North–South States Period

A period in Korean history, usually dated 698–926, when Balhae ruled the north and Unified Silla the south.

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Balhae: A kingdom in Manchuria and northern Korea, founded in 698 and conquered by the Khitan in 926. Its rule over the north gave the period its defining political division.
Goguryeo: An ancient Korean kingdom that ruled parts of the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria from 37 BCE to 668 CE. Balhae claimed Goguryeo’s legacy, while Unified Silla occupied former southern territories.
Silla–Tang relations: The diplomatic, military, and cultural relations between Silla and Tang China. Silla’s dealings with Tang shaped its international position during the period.
Goguryeo succession: The historical claim that a later state inherited the political or cultural legacy of Goguryeo. Balhae’s relationship to Goguryeo underlies competing interpretations of its identity.
Unified Silla: The Korean kingdom that ruled the peninsula south of Balhae from 668 until 935. Its southern rule paired with Balhae to define this period.
Silla: One of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, which unified much of the peninsula under its rule in the seventh century. Its expansion produced the polity later called Unified Silla.
Balhae–Tang relations: The diplomatic and commercial relations between Balhae and Tang China. Balhae used diplomacy and exchange with Tang to engage a major neighboring power.
Korean historiography: The study and writing of Korea’s past, including changing interpretations of national history. The period’s name and status vary with historical frameworks and national traditions.
Dae Joyeong: The founder of Balhae, who established the kingdom in 698. His foundation of Balhae marks the period’s conventional starting point.
Tang dynasty: A Chinese imperial dynasty that ruled from 618 to 907. Tang campaigns against Goguryeo and Baekje reshaped the political landscape before this period.