<%@LANGUAGE="VBSCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Kuk Sool Won Eastbourne: History of Kuk Sool Won
  

history of kuk sool won:
1:5 The Koyro Dynasty: 935 - 1392 CE


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It was during the time that King KO JONG was on KANG HWA Island that one of the most important cultural achievements in Korean history was completed. The TRIPITAKA KOREANA  - which consists of over 80,000 engraved wooden blocks - took almost 16 years to complete and remains the oldest and most comprehensive collection of Buddhist scriptures surviving in the world today.



Figure 19:
TRIPITAKA KOREANA - 80,000 carved wooden blocks containing Buddhist scriptures
KORYO Dynasty (12-13 century)
Another facet of the cultural excellence that the KORYO period achieved was in ceramics, which are renowned throughout the world. Also, the invention of moveable metal type is now credited to the KORYO dynasty, after the discovery of a Korean book at the French National Library in Paris. The book, dating back to the early 14th century, was almost certainly printed by moveable metal type, the first to be used anywhere in the world

Towards the end of the 14th century (1392), an eminent KORYO general named YI SONG GI was sent north against his will by King SHIN YU (last KORYO dynasty king) to fight the MING armies of China. This was after numerous exchanges with Mongol tribes, and also disenchantment with the corruption of royalty and high court officials, much of which was caused by Buddhist influence in political affairs

During the campaign, the general had a dream which, when translated by the Buddhist monk MU HAK DAE SA, prophesied that he would one day be a king.

This prophecy was to be fulfilled sooner than he thought, as shortly afterwards he decided to revolt against King SHIN YU, and turned back with his loyal armies. With a surprise attack, General YI SONG GI captured SON DO, the capital of KORYO (now KAE SONG in North Korea), and deposed the king. Thus, the KORYO dynasty came to an end after 456 years and heralded the beginning of the YI dynasty that was to last over 500 years.


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