, however, the claim that “Koguryo/Goguryeo is part of Chinese history” began to gain strong momentum when a new doctrine was applied to history interpretation that all history which occurred within the current Chinese territory should be considered part of Chinese history.

Koguryo/Goguryeo, one of Korea’s ancient kingdoms, had its own strong monarchy that lasted for 945 years. How could it have been a provincial state of ancient China when 35 kingdoms rose and fell in China during that same period?

It is time for the academia, media and public to strongly call upon the Chinese government to abandon the Northeast Project(東北工程), to stop the distortion of Korean history, and to correct false assertions. The Chinese government, of course, is highly unlikely to heed the call. However, what we as Koreans have to do is to consistently fight China with the facts. The Koguryo/Goguryeo Tombs are an exceptional testimony of the Koguryo/Goguryeo culture, its burial customs as well as its daily life and beliefs. These paintings offer a unique testimony to daily life of this period and a custom that has been handed down to now daily lifestyles of Koreans.

Food, Clothing and Housing

The Koguryo/Goguryeo Tombs are an exceptional testimony of the Koguryo/Goguryeo culture, its burial customs as well as its daily life and beliefs. These paintings offer a unique testimony to daily life (food, clothing and Housing) of this period, when 35 kingdoms rose and fall in China that same period, and a custom that has been handed down to now (through 1,400 years, Balhae, Koryo, Chosun Dynasty) daily lifestyles of Koreans of North (DPRK)and South Korea

(ROK).  The followings, Korean men and ladies clothes, food, housing, afford good examples.