What I’ve discovered
King Tamdok (c. 374 to 413 A.D.) was posthumously given the title Kwang Gae, which means ‘broad enlarger of territory’.
By advancing north and south, Kwang Gae overtook Paekche land to the north of the Han River; he also expanded into much of Manchuria and parts of Inner Mongolia. He eventually ruled two thirds of the Korean peninsular.
In 392 A.D. King Kwang-Gae is recorded to have had nine Buddhist temples built.
He did not quite succeed in unifying Korea, despite aiding Silla when they were attacked by the Japanese pirates.
Kwang Gae’s son who also went on to expand his territory had a 24 foot monument erected in 414 A.D. next to his father’s tomb to record his achievements. The monument had 18000 Chinese characters carved into it, which record his conquests of 64 walled cities (sometimes referred to as castles) and 1,400 villages.
This monument now finds itself located in present day Southern Manchuria.
He died aged just 39. King Kwang-Gae r. 391-413 A.D.
T’o (or T’oh) represents a ruling title, Wang means King.
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In his encyclopaedia General Choi told us: This pattern is named after the famous Kwang Gae T’o Wang, the 19th King of the Koguryo Dynasty, who regained all the lost territories including the greater part of Manchuria. The diagram represents the expansion and recovery of lost territory. The 39 movements of the pattern represent the first two digits of 391 A.D. the year he ascended the throne. |