# Dongdan Kingdom

Part of a series on the :
History of Korea :
Prehistoric period Palaeolithic 700,000 BC-8000 BC Neolithic 8000 BC–1500 BC* Jeulmun Bronze Age 1500 BC–300 BC* Mumun* Liaoning dagger :
Ancient period Gojoseon 2333 BC–108 BC* Dangun* Gija* Wiman Jin 4th–2nd century BC Yemaek :
Proto–Three Kingdoms period
Takri
Dongye
Buyeo
Eastern
Galsa
Okjeo
Samhan
Ma
Byeon
Jin
Goguryeo
Tamna
Nakrang
Four Commanderies of Han :
Three Kingdoms period Goguryeo 37 BC–668 AD Baekje 18 BC–660 AD Silla 57 BC–935 AD Gaya confederacy 42–562 Tamna (Tributary of Baekje) 498–660 Usan 512–930 :
Northern and Southern period United Silla (Unified Silla) 668–892 Balhae 698–926 Little Goguryeo 699–820 Tamna (Tributary of Silla) 662–925 :
Later Three Kingdoms period Later Baekje 892–936 Taebong (Later Goguryeo) 901–918 Unified Silla (Later Silla) 892–935 Later Sabeol 919–927 Dongdan Kingdom 926–936 Later Balhae 927–935 Jeongan 938–986 :
Dynastic period Goryeo 918–1392 Tamna (Vassal of Goryeo) 938–1105 Heungyo 1029–1030 Joseon 1392–1897 Korean Empire 1897–1910 :
Colonial period Japanese occupation 1910–1945 Provisional Government 1919–1948 :
Modern period Military governments 1945–1948 North-South division 1945–present* North 1948–present* South 1948–present :
By topic
Architecture
Art
Cuisine
Currency
Education
Geography
Historiography
Language
Military (List · Goguryeo)
Monarchs (Family tree)
Names (Era names)
Naval
Newspapers
Politics (Joseon · North · South)
Religion
Buddhism
Christianity
Islam
Science and technology
Women
World Heritage Sites (North · South) :
Timeline :
Korea portal :
vte :
The Dongdan Kingdom (926–936) (simplified Chinese: 东丹; traditional Chinese: 東丹; Khitan language: Dan Gur,) was a puppet kingdom established by the Liao dynasty to rule the former realm of Balhae (Bohai) in eastern Manchuria.

## History

After conquering Balhae (Bohai) in 926, the Liao crown prince Yelü Bei ascended to the throne of Dongdan at the Huhan fortress, the former capital of Balhae, in today's Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang Province. The state used Dongdan as its Chinese name, meaning the Eastern Dan Gur (Bohai), in respect to the Liao dynasty in the west. The term Dongdan is only found in Chinese texts; the Khitan equivalent is "Dan country" (Dan Gur), similar to Silla's and Goryeo's use of the word "Dan" 丹 as a derogatory term for the states and people of Manchuria.
However, political tension soon evolved between Yelü Bei and his younger brother Yelü Deguang, who took the imperial throne of the Liao dynasty after their father Yelü Abaoji died, en route to his homeland from a relatively successful campaign against the Later Tang. The new emperor ordered his elder brother to move his capital from Huhan in eastern Manchuria to Liaoyang in western Manchuria.
Yelü Bei obeyed the imperial order but soon fled to North China to avoid possible assassination in 930. Yelü Bei's son was elevated to the new king of Dongdan, but the kingdom was annexed by the Liao dynasty in 936. A minority of historians suggest Dongdan was annexed in 982. On the other hand some believe that Dongdan was never a "independent kingdom", but the former area of Balhae was instantly annexed in 926 by the Liao dynasty.
To continue Balhae's friendly relations with Japan, Dongdan sent a diplomatic mission over the Sea of Japan in 929. But the Japanese court in Kyoto rejected the mission from Dongdan, due to loyalty for the old Balhae regime.