On the Capital of Koguryo and its Cemetery

A new analysis of Koguryo’s capital cities and cemeteries reveals that the first walled settlement, Xia gu cheng zi, was built by native Koguryo people rather than Chinese influences. The study also clarifies the timing of Koguryo’s move to the Jian region (A.D. 3) and identifies Wei na yan cheng as its earliest mountain fortress. Additionally, it shows that Pyongyang’s first capital aligns with Cheng am li to sung, not An hak gung, and that royal tombs were strategically placed far from the city, mirroring Han dynasty patterns in China. The research suggests this reflects Koguryo’s expansion of direct royal control (Wangki). Cemetery data further indicate significant population migration from Jian to Pyongyang.

Park, S.-B. (2012). On the Capital of Koguryo and its Cemetery. Society for the Study of Early Korean History, 12, 43–94. https://doi.org/10.35160/sjekh.2012.12.12.43