King Sinmun's Reforms

Overview

King Sinmun (r. 681–692) was the eldest son of King Munmu, who had concluded the Silla–Tang War. Immediately after taking the throne, he suppressed a rebellion led by his father-in-law, Kim Heum-dol, and purged many aristocrats implicated in it. Building on this, he successively reorganized the central government structure, local administration, the military organization, and the economic foundations of officials. Scholars regard this series of measures as the decisive step in establishing centralized royal authority under the Middle Silla period (the line of King Taejong Muyeol).

Background

Through the Unification Wars against Baekje and Goguryeo, Silla's territory and population grew considerably, and a local administrative system was needed to govern the former lands of Baekje and Goguryeo. At the same time, the power of true-bone (jingol) aristocrats, who had accumulated merit in the wars, also grew, heightening tensions with royal authority. The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture explains that during the Silla–Tang War, several senior true-bone officials were purged on grounds including pro-Tang leanings, and that this left lasting conflict between the true-bone aristocracy and the crown.

Developments

Purge of Aristocratic Forces (681)

In the eighth day of the eighth lunar month of the accession year, Sopan Kim Heum-dol, Pajinchan Heungwon, Daeachan Jingong, and others plotted a rebellion and were executed. King Sinmun punished not only the leaders but also low-ranking participants, and he forced Minister of War Ichan Kim Gun-gwan and his son to take their own lives on the grounds that they had known of the rebellion plan and failed to report it. The king issued two royal edicts to the whole country to explain the legitimacy of the purge. For details, see Kim Heum-dol's Rebellion.

Central Government Structure and Education (682–688)

In 682, the Office of Personnel (Wihwabu) was given two Ryeong (Directors), and the Office of Public Works Supervision and the Office of Agricultural Fields Supervision were established. In the same year, a Gyeong (Minister) was appointed to head the National Confucian Academy (Gukhak), which teaches the Confucian classics, and the academy was completed as a formal educational institution under the Ministry of Rites (Yebu). In 685, practical posts called Saji (Clerks) were placed in each government office, completing a five-tier official system of Ryeong, Gyeong, Daesa, Saji, and Sa. In 686, the Office of Ceremonial Works (Yejakbu) was reorganized, in 687 the Office of Music (Eumseongseo) was elevated to a Gyeong rank, and in 688 the Ship Office (Seonbugyeong) was expanded.

Local System (685–687)

In 685, the Seowon Secondary Capital (Cheongju) and the Namwon Secondary Capital (Namwon) were established, which together with Geumgwan Capital (Gimhae), Jungwon Capital (Chungju), and Bukwon Capital (Wonju) completed the five secondary capitals. In the same year, Wansanju (Jeonju) and Cheongju (Jinju) were set up to complete the nine-province system. The nine provinces were arranged in groups of three: in the former territories of Silla and Gaya, Sabeoljoo, Yangsaljoo, and Cheongju; in the former Baekje territories, Ungcheonju, Wansanju, and Mujinju; and in the southern former Goguryeo territories, Hansanju, Suyakju, and Haseoju. When the Namwon Secondary Capital was established, there is a record that people from several provinces and counties were moved there to settle. In 686–687, the provinces, counties, and districts were reorganized in line with this structure.