Taejo

Taejo is a temple name used in Korean dynastic history to honor the founder of a dynasty. It is written with the hanja 太祖, meaning "great progenitor" or "great ancestor." The title is a posthumous honor used in temple rites and historical records, not the ruler’s personal given name or reign title.

The most prominent bearers are the founders of Korea’s great dynasties. Taejo of Goryeo, born Wang Geon, founded the Goryeo kingdom and reigned from around 918 to 943. He unified the Later Three Kingdoms and established Gaegyeong (modern-day Kaesong) as the capital, laying the foundations for a long-lasting Korean state.

Another well-known holder is Taejo of Joseon, born Yi Seong-gye. He founded the Joseon dynasty in 1392 and reigned until his abdication in 1398, after which the throne passed to his son. He relocated the capital to Hanyang (present-day Seoul) and initiated a new era that endured for several centuries.

The title Taejo has been used for other founders in Korean history as well, though the two figures above are the most widely recognized. In parallel East Asian practice, the Chinese equivalent Taizu serves a similar function for imperial founders.