Kang Kam-ch'an Facts for Kids

In this Korean name, the family name is Kang.

Quick facts for kids Kang Kam-ch'an
Portrait of General Kang Kam-ch'an
Native name	강감찬
Born	22 December 948 Geumju, Goryeo (present-day Bongcheon-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, South Korea)
Died	9 September 1031 (aged 82)
Battles/wars	Goryeo–Khitan War
Children	Kang Haeng-gyŏng
Relations	Kang Kung-jin (father)

Korean name
Hangul	강감찬
Hanja	姜邯贊 or 姜邯瓚
Revised Romanization	Gang Gam(-)chan
McCune–Reischauer	Kang Kamch'an
Childhood name
Hangul	은천
Hanja	殷川
Revised Romanization	Euncheon
McCune–Reischauer	Ŭnch'on
Posthumous name
Hangul	인헌
Hanja	仁憲
Revised Romanization	Inheon
McCune–Reischauer	Inhŏn

Kang Kam-ch'an (Hangul: 강감찬; Hanja: 姜邯贊; December 22, 948 – September 9, 1031) was a very important person in early Korean history. He was a smart government official and a brave military leader during the Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392). Even though he spent most of his career as a scholar, he is most famous for his amazing victories in battles against the Khitan invaders. Kang Kam-ch'an belonged to the Jinju Kang family.

Kang Kam-ch'an: Korea's Hero General
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Kang Kam-ch'an: Korea's Hero General

Early Life and Education

Kang was born in 948 into a well-known noble family. This was in a place called Geumju, which is now Gwanak-gu in Seoul. His father also worked for King Taejo, the first king of Goryeo. His father was honored for helping to create the new dynasty and unite the Korean Peninsula.

A legend says that when Kang was born, a meteor fell towards his house. An advisor to the king visited and found a baby had just been born there. He predicted the baby would become very great and be remembered for a long time. Kang Kam-ch'an's birthplace is now called Nakseongdae, meaning "site of the falling star."

As a child, Kang was small for his age. However, he showed signs of being a leader and very loyal from a young age. When he was seven, he started learning about Confucian philosophy. He also studied military tactics and martial arts from his father. After his father passed away in 964, he traveled around the country.

In 983, Kang took a special test to become a government official. He got the highest score and became an official at age thirty-six. In 992, he joined the royal court. This was like working directly for the king, and he served as a deputy under the Minister of Education.

Standing Up to the Khitans

Kang Kam-ch'an played a key role in the Goryeo-Khitan Wars. These were a series of big conflicts between Goryeo and the Liao Dynasty. The Liao Dynasty was a powerful empire ruled by the Khitan people.

First Khitan Invasion (993)

In 993, the Liao Dynasty sent General Xiao Paiya to invade Goryeo. The officials in Goryeo's court had different ideas. Some wanted to fight, while others wanted to talk and make peace. Kang Kam-ch'an believed they should try to negotiate. The king agreed with Kang, and they decided to talk.

A Korean representative named Sŏ Hŭi was sent to General Xiao. He successfully negotiated a truce. This led to the Khitan forces leaving Goryeo. It also helped create a friendly relationship between Liao and Goryeo for a while.

Second Khitan Invasion (1010)

By 1004, the Khitans had defeated the Chinese Song Dynasty. They forced the Song emperor to pay them tribute, which was like a regular payment. With Song defeated, Goryeo was the only major threat left to the Khitans.

In 1009, a Goryeo general named Kang Cho led a rebellion. He removed and killed King Mokjong and took control. This broke the peaceful relationship with the Khitans. The Khitans saw this as a reason to attack Goryeo again.

In 1010, Emperor Shengzong of Liao led a huge invasion. He commanded 400,000 soldiers himself. The Khitans fought five major battles and caused heavy losses for Goryeo. They finally defeated the Goryeo army and executed their commander, General Kang Cho.

However, Kang Kam-ch'an strongly advised King Hyeonjong not to surrender. He told the king to escape from the palace. The king followed Kang's advice and managed to get away from the burning capital city. Korean fighters then started to bother the Khitan forces. This finally made Emperor Shengzong pull his army back. The Khitans gained nothing from this war. Instead, they wasted valuable resources and money. This set the stage for another big war between the two nations.

After the Khitan invasion ended in 1011, Kang was promoted. He became a high-ranking scholar and advisor to the king.

The Great Victory: Third Khitan War (1018)

In 1018, General Xiao Baiya of the Liao Dynasty led another attack on Goryeo. This time, he had 100,000 soldiers. Many officials wanted the king to make peace. The damage from the Second Goryeo-Khitan War had been so great that Goryeo was struggling to recover.

But Kang Kam-ch'an advised the king to declare war. He pointed out that the enemy army was much smaller than in past invasions. At seventy-one years old, he volunteered to be the acting deputy War minister. He led about 208,000 Goryeo soldiers towards the border.

The first battle was the Battle of Heunghwajin. Goryeo won a big victory by blocking a stream and destroying a dam. This happened when the Khitans were trying to cross the water. However, General Xiao still wanted to capture the capital city, Gaegyeong. He kept marching south.

Later, General Xiao realized his mission was impossible. He decided to retreat. General Kang knew the Khitan army would leave. He waited for them at the fortress of Gwiju. There, in 1019, he met the retreating Khitans.

The Khitans were tired and starving. They were completely defeated by the Goryeo army. Only General Xiao and a few survivors managed to escape. This battle is known as the Battle of Gwiju. General Kang returned to the capital and was welcomed as a hero. He had saved the kingdom.

After the war, in 1020, Kang retired from both the military and the government. He was very old and had become a national hero. In 1030, he was appointed as Supreme Chancellor, a very high position. He died in 1031, one year later. He was buried in modern-day Cheongju, South Korea.

A Lasting Legacy

General Kang's amazing victories at the battles of Kwiju and Heunghwajin are often compared to other great Korean military wins. These include General Eulji Mundeok at the Battle of Salsu and Admiral Yi Sun-sin at the battles of Hansan and Myeongnyang. Like Kang's battles, these victories overcame big challenges and successfully defended the country.

Kang is considered one of the greatest military commanders in Korean history. This is true even though he was never trained as a soldier like Eulji or Yi.

After his victories in the Third Goryeo-Khitan War, peace settled among the three powerful East Asian empires. Goryeo and the Liao Dynasty had a peaceful but tense relationship. Liao gave up hope of taking over either Song or Goryeo. As a result, Goryeo stopped its direct relationship with the Song Dynasty but continued trading with them. Song continued to pay tribute to Liao. This peace lasted for about a century.

The Jurchens were another group of people. They used this time to grow their power without interruption. Eventually, they formed the Jin Dynasty. The Song Dynasty got the least benefit from this peace. They secretly encouraged the Jurchens to attack Liao. But after the Khitans fell, the Jurchens turned on Song. They took over Song's capital, forcing the Chinese to flee south.

General Kang's victories marked the end of a series of wars. They also started a new period of diplomacy between Goryeo, Liao, and Song. This set the stage for the rise of the Jurchens.

Kang's shrine, called Anguksa, stands today in Sadang-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul.

Kang Kam-ch'an facts for kids

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