The Thousand-year Silla Kingdom

This is the Silla Room. Silla was one of the three ancient kingdoms of Korea. In fact, the thousand-year-long Silla dynasty was not only one of the longest reigning kingdoms in history, but was also the first unified kingdom of Korea.

The sixth century was the golden age of Silla. Although it was established later than the other two kingdoms, Silla was able to flourish largely because of the diplomatic prowess of its leaders and the unity of its people. The Hwarangdo, an elite group of male youth who excelled in intelligence and courage, led the kingdom as loyal subjects of the ruler, while Buddhism served as a unifying force. Silla continuously broadened its territory and gained greater power. And as its power grew, the resplendent culture of the kingdom also flourished.

Feeling threatened by the rapid rise of Silla, the two other kingdoms on the peninsula formed an alliance and invaded Silla. But Silla, thanks to its strategic alliance with the Tang Dynasty of China and the leadership of the great commander Kim Yu-sin, defeated the invaders and went on to found the first unified kingdom on the peninsula.

Now let’s begin an exploration of the thousand-year history of the kingdom with the story of its culture and art and the life of its people.