Alternate meaning: Bohai Sea

Bo Hai / Bohai (or in the Korean context Balhae) was a kingdom in northeast Asia from AD 698 to 926, occupying parts of Manchuria, northern Korea, and Russian Far East. Bohai was founded by Da Zuorong of the Sumo Mohe tribe and integrated several Mohe tribes and Goguryeo remnants. It was conquered by the Khitan in 926.

In the confusion of the Khitan rebellion against Tang in 696, Sumo Mohe tribe, led by Qiqi Zhongxiang and Qisi Piyu, escaped eastward to their homeland. The two leaders died but Da Zuorong, the son of Qiqi Zhongxiang, established the State of Zhen (震 or 振). Da Zuorong established his capital at Dongmu Mountain in the south of today's Jilin province. Since it gained power under protection of the northern nomadic empire of Gokturk, Tang gave Da Zuorong the title of "Prefecture King of Bohai" in 713. Bohai had been a Chinese prefecture, but since then referred to the kingdom. The title was upgraded to "State King of Bohai" in 762.

The second king Da Wuyi (Wuwang), who felt encircled by Tang, Silla and Black Water Mohe along the Amur River, attacked Tang and his navy briefly occupied a port on the Shandong Peninsula in 732. Later, a compromise was forged between Tang and Bohai, which resumed tributary mission to Tang. He also sent a mission to Japan in 728 to threaten Silla from the rear. Bohai kept diplomatic and commercial contacts with Japan until the end of the kingdom. Because of its proximity to many powerful states, Bohai became a buffer zone for the region.

The third king Da Jinmao (Wen Wang) expanded its territory into the Amur valley in the north and the Liaodong Peninsula in the west. He also established the permanent capital near Lake Jingpo in the south of today's Heilongjiang province around 755.

After destroying Bohai in 926, the Khitan put the state of Dongdan, followed by the annexation by Liao in 936. Bohai aristocrats were moved to Liaoyang but small fragments of the state remained semi-independent. Some Bohai people fled southward to Goryeo, including a son of the last king. Some descendants of the royal family live in Korea, changing their family name to Tae (太). The Jurchen Jin Dynasty favored the Bohai people as well as the Khitans. The fourth, fifth and seventh emperors were mothered by Bohai concubines. The 13th century census of Northern China by the Mongols distinguished Bohai from other ethnic groups such as Goryeo (Korean), Khitan and Jurchen. This suggests that the Bohai people still preserved their identity.

Characterization and political exploitation

The kingdom that straddled the current borders of the PRC, North Korea and Russia has been positioned and politically exploited in various ways.

Bohai was once likened to Manchukuo for its friendly relationship with Japan. Currently Japanese scholars oppose both the Korean and Chinese political exploitations and try to treat Bohai as itself.

In North and South Korea, Bohai is regarded as a Korean state and is positioned in the "North-South period" (with Silla) today, although such a trend has been marginal for a long time. Based on their belief that Goguryeo was a Korean state, they emphasize its connection with Goguryeo and degrade that with the Mohe. While South Korean historians think ruling class was of Goguryeo and the commoners were Mohe, North Korean historians think Bohai ethnography was mostly Goguryeo. Both claims gain little support outside Korea.

The PRC projects the current border to history. It treat everything that happened in its territory as part of its history. Today the Chinese historians consider Bohai as a local government of the Tang, and think it was ruled by the Bohai ethnic group, which was mostly based on the Mohe. They stress the importance of the Bohai-Tang relationship.

Russian scholars think of Bohai as an independent Mohe state, with Central Asian and Chinese influence. They put weight on archaeology.

The genealogy of the royal family is also disputed. Koreans claims that the founder Da Zuorong was a Goguryeo. They trusted the description of the Old Book of the Tang and discredit that of the New Book of the Tang for unknown reasons. Non-Korean scholars criticize that they made arbitary interpretation for historical sources which depends on whether they suits to their nationalistic belief or not. The Old Book of the Tang says that Da Zuorong of the Bohai Mohe was a "variant" of Goryeo [Goguryeo] (高麗別種) while the New Book of the Tang states "originally Sumo Mohe affiliated to Goryeo."

   Baoli (寶曆 Bǎolì) 774-?

   Daxing (大興 Dàxīng)

   Boryeok (보력|寶曆) 774-?

   Daeheung (대흥|大興)

An important source of cultural information on Bohai was discovered at the end of the 20th century at the Ancient Tombs at Longtou Mountain, especially the Mausoleum of Princess Zhenxiao.

See also: History of Korea Ethnic groups in Chinese history

External links

• Britannica Concise Encyclopedia article on Parhae (Barhae/Bohai) (http://concise.britannica.com/ebc/article?eu=399871)

ja:渤海 ko:발해 zh-cn:渤海国