After the Tang dynasty conquered Goguryeo in 668, the Protectorate General to Pacify the East, otherwise known as the Andong Protectorate, was created in Pyongyang and supposedly stationed with 200,000 soldiers. The protectorate was divided into 9 commanderies, 42 prefectures, and 100 counties with an estimated 697,000 Goguryeo households.[1][2][3]
In 669 the people of Goguryeo revolted in response to Tang governance. In response the Tang forcibly deported tens of thousands of households and resettled them in empty areas south of the Changjiang (Yangtze) and Huai River, each in contemporary China. The weak and poor were left behind and assigned to guard duty in service of the protectorate.[2] Different numbers of households are given by various sources. According to the Samguk Sagi citing Chinese sources, the Zizhi Tongjian says 38,200 households, the Old Book of Tang and Tongdian say 28,200, and the New Book of Tang says 30,000. The Samguk Sagi says 38,300.[4] Mark Cartwright gives a number of 200,000 people forcefully resettled including the king.[5] Wang Zhenping gives a figure of 78,000 households.[2]
From 670 to 675, Goguryeo loyalists aligned with Silla launched offensives against the Tang Chinese on all fronts within and outside the Protectorate. Aided by Silla, Goguryeo generals such as Go Yeonmu and Geom Mojam reclaimed parts of former Goguryeo territories after winning several decisive battles in Ogol, Gaedonyang, and Paeseo. For instance, Go Yeonmu, led a counter-offensive against the Tang armies in Liaodong alongside the Sillan general Seol Oyu in 670, defeating the Tang armies stationed in the area and occupying it briefly until 674.[6] Originally Emperor Taizong of Tang promised to exchange Baekje and the lands south of Pyongyang in return for Silla's military cooperation. However Taizong died before the conquest of Goguryeo was completed, and his successor Gaozong reneged on the promise.[7]
In 671, Sillan forces drove out the Tang.[8] In 675 the Tang attacked Silla and defeated them in Gyeonggi.[9] In response Munmu of Silla dispatched a tributary mission to Tang with apologies. Gaozong accepted Munmu's apologies and withdrew Tang troops to deal with the Tibetan threat in the west. Seeing the Tang's strategic weakness, Silla renewed the advance on Tang territory.[9] Silla took all the territory south of the Taedong River in a series of battles in 676.[10]
By 676 the Tang were forced to relocate the protectorate seat to the more easily defendable city of Liaoyang.[11][3][12]
The deposed Bojang of Goguryeo was designated "Liaodong Commander King of Joseon" (Korean: 요동주도독 조선왕; Hanja: 遼東州都督朝鮮王) in 667. Upon arriving in Liaodong, he plotted with the Mohe people to revive Goguryeo. News of his intentions reached the Tang, and Bojang was banished to southwestern China in 681.[13]
The Protectorate General to Pacify the East, otherwise known as the Andong Protectorate, was abandoned in 756 or ended in 761.[13][3]
List of protector generals
The Andong protectorate, above Unified SillaMap of the six major protectorates during Tang dynasty. The Protectorate General to Pacify the East is marked as Andong (安东都护府).
^"舊唐書". 中國哲學書電子化計劃. Retrieved 3 August 2017. 安東都護府總章元年九月，司空李勣平高麗。高麗本五部，一百七十六城，戶六十九萬七千。其年十二月，分高麗地為九都督府，四十二州，一百縣，置安東都護府於平壤城以統之。In the ninth month of the first year of the Zongzhang era [668], the Minister of Works Li Ji pacified Goguryeo. Originally Goguryeo had 5 regions, 176 cities, and 697,000 households. In the twelfth month of that year, Goguryeo's territory was divided into 9 commanderies, 42 prefectures, and 100 counties. The Andong Protectorate was situated at Pyeongyang to govern it.
^Seth, Michael J. (2020). A Concise History of Korea: From Antiquity to the Present. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 45. ISBN978-1-5381-2898-5.
^ ab"舊唐書". 中國哲學書電子化計劃. Retrieved 3 August 2017. 上元三年二月，移安東府於遼東郡故城置。儀鳳二年，又移置於新城。In the second month of the third year of the Shangyuan era [676], the seat of Andong was moved to the Old City of Liaodong. In the second year of the Yifeng era [677], it was move again, this time to Xincheng.
^ ab"舊唐書". 中國哲學書電子化計劃. Retrieved 3 August 2017. 開元二年，移安東都護於平州置。天寶二年，移於遼西故郡城置。In the second year of the Kaiyuan era [714], the Andong Protectorate was moved to Ping Prefecture. In the second year of the Tianbao era [743], it was moved to the old commandery seat of Liaoxi.
Bibliography
Lee, K.-b. (1984). A new history of Korea. Tr. by E.W. Wagner & E.J. Schulz, based on the Korean rev. ed. of 1979. Seoul: Ilchogak. ISBN89-337-0204-0
Wang, Zhenping (2013), Tang China in Multi-Polar Asia: A History of Diplomacy and War, University of Hawaii Press
Xiong, Victor (2008), Historical Dictionary of Medieval China, United States of America: Scarecrow Press, Inc., ISBN978-0810860537
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