- published: 23 Mar 2009
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Balhae (698–926) (Hangul: 발해; hanja: 渤海, Korean pronunciation: [paɾhɛ]), Bohai in Chinese, was a mixed ethnic Goguryeo–Mohe kingdom established in northern Korean Peninsula and Manchuria after the fall of Goguryeo. It existed during the North–South States Period along with Later Silla.
After Goguryeo's capital and southern territories fell to Unified Silla, Go of Balhae, a man from Goguryeo whose father was Dae Jung-sang, established the state of Jin (Hangul: 진),(Chinese: 振; pinyin: Zhèn), later renamed Balhae. Jin was a successor state to Goguryeo.
Balhae occupied southern parts of Manchuria and Primorsky Krai and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. It was defeated by the Khitans in 926, and most of its northern territories were absorbed into the Liao dynasty, while the southern parts were absorbed into Goryeo.
The earliest extant recorded mention of Balhae comes from the Old Book of Tang, which was compiled between 941 to 945. Southern Manchuria and northern Korea were previously the territory of Goguryeo, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Goguryeo fell to the allied forces of Silla and the Tang dynasty in 668. The Tang annexed much of western Manchuria, while Silla unified the Korean peninsula south of the Taedong River and became Later Silla.
In the wintercold I see the blood
clotting slowly in the snow
Unsung heroes cry in the night
may they die before dawn
Broken banners mourn fallen crowns
grieving swords lay all around
As the swansong touches the mountainside
unseeing eyes look at you
Can't you hear it
hear the sorrows vail
Oh, can't you see it
the newborn day
Impaled hearts welcome the end of pain
black blood releasing warrior souls
Vultures circle 'round the fields of grief
another graveyard, another tale
Can't you hear it
hear the sorrows vail
Oh, can't you see it
the newborn day