Abstract

This article examines how the general notion came to be established that Goguryeo, since its foundation, had a dual capital system of a mountain fortress and a flatland fortress, and critically reexamines this idea based on recent archaeological research. The discussion on Goguryeo’s capital system began with Sekino Tadashi’s 1914 study, which was based on his research experience in Pyongyang and the records of the Book of Zhou. Sekino claimed that the Goguryeo capital of Gungnae was also composed of a flatland fortress and an emergency mountain fortress, which was based on the Pyongyang capital consisting of a royal palace with a mountain fortress to its rear. Sekino’s claim had a significant impact on South Korean academic circles via North Korea and China. However, after the excavation of Goguryeo capital sites, it was revealed that much of the evidence supporting the dual-capital theory was not valid. This article offers a detailed review of the structure of Goguryeo’s capital city based on current archaeological data and the scholarly literature.