In the process of researching the history of a region, revealing how the center of government, Chiso (ruling place), existed is a basic problem to solve. In the case of Cheongju, during the Joseon Dynasty period, there is no disagreement that the town...
In the process of researching the history of a region, revealing how the center of government, Chiso (ruling place), existed is a basic problem to solve. In the case of Cheongju, during the Joseon Dynasty period, there is no disagreement that the town castle area, which was demolished by the Japanese in the 1910s, is considered to be Chiso; however, debates persist over the location of Chiso; e.g in the Seowon- Sogyeong during the Silla Dynasty period, several fortress areas in addition to the town castle were identified as Chiso. On the other hand, the location of Cheongju-mok Chiso in the Goryeo Dynasty period was relatively neglected and only briefly described in conjunction with other periods, but in recent years, it has gradually received attention as a number of related ruins and artifacts have been excavated along with the redevelopment of the original city center.
In this context, this paper summed up the location, scale, movement, and relationship of the Cheongju-mok Chiso in the Goryeo Dynasty period by the summary of the excavation results accumulated so far in the original city center of Cheongju and complementary review of them with the literature. Through this analysis, the paper aims to sum up the information about the location, scale, mobility, and relationship with nearby fortresses of Chiso in the Goyreo Dynasty period. While there are no clear traces of Chiso in the town castle area, it is suggested that specific stipulated roof tiles may be associated with Chiso. Additionally, evidence from nearby areas around the town castle, consecutive constructions of Silla and Goryeo relics, and the scale of military buildings near the fortress walls suggest that the scope of Goryeo Chiso might have been larger than the Joseon town castle. Furthermore, it is proposed that the fortresses near the downtown area were not Chiso but were possibly utilized by local residents as alternative defensive fortresses.
Based on the above findings, it is concluded that Chiso in Cheongju-mok in the Goryeo was located roughly within the town castle area, and it is unlikely that Chiso was moved like the counties in the coastal region. Despite an increase in the quantity of Goryeo relics and artifacts unearthed in the Cheongju’s original city center, there is still a lack of qualitative answers to several hypotheses. With more unexplored regions remaining, hopefully, future excavation surveys will yield noteworthy results.