Balhae Included in Korean History

In 1287, the Goryeo scholar Yi Seung-hyu compiled the Jewang Ungi (Songs of Emperors and Kings), a historical text that presented the kingdom of Balhae (698–926) as part of Korea’s historical narrative. Written during the Goryeo period, the work outlined a lineage of rulers and states, and it is noted for explicitly treating Balhae as a successor to Goguryeo rather than as a separate or foreign polity. This marked a clear inclusion of Balhae within the framework of Korean historiography. Earlier historical works had taken a different approach. The Samguk Sagi, completed in 1145 by Kim Bu-sik, focused primarily on the Three Kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla, and did not provide a dedicated dynastic account of Balhae, though it made limited references to it. In contrast, Yi Seung-hyu’s Jewang Ungi broadened the historical scope by integrating Balhae into a continuous narrative that linked earlier and later Korean states. The inclusion of Balhae in historical writing also reflected earlier political and social connections. After the fall of Balhae to the Khitan-led Liao Dynasty in 926, the crown prince and a significant number of refugees fled south to Goryeo. They were received by the Goryeo court and incorporated into its society, with the ruling elite acknowledging shared ties rooted in Goguryeo heritage. This connection provided a historical basis for later scholars to view Balhae as part of the same lineage. Yi Seung-hyu’s work did not immediately replace earlier interpretations, but it stands as one of the earliest known texts to formally position Balhae within Korean history. The Jewang Ungi contributed to shaping how subsequent generations understood the relationship between Goguryeo, Balhae, and Goryeo.