Balhae

Balhae, also known as Bohai or Parhae, was a medieval kingdom in northeast Asia that lasted from 698 to 926. It was founded by Dae Joyeong, a Goguryeo noble who established a new polity after the fall of Goguryeo. Balhae extended across parts of the northern Korean Peninsula and into Manchuria, with its capital at Shangjing Longquanfu near the Songhua River in the northeastern frontier region.

Geographically, Balhae covered areas that roughly correspond to parts of present-day northern Korea and southern Manchuria. Its population was multi-ethnic, comprising descendants of Goguryeo elites, Mohe and other local groups. The state pursued a centralized, bureaucratic administration inspired by Chinese models, maintaining a court, official ranks, and local governance. Chinese characters were used in official records, and the regime cultivated cultural and political ties with neighboring powers.

Balhae maintained diplomatic and trading relations with the Tang Dynasty, and it acted as a regional power in the northeast. It engaged in exchanges with the Korean kingdom of Silla and with maritime neighbors, including resources and ideas flowing along land and sea routes. Its culture absorbed elements from Goguryeo heritage, Chinese administration, and local traditions, contributing to a distinct northeast Asian synthesis.

In 926, Balhae was conquered by the Khitan Liao Dynasty, and its territory was incorporated into Liao administration. The state is regarded in Korean sources as a successor to Goguryeo, while Chinese sources refer to it as Bohai. Balhae’s legacy persists in historiography and toponymy, including the name Bohai being associated with the region and its historical footprint.