When our nation was in the period
of the three states Goguryeo, Baekjae and Shilla each
established and developed an ancient nation and they opposed
and struggled against each other on the problems within the
three states and also on the problems related to the
northeastern Asia's situation. The struggle of the three
states began at the end of the 4th Century when King Guncho of
Baekjae started proceeding to the north. When Shilla unified
the three states at the end of 7th Century they required a
better political system to govern the expanded land and the
increased people more effectively. Present Chongju and the
vicinity is the area where Shilla established Seowonsogyung
after they unified the three states and were newly organizing
the local organizations on the 5th year of king shinmun. The
reason Unified Shilla established Seowonsogyung at
Chongju(originally Baekjae's Sangdanghyun) was that the area
was a politically perfect place to observe and control old
Baekjae's area. The central location of Seowonsogyung is
assumed to be at the inside and outside of Uham-mountain at
the east of Chongju and Sangdang-mountain fortress wall at the
rear, considering existing relics. The base of this is that
most of the relics related to unified Shilla's are
concentrated at current Uhamsan and the field west of the
mountain, and that makes it clear the center was Uham-mountain
vicinity and mushim-chun valley. Troops were stationed at
Seowonsogyung and in the mountain fortress walls around to
maintain public order and hold the castle on emergency.
Besides, in the vicinity of Seowongyungsun there was Yongam
temple of Uham-dong established at Shilla era, Mogu temple of
Su-dong, Hundeok temple site and Kuyang temple site to
function as the local people's religious center stage.
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Chongju in the three
state era
