고구려(高句麗)와 손오(孫吳)의 교류와 과하마(果下馬)

Abstract

According to the annotations of Sanguo zhizhu (三國志注) written by Pei Songzhi (372-451), there were exchanges between Koguryǒ and Sun-Wu through a sea route, a record originally from Wushu that cannot be seen in other historical documents. From 229 A.D., Sun Quan of Wu attempted a diplomatic approach to the Gongsun family faction in Liaodong to counterbalance Cao-Wei. Yet Sun-Wu’s diplomats sent to Liaodong, hearing the news of Gongsun faction’s betrayal, changed their course and accidently arrived at Koguryǒ in 233. This was a starting point from which Koguryǒ and Sun-Wu began political exchanges. Then Sun-Wu chose Koguryǒ as a diversionary power against Cao-Wei, and this strategic relation was maintained until 236. One of the reasons that Sun-Wu, which hardly had any satisfactory horses, actively implemented this exchange was to import war-horses from Koguryǒ and fight against Cao-Wei’s cavalry. “Under the Fruit Horses”—diminutive horses on which one could ride under the branches of a fruit tree—were one of regional products from Koguryǒ and its territories such as Dongye. However according to the historical record, these horses were small but strong and fast, and seemed to have a practicality as war-horses. Assuredly, in 235 the eighty horses of Koguryǒ that Sun-Wu’s envoy, Xie Hong, took to Sun-Wu were these “Under the Fruit Horses.”Although Sun-Wu and Koguryǒ’ exchanges were severed by Cao-Wei’s interference in 236, in 242 Koguryǒ captured Xi’anping at the lower Yalu River and again opened up the possibility for an exchange with Sun-Wu through a sea route. This provoked Cao-Wei to launch a military expedition led by Guanqiu Jian(毌丘儉) in 244. Thus, Cao-Wei’s full-scale invasion of Koguryǒ from 244 to 246 was closely linked to the strategic purpose to disconnect Koguryǒ’s ties with Sun-Wu, a mortal enemy of Cao-Wei, and halt their importation of war-horses into the southern region of the Yangzi River and to Sun-Wu.