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Article

Open Access

Healing Is Believing: Yeon Gaesomun and Xue Rengui in the Making of Mid-Seventh-Century Tang-Goguryeo War Narratives

Author(s)

YI Seokgu

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DOI:10.17265/2159-5836/2016.01.002

Affiliation(s)

National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan

ABSTRACT

This paper examines how historical narratives and fictional narratives treat China’s loss in Tang-Goguryeo War differently to heal China’s damaged pride. Emperor Tang Taizong (599-649) invaded Goguryeo in 645 but failed to conquer her because of severe weather and strong resistance led by Yeon Gaesomun (603-666). This paper argues that official histories including Jiu Tangshu (Old Book of Tang) and Xin Tangshu (New Book of Tang) focus on Emperor Tang Taizhong’s legitimacy to invade Goguryeo because Yeon Gaesomun’s coup d’etat overthrew Yeongnyu-wang. These two histories also pay extra attention to Yeon Gaesomun’s negative characters. Novels about Tang-Goguryeo War including Xue Rengui zheng Liao shi lue (薛仁贵征辽事略), Tang shu zhi zhuan tong su yan yi (唐书志传通俗演义), and Shuo Tang hou zhuan (说唐後传) take a different approach to heal China’s wounded pride. Instead of focusing on diplomatic and military legitimacy, these stories blur China’s loss by creating a national hero Xue Rengui whose military skills, loyalty to Tang Dynasty, and dauntless rescue of Emperor Tang Taizong were constantly emphasized.

KEYWORDS

Tang-Goguryeo War, Yeon Gaesomun, Xue Rengui, historical narratives, fictional narratives

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References

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