Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/139

 FIGHTS AND FEASTS. 115 was healthy, and in robust vigour ; fattening on the spoils east and south of it ; fighting, and successfully, against the powerful ToWTAN, which had replaced the Hiwngnoo or Hunnish power ; sometimes driving its northern cousins out of its own borders, sometimes pushing far into theirs, — even up to the great sandy desert, "Shamo." We draw a veil over the death agonies and obsequies of the Tsin dynasty, and pass on to 435, when we find the SuKG established as primua inter 'pa/rea; for Wei was a most formidable rival on the north and north-west, notwithstanding its gigantic struggles, alternated with intermarriages with the Yowyan. Wei marched into Liaosi; and Yen Wang, still monarching in a small way in Loongchung— or Holoongchung as it is as often called — met him, not with an army of soldiers, but with a host of oxen and waggons of spirits, and feted the army which had come to take his crown. This had been done once before ; for Yen Wang could not meet him on fair terms in the field, and Wei could not take Holoongchung. The visit of 435 was important only because Gaogowli king then first acknow^ ledged the supremacy of Wei, which was occupying the post lately filled by Chin " emperor," and ruling over all the north of China. Gaogowli king was re-invested by Wei as king of Gaogowli and duke of Liaotung, all of which was then under Corea. The meetings of Yen and Wei were not always as pleasant ; for if there were two feasts, there were as many score of battles, in all of which Yen was worjsted. But, against the advice of his ministers, the weak king obstinately held out for independence ; trusting, if the worst came, he could fall back on Gaoli ; — ^and here the gow is first dropped in the name, and the modem Corea has its origin. His councillors still objected, that if Wei, as looked likely, became supreme in all China^ neither Gaoli, nor any other place, would dare afford shelter to an enemy of the court But Yen Wang was obstinate ; and sent Yang Yi, a president, to the Corean court, to secure a safe retreat and to smooth and prepare a way for a future refuge.