Editing Gyeongju (section)

== History ==
{{Main|History of Gyeongju}}The early history of Gyeongju is closely tied to that of the [[Silla]] kingdom, of which it was the capital. Gyeongju first enters non-Korean records as [[Saro-guk]], during the [[Samhan]] period.<ref name="EncyKorea History" /> Korean records, probably based on the dynastic chronicles of Silla, record that Saro-guk was established in 57 BCE, when six small villages in the Gyeongju area united under [[Bak Hyeokgeose of Silla|Bak Hyeokgeose]]. As the kingdom expanded, it changed its name to Silla.<ref name="EncyKorea Silla">{{cite web|url=http://100.nate.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=K&i=284393&v=42 |script-title=ko:신라 (新羅) |trans-title=Silla |publisher=Nate / Encyclopedia of Korean Culture |language=ko |access-date=2009-08-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610054427/http://100.nate.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=K&i=284393&v=42 |archive-date=2011-06-10 }}</ref> During the Silla period, the city was called "Seorabeol" (this toponym would eventually evolve into a Korean word for "capital city" as in [[Seoul]]),<ref name="EncyKorea History">{{cite web|url=http://100.nate.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=&i=3008022 |script-title=ko:경주시의 역사 |trans-title=History of Gyeongju |publisher=Nate / Encyclopedia of Korean Culture |language=ko |access-date=2009-08-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610054335/http://100.nate.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=&i=3008022 |archive-date=2011-06-10 }}</ref> "Gyerim" (lit. Rooster's forest), or "Geumseong" (lit. City of Gold or Metal ''i.e.'' Impenetrable Fortress).<ref name="Lee KB p.78">Lee, Ki-baek, (1984), p.78</ref>

After the [[Unified Silla#Unification|unification of the peninsula]] up to [[Taedong River]]<ref>Robinson et al. 2007. p.26</ref> in 668 AD, Gyeongju became the center of Korean political and cultural life.<ref name="Robinson et al. 2007. p.28">Robinson et al. 2007. p.28</ref> The city was home to the Silla court and the great majority of the kingdom's elite. Its prosperity became legendary, and was reported as far away as [[Persia]] according to the 9th century book ''[[Book of Roads and Kingdoms (ibn Khordadbeh)|The Book of Roads and Kingdoms]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pjklDwAAQBAJ&q=persians+in+gyeongju&pg=PA64|title=Gyeongju: The Capital of Golden Silla|author=Milledge Nelson|first=Sarah|date=17 February 2017|publisher=Taylor & Francis |access-date=2018-04-24|isbn=9781317237938|language=en}}</ref> The historical text ''[[Samguk yusa]]'' give the city's population in its peak period{{When|date=August 2023}} as 178,936 households,<ref name="Lee KB p.78" /> suggesting that the total population was almost one million.<ref name="nfm.go.kr">{{cite web|url=http://www.nfm.go.kr/exhi/e2_1kor_02.jsp |script-title=ko:제 1전시 한민족 생활사 |trans-title=Exhibition Hall 1, History of Korean People |publisher=[[National Museum of Korea]] |language=ko |access-date=2009-08-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019024528/http://www.nfm.go.kr/exhi/e2_1kor_02.jsp |archive-date=2015-10-19 }}</ref><ref name="Breen 82">Breen (1999), p.82</ref><ref>{{Cite episode |url=http://www.kbs.co.kr/history_old/review_txt/981219.txt |series=역사스페셜 (History Special) |series-no=9 |transcript=Transcript |transcript-url=http://cgi.kbs.co.kr/cgi/ram/hisspecial/981128.rm |script-title=ko:신라의 왕궁은 어디에 있었나? |trans-title=Where was the royal palace of Silla? |network=[[Korean Broadcasting System|KBS]] |location=[[Seoul]], South Korea |credits=Presenters: [[Yu In-chon]] |station=[[KBS 1TV]] |airdate=1998-12-19 |language=ko |access-date=2009-08-06 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120804025759/http://www.kbs.co.kr/history_old/review_txt/981219.txt |archive-date=2012-08-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Many of Gyeongju's most famous sites date from this [[Unified Silla]] period, which ended in the beginning of 10th century by [[Goryeo]] (918–1392).<ref name="EncyKorea History" /><ref name="EncyKorea Silla" />[[File:King Kyungsoon of Silla 2.jpg|thumb|alt=|A portrait of the last king of Silla, [[Gyeongsun of Silla|King Gyeongsun]] (r. 927–935). After his surrender to [[Taejo of Goryeo|King Taejo]], Gyeongju lost its status as capital city.]]

In 940, the founder of Goryeo, [[Taejo of Goryeo|King Taejo]], changed the city's name to "Gyeongju",<ref name="Kim, Chang-hyun p.1-6">Kim, Chang-hyun, (2008), pp.1–6</ref> which literally means "Congratulatory district".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://handic.nate.com/dicsearch/view.html?o=2&i=1026494 |script-title=ko:慶州 경주 |trans-title=Gyeongju |publisher=Nate Hanja Dictionary |language=ko |access-date=2009-09-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714155140/http://handic.nate.com/dicsearch/view.html?o=2&i=1026494 |archive-date=2011-07-14 }}</ref> In 987, as Goryeo introduced a system in which three additional capitals were established in politically important provinces outside Gaegyeong (nowadays [[Kaesong]]), and Gyeongju was designated as "Donggyeong" ("East Capital"). However, that title was removed in 1012, the third year of [[Hyeonjong of Goryeo|King Hyeongjong]]'s reign, due to political rivalries at that time,<ref name="Kim, Chang-hyun p.1-6" /><ref>Lee, (1984), pp. 115–116</ref> though Gyeongju was later made the seat of [[Yeongnam]] Province.<ref name="EncyKorea History" /> It had jurisdiction over a wide area, including much of central eastern Yeongnam,<ref name="EncyKorea History" /> although this area was greatly reduced in the 13th century.<ref name="Kim, Chang-hyun p.1-6" /> Under the subsequent [[Joseon]] (1392–1910) dynasties, Gyeongju was no longer of national importance, but remained a regional center of influence.<ref name="EncyKorea History" /> In 1601, the city ceased to be the provincial capital.<ref name="Doosan History">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rLKXBAAAQBAJ&q=gyeongju+1601+provincial+capital&pg=PT301|title=Michelin Green Guide South Korea|date=January 2012|isbn=9782067182554|language=en|access-date=2018-04-24|author1=Michelin|publisher=Michelin Travel & Lifestyle }}</ref>

Over these centuries, the city suffered numerous assaults. In the 13th century, [[Mongols|Mongol]] forces destroyed a nine-story wooden pagoda at [[Hwangnyongsa]].<ref name="EncyKorea History" /><ref>Lee (1984), p. 149.</ref> During the [[Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598)|Japanese invasions of Korea]], the Gyeongju area became a heated battlefield,<ref name="EncyKorea History" /> and Japanese forces burned the wooden structures at [[Bulguksa]].<ref>Lee (1984), p. 214.</ref><ref name="Guardian Cole">{{cite news|author=Cole, Teresa Levonian |date=2003-10-11 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2003/oct/11/southkorea.guardiansaturdaytravelsection?page=2 |title=My brilliant Korea |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=2009-09-15}}</ref> Not all damage was due to invasions, however. In the early Joseon period, a great deal of damage was done to Buddhist sculptures on [[Namsan (Gyeongju)|Namsan]] by [[Neo-Confucianism|Neo-Confucian]] radicals, who hacked arms and heads off [[Statue|statuary]].<ref>Kookmin University (2004), p. 27.</ref>

In the 20th century, the city remained relatively small, no longer ranking among the major cities of Korea.<ref name="KBS Kim Dong-ni">{{cite web|date=2006-03-29 |url=http://world.kbs.co.kr/korean/culturenlife/culturenlife_tour_detail.htm?No=1109 |script-title=ko:경주의 이야기꾼, 김동리 |trans-title=Gyeongju's storyteller, Kim Dong-ni |publisher=[[KBS (Korea)|KBS]] |language=ko |access-date=2009-09-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101030025652/http://world.kbs.co.kr/korean/culturenlife/culturenlife_tour_detail.htm?No=1109 |archive-date=October 30, 2010 }}</ref> During the early 20th century, many archaeological excavations were conducted, particularly inside the tombs which had remained largely intact over the centuries.<ref>{{cite news|author=Lee, Kyong-hee |date=2009-07-22 |url=http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2907709 |title=Ancient Silla armor comes to light|publisher= [[JoongAng Daily]] |access-date=2009-09-15}}</ref> A museum, the forerunner of the present-day [[Gyeongju National Museum]], was inaugurated in 1915 to exhibit the excavated artifacts.<ref name="EncyKorea Museum">{{cite web|url=http://100.nate.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=K&i=285685&v=43 |script-title=ko:국립경주박물관 (國立慶州博物館) |trans-title=Gyeongju National Museum |publisher=Nate / Encyclopedia of Korean Culture |language=ko |access-date=2009-08-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610054458/http://100.nate.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=K&i=285685&v=43 |archive-date=2011-06-10 }}</ref>

Gyeongju emerged as a railroad junction in the later years of the [[Korea under Japanese rule|Japanese occupation]], as the [[Donghae Nambu Line]] and [[Jungang line]] were established in preparation for the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]] and to exploit the rich resources of the eastern part of the Korean peninsula.<ref name="Donghae Nambu Line">{{cite web|url=http://100.nate.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=K&i=256250&v=44 |script-title=ko:동해남부선 (東海南部線) |trans-title=Donaghae Nambu Line |publisher=Nate / Encyclopedia of Korean Culture |language=ko |access-date=2009-08-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610054629/http://100.nate.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=K&i=256250&v=44 |archive-date=2011-06-10 }}</ref><ref name="Junagang Line">{{cite web|url=http://100.nate.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=K&i=257442&v=42 |script-title=ko:중앙선 (中央線) |trans-title=Donaghae Nambu Line |publisher=Nate / Encyclopedia of Korean Culture |language=ko |access-date=2009-08-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610054750/http://100.nate.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=K&i=257442&v=42 |archive-date=2011-06-10 }}</ref> Following liberation in 1945, Korea was plunged into turmoil, and Gyeongju was no exception. Returnees from abroad were numerous; a village for them was constructed in present-day [[Dongcheon-dong, Gyeongju|Dongcheon-dong]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lee |first1=Soyoung |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mpanKmU_ckYC&q=Dongcheon-dong&pg=PA16 |title=Silla: Korea's Golden Kingdom |last2=Leidy |first2=Denise Patry |year=2013 |publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art |isbn=9781588395023 |language=en |author-link=Soyoung Lee}}</ref> In a period marked by widespread conflict and unrest, the Gyeongju area became particularly notorious for the level of [[Guerrilla warfare|guerrilla]] activity in the mountains.<ref>Cumings, (1997), p.244.</ref>

Despite the outbreak of the [[Korean War]] in 1950, most of Gyeongju was spared from the fighting, and remained under South Korean control throughout the conflict. However, for a brief time in late 1950 portions of the city stood on the front lines, as North Korean forces pushed the [[Battle of Pusan Perimeter|Pusan Perimeter]] southward from Pohang.<ref>Cumings, (1997), p.275.</ref>

In the 1970s, Korea saw substantial industrial development, much of it centered in the Yeongnam region of which Gyeongju is a part.<ref name="Lee, Sungkyun">{{cite journal|url=http://www.ekoreajournal.net/upload/html/HTML4414.html |author=Lee, Sungkyun |title=Economic Change and Regional Development Disparities in the 1990s in Korea |journal=[[Korea Journal]] |date=Spring 2004 |volume=44 |issue=1 |pages=75–102 |access-date=2009-09-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614035041/http://www.ekoreajournal.net/upload/html/HTML4414.html |archive-date=June 14, 2011 }}</ref><ref name="Kim, Won Bae">{{cite journal|url=http://www.ekoreajournal.net/upload/html/HTML4323.html |author=Kim, Won Bae |title=The Evolution of Regional Economic Disparities in Korea |journal=[[Korea Journal]] |date=Summer 2003 |volume=43 |issue=2 |pages=55–80 |access-date=2009-09-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614035108/http://www.ekoreajournal.net/upload/html/HTML4323.html |archive-date=June 14, 2011 }}</ref> The [[POSCO]] steel mill in neighboring Pohang commenced operations in 1973,<ref>Sundaram, (2003), p.58</ref> and the chemical manufacturing complex in Ulsan emerged in the same year.<ref>Cherry, (2001) p.41</ref> These developments helped to support the emergence of Gyeongju's manufacturing sector.<ref name="Industry" />