Story 19. The connection between the ancestors of Genghis Khan and the Abnok Commandery of the Western Capital of Balhae

 

Story 19. The connection between the ancestors of Genghis Khan and the Abnok Commandery of the Western Capital of Balhae

What kind of political-geographical meaning did the “Abnok Commandery of the Western Capital of Balhae” presented by “Arghana Kun” have in Balhae? Could it be that it was the land that mainstream scholars today mistakenly call “Ergene Kun”? 

It is the “Abnok Commandery of the Liao Dynasty” that was also called “Abnokbu of the Balhae’ Western Capital (渤海西京)”, an administrative unit of Balhae.

In “Geography” of Yu Deuk-gong’s <Balhae Go (渤海考)> based on <Yosa>,

“Abnok Commandery of the Nokju (淥州) was originally the old territory of Goguryeo. Balhae called it Western Capital (西京) Abnok-bu (鴨淥府) among five Capitals of Balbae Kingdom, and the height of the fortress was 6m wide and was around 8km. It governed all the affairs of the four states of Sinju (神州), Hwanju (桓州), Pungju (豊州), and Jeongju (正州). In the past, there were three counties, but it was said that Sinrok (신록), Sinhwa (신화), and Geommun (검문) were all abolished.”

Here, in the “Abnok-gun (鴨淥軍),” it said, “Hwanju (桓州) is Goryeo’s Jungdoseong (仲屠城), and there were three old counties, but Hwando (桓都), Sinhyang (神鄕), and Paesu (浿水) were all abolished.” Here, “Pae River (浿水)” is generally considered to be the current “Daedong River (大同江)” although there is some controversy. If so, then “Balhae Western Capital (渤海西京) Abnok Commandery (鴨淥軍)” can be seen as including at least the left and right banks and the Daedong River basin.

Episode 1. “Argan (鴨淥江)-Na (의) Kun (郡) is the concentrated damage area of ​​the Balhae-Tang and Silla wars

“Balhae Western Capital (渤海西京) Abnok Commandery (鴨淥軍)”, or “Abnoggang (Abnok River鴨淥江) Ne (의) Gun (郡)” with this scope was an administrative district of Balhae in a very important geopolitical location. This area was the closest and most convenient exchange area between Tang and Silla in peacetime, and was the most quickly and directly attacked in wartime.

First of all, regarding the battles between the two countries during the Balhae-Tang War, the Tang army was initially at a disadvantage, as its commander Wei Jun was killed in the Balhae navy’s surprise attack on Dengzhou and Laizhou. After that, the situation was restored with the joining of Daemunye, who had fled to Tang, and Oh Seungja, who had been dispatched from Jangak, and perhaps the 8th Khan of Daedae-ro (Tatar), Gaeboksun, who had been dispatched from Chang’an, the capital of Tang.

This time, they would have led the recruited army to counterattack Balhae and invade the Balhae mainland. This would have been right after Balhae King Daemuye withdrew from Madosan(mt). The area that the Tang army attacked first at that time was clearly the “Abnog gang (Abnok River鴨淥江)  Kun (county 郡)”, also known as “Balhae’s Western Capital (渤海西京).” This was because one of the five capitals of Balhae that was closest to the Tang territories, including the Andong Protectorate and the Noryong Commandery, was the “Balhae Western Capital (渤海西京) Amnok Commandery (鴨淥軍)” that started from Bakjak-gu at the mouth of the Abnok River.

 At that time, the Tang dynasty also ordered the Silla army to invade the southern part of Balhae, and the area that the Silla army could reach first and most easily when they advanced toward Balhae was also this “Balhae Western Capital (渤海西京)” nicknamed “Abnog  gang (Abnog River 鴨淥江) Ne (의)  Kun (County 郡). This was the closest land where they could receive joint attacks from both countries. As written in the <Taikh-I Arba' Ulus, 四汗國, Four Khan Countries>.

If the Balhae army was defeated, this was also the place where their army was completely destroyed. In particular, the place where Balhae departed its navy during the war, which was considered the “Great War between the Tatars and the Mogors (Mongols),” was the famous “Pakjakgu (泊汋口).” This was at the mouth of the Abnok River, which gave its etymology to the administrative units called “Argun (鴨淥軍)” and “Argan (鴨淥江)-na (의) Kon (郡).”

“<Geography of Tang Book> states that from the mouth of the Abnok River, go about a hundred li (40 kms) by boat, then go 30 li (12 kms) northeast in a small boat against the current, and you will reach Bakjak-gu (泊汋口). Then, when you reach Gasaeng-i in Balhae, go 500 li (200 kms) against the current again, and you will reach Hwando County (丸都縣城), which was the capital of the old Goryeo kings. Go 200 li (80 kms) northeast against the current again, and you will reach Sinju (神州), and then go 400 li (160 kms) by land. It reaches Hyeonju (縣州). It was the capital of the third king of Balhae, Daeheummu (文王) during Cheonbojung (天寶中 742~756) of Tang.”

 

At this time, 10 years had passed since the war between Balhae and Tang in 732~733. After King Mu, who had been involved in the war, passed away, his second son, the third king of Balhae, Daeheummu, made this area the capital instead of his eldest son, Dorihaeng. This means that this area was an important capital area. In times of peace, it was a very convenient transportation hub for exchanges with Tang, Silla, and Khitan, but on the other hand, in times of war, it was a forward outpost of war and the land where “all the Mogol (Mongol) armies were annihilated” as mentioned in the <Taikh-I Arba' Ulus, 四汗國, Four Khan Countries>.

.Episode2. Abnok River Commandery (鴨淥江郡) Yabal (野勃), the grandfather of Kiyan, the ancestor of Genghis Khan “The territory of the King of Pan’an County”

Up until now, “Arghana Kun” has been historically and linguistically referred to as “the county of the Abnok gang (Abnok River)”, also known as “the Western Capital of Balhae”, and it was estimated to be the most fiercely contested and damaged area during the “Turkish and Mogol (Mongol) War”, or “Tang-Balhae War”, based on records in the History of the East. However, there is documentary evidence that further confirms this claim that “Arghana Kun” is “the Kun (county) of the Abnok gang (Abnok River)”.

Surprisingly, in the “county(Kun) of the Abnok River(Abnok Gang)”, there was Kiyan in the <History of the Four States>, or “Gan (澗)” himself, the title of his grandfather Yabal (野勃). There is the land that became the origin of “Pan’an County King (盤安郡王)” as well as the ancestral home of Kiyan and Nekuz.

“Nokju (淥州) Abnok Kun (Abnok Commandery 鴨淥軍) was originally the old land of Goguryeo. Balhae called it Seogyeong (Western Capital西京) Abnok-bu (鴨淥府). The height of the castle was 3 jang(6ms) the width was around 20 ri (8 kms), and it governed all the affairs of the four states of Sinju (神州), Hwanju (桓州), Pungju (豊州), and Jeongju (正州). In the past, there were three counties, but it is said that Sinrok (신록), Sinhwa (신화), and Geommun (검문) were all abolished.” 

Among the four states (사주) that belonged to Abnok County(kun), Pungju (豊州) and Jeongju (正州) appear as familiar place names related to this topic. “Balhae established Banan-gun (盤安郡) in Pungju (豊州). There were four old counties, but Anpung, Balgak, Seopyang, and Hyeopseok were all abolished. Jeongju (正州) was originally the old land of King Biryu (沸流王), but the county was swallowed up by the Gongsunkang, so Balhae established Biryu-gun (沸流郡), and there was Biryu-su (沸流水).” 

The part that is noteworthy here is “Balhae established Banan-gun (盤安郡) in Pungju (豊州).” This land, Banan-gun (盤安郡), was the origin and hometown of the title “Banan-gunwang (Khan of Banan County 盤安郡王)” of “Kiyan’s” father “Ilha” and Ilha’s father, Daeya-bal (大野勃). There are three reasons why this record is particularly important.

1) First, “Kiyan (澗)”’s grandfather Daeya-bal (大野勃) used the title “Banan gunwang(county king 盤安郡王).” The “-gun-wang” in this title shows that the place name “Ban-an-gun (Ban an commendary 盤安-軍)” of the Liao Dynasty was originally written as “Ban-an-gun (Ban An-county盤安-郡)” during the Balhae Dynasty, which was a little earlier. The place name “Biryu-gun (Biryu County沸流-郡)” right below it also shows this fact. Previously, “Argun (鴨淥軍)” was seen as “Abrgun (鴨淥郡)” during the Balhae Dynasty.

2) Second, when looking at this, “Abrogun=Argun (鴨淥郡)” at least sounds the same as “Argun” or “Argan”, and when this word is used colloquially, it perfectly matches “Argun-ne-kun” or “Argana kun”, which supports the view that it is “Ablog gang(Ablog River鴨淥江) Na/Ne (의) Gun (郡)”. This is a word that has “Gun=Kun (郡)”.

3) Third, and most importantly, this record almost directly proves that “Ablog gang (Ablog River鴨淥江) Na/Ne (의) Gun (郡)” is “Argana kun” as the author claims. Because that land is the direct territory of “Kyan’s” father “Ilha” and his father Daeyabal (大野勃), the title “Pan’an County King (盤安郡王)”, and it is the land that encompasses the land from which the title is derived. In other words, the land where “Kyan’s” third-generation ancestors, grandfather Yabal and father Ilha, and himself lived or can be considered their ancestral home was Ban’an County (盤安郡), and the “Abnog gang (Abnog River鴨淥江) counties (郡)” were a wider range of administrative districts that embrace “Ban’an County (盤安郡)”.

In the end, the place where Kiyan himself, his grandfather Yabal, his father Ilha, and the family of Kiyan himself, who fled to the mountains of “Arkana Kun” with the<Tarikh-e Monghul, 集史 History of Mongolia> and the <Taikh-I Arba' Ulus, 四汗國, Four Khan Countries>,lived is “Na/ne County (郡) of the Abnok River (鴨淥江).”