Goguryeo Kingdom
•
1 views
Eulji Mundeok
Pyongyang, Goguryeo Kingdom
Archival Overview
Celebrated military commander of the Korean kingdom of Goguryeo who annihilated Emperor Yang of Sui's 305,000-man invasion force at the Battle of Salsu in 612 CE.
Biographical Record
Eulji Mundeok (c. 560–620 CE) served as prime minister and military commander of Goguryeo when the Chinese Sui Dynasty launched a colossal army of over 1.1 million soldiers in 612 CE. Leading the defense of Pyongyang, Eulji used tactical retreats, scorching the countryside to starve the 305,000-man Sui vanguard detachment.
He mockingly sent a famous five-character Chinese poem to Sui General Yuwen Zhonghe: 'Your divine calculations have probed the heavens; your subtle plans have encompassed the earth. The battle is won, your fame is high; why not be content and withdraw?' At the Salsu River (Chongchon), Eulji broke an upstream dam, drowning and annihilating the retreating Sui army; only 2,700 returned to China.
Key Life Milestones
The Salsu Poem (Eulji Mundeok Hansi)
Composed the celebrated psychological poem mocking the Sui general before launching his ambush.
The Battle of Salsu
Destroyed a 305,000-man Sui invasion army at the Chongchon River, causing the collapse of the Sui Dynasty.
Memorial Guestbook & Tributes
0 messages recordedLeave a Respectful Tribute
Final Resting Place
Perpetual MemorialPyongyang, North Korea