Eulji Mundeok facts for kids
| Eulji Mundeok 을지문덕 乙支文德 |
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Quick facts for kids Korean name |
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| Revised Romanization | Eulji Mundeok |
| McCune–Reischauer | Ŭlchi Mundŏk |
Eulji Mundeok (을지문덕) was a brave military leader from Goguryeo, an ancient Korean kingdom. He lived in the early 600s. He is famous for successfully defending his country against a huge invasion from Sui China. Many people consider him one of Korea's greatest heroes.
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Who Was Eulji Mundeok?
Eulji Mundeok was born in the mid-500s and died sometime after 618. We do not know his exact birth or death dates. An old book from the 1700s says he was from Seokda Mountain, near Pyongyang.
When Eulji Mundeok was born, Goguryeo was a very strong country. It often fought with its neighbors. In 589, the Sui Dynasty in China grew very powerful. It conquered many nearby states. The Sui Dynasty then launched big attacks against Goguryeo. Goguryeo did not want to be ruled by Sui China.
Eulji Mundeok was a very smart person. He was good at both fighting and writing. He eventually became the top military commander of Goguryeo. The name Eulji might have been a special title in Goguryeo.
The Great Battle of Salsu River
After the Sui Dynasty started in 589, there was a shaky peace between Sui China and Goguryeo. But in 597, King Yeongyang of Goguryeo attacked the Sui. In return, Sui China invaded Goguryeo. However, this invasion failed because of bad weather and constant ambushes.
In the early 600s, Emperor Yang of Sui found out that Goguryeo was secretly talking with another group. Emperor Yang demanded that King Yeongyang come and bow to him. When the king did not, Emperor Yang got ready for war.
He gathered a massive army. It had over 1,133,000 soldiers and more than 2 million helpers! Emperor Yang personally led this huge army against Goguryeo in 612. The Sui army quickly broke through Goguryeo's border defenses. Then, they camped by the Liao River and prepared to cross it.
Eulji Mundeok was made the Field Marshal, the top general. He prepared his troops to face the much larger Sui army. He used a clever plan of tricking the enemy. He would pretend to retreat and then suddenly attack.
After the Sui forces crossed the Liao River, a small group was sent to attack the city of Yodong. But Eulji Mundeok's forces pushed them back. As the rainy season continued, the Sui forces made only small attacks. They waited for the rain to stop before making big moves.
When the rains ended, Emperor Yang moved his forces to the Yalu River. This river is in northwestern Korea. He prepared for a major battle there. Eulji Mundeok only fought small battles when and where he chose. He kept drawing the Sui forces further and further away from their supply centers.
Emperor Yang sent a group of over 305,000 troops to capture the city of Pyongyang. Eulji Mundeok let this huge force get close to the city. Then, he ambushed them! His soldiers attacked from all sides. The Sui troops were completely confused and ran away.
Eulji Mundeok's troops chased the retreating army. They killed many Sui soldiers. Records say that only 2,800 men out of the massive force returned alive. This battle, known as the Battle of Salsu, became one of the most famous military victories in Korea's history.
After the battle, winter began. The Sui forces were running out of food and supplies. They had to go home, defeated.
Eulji Mundeok's Later Life
Eulji Mundeok also protected Sin Fortress from another Sui invasion. He died not long after these events.
The Sui dynasty was starting to fall apart. Emperor Yang decided he needed to expand his empire to regain power. But two more attacks on Goguryeo the next spring also failed. Eventually, rebellions inside China forced him to give up his dream of conquering Goguryeo. By 618, the short-lived Sui Dynasty was replaced by the Tang Dynasty.
Field Marshal Eulji Mundeok's smart plans and leadership had protected Goguryeo. He stopped China from expanding into the Korean peninsula.
Eulji Mundeok's Legacy
Eulji Mundeok is one of the most important military leaders from the Goguryeo period. His leadership and clever tactics were key to defeating the Sui invasion. He faced a much larger army but found a way to win a huge victory. His brilliant success made him a permanent hero in Korea.
In Korea, Eulji Mundeok is seen as one of the greatest figures in its history. During the Goryeo period, a shrine was built for him near Pyongyang. In the later Joseon period, he was still highly respected. Many scholars and even King Sukjong honored him.
In the early 1900s, when Korea was under Japanese rule, a historian named Shin Chaeho wrote a book about Eulji Mundeok. He showed Eulji Mundeok as an example of Korea's strong national spirit. Eulji Mundeok is still celebrated as a national hero today.
In South Korea, a main street in downtown Seoul is named Euljiro after him. The second highest military award in South Korea is also named after Eulji Mundeok. The Republic of Korea Navy even named a warship in his honor.
Eulji Mundeok also wrote a poem called the Eulji Mundeok Hansi. It is one of the oldest surviving poems in Korean literature.
One of the big military exercises between South Korea and the United States was named Ulchi-Focus Lens (UFL) after Eulji Mundeok. It was later renamed Ulchi-Freedom Guardian (UFG). This exercise helps the two countries practice how they would defend against an attack.
See also
- Goguryeo–Sui War
