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Pyongyang became the base of Christian expansion in Korea, and by 1880 it had more than 100 churches and more Protestant missionaries than any other Asian city. While the invasions made Koreans suspicious of foreigners, the influence of Christianity began to grow after the country opened itself up to foreigners in the 16th century. Later in the 17th century, it became temporarily occupied during Second Manchu invasion of Korea until peace arrangements were made between Korea and the Manchus. It was the provincial capital of the Pyeongan Province during the Joseon dynasty.Ĭhinese generals in Pyongyang surrender to the Japanese during the Sino-Japanese War, October 1894.ĭuring the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–98), Pyongyang was captured by the Japanese until the Japanese were defeated in the Siege of Pyongyang. This lasted until the time of the Goryeo dynasty, when the city was revived as Sŏgyŏng ( Hangul: 서경 hanja: 西京 "Western Capital") although it was never actually a capital of the kingdom. However, by 676, it was taken by Silla, but left on the border between Silla and Balhae (Bohai). In 668, Pyongyang became the capital of the Protectorate General to Pacify the East established by the Tang dynasty of China. According to Christopher Beckwith, Pyongyang is the Sino-Korean reading of the name they gave it in their language: Piarna, or "level land". As the capital of Nanglang kingdom ( 낙랑국), Pyongyang remained an important commercial and cultural outpost after Lelang Commandery was destroyed by an expanding Goguryeo in 313. The area around the city was called Nanglang during the early Three Kingdoms period. Several archaeological findings from the later, Eastern Han (25–220 AD) period in the Pyongyang area seems to suggest that Han forces later launched brief incursions around these parts. Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty ordered four commanderies be set up, with Lelang Commandery in the center and its capital established as 平壤 ( Old Chinese: *breŋ*naŋʔ, modern Mandarin: píngrǎng, Korean: pyongyang). It is likely that the area of Pyongyang belonged to Wiman Joseon, the shortest-lasting part of Gojoseon if both Dangun and Gija Joseon were real, which fell in the Gojoseon–Han War in 108 BC. Pyongyang was founded in 1122 BC on the site of Tangun Dynasty's capital, according to legends. Nevertheless, Pyongyang became a major city under Gojoseon. The connection between the two therefore may have been asserted by North Korea for the use of propaganda. Many South Korean historians deny this claim because other Korean history books such as the Guanzi, Sanhaijing, Shiji, and Sanguozhi place Asadal around the Liao River located in western Manchuria. North Koreans associate Pyongyang with " Asadal" ( 아사달), or Wanggomsŏng ( 왕검성 王儉城), the first second millennium BC capital of the Gojoseon kingdom according to Korean history books, notably Samguk Yusa. In 1955, archaeologists excavated evidence of prehistoric occupation in a large ancient village in the Pyongyang area, called Kŭmtan-ni, dating to the Chŭlmun and Mumun pottery periods. Īfter Kim Il-sung's death in 1994, some members of Kim Jong-il's faction proposed changing the name of Pyongyang to "Kim Il-sung City" ( 김일성시), but others suggested that North Korea should begin calling Seoul as "Kim Il-sung City" instead and grant Pyongyang the moniker "Kim Jong-il City", and in the end neither proposal was implemented. During the early 20th century, Pyongyang came to be known among missionaries as being the " Jerusalem of the East", due to its historical status as a stronghold of Christianity, namely Protestantism. The city's other historic names include Kisong, Hwangsong, Rakrang, Sŏgyong, Sodo, Hogyong, Changan, and Heijo (during Japanese rule in Korea). The most notable of these is the incomplete Ryugyong Hotel. Even today, the city has numerous willow trees, with many buildings and places having " Ryugyŏng" in their names. One of Pyongyang's many historic names is Ryugyong ( 류경 柳京), or "capital of willows", as willow trees have always been numerous throughout the city's history this served as an inspiration for many poems. "Pyongyang" literally means "Flat Land" in Korean.
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It is administered as a directly governed city ( chikhalsi, 직할시) on the same level as provincial governments, not a special city ( teukbyeolsi, 특별시) as Seoul in South Korea.
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The city was split from the South Pyongan province in 1946.
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Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. Pyongyang ( / ˈ p j ɒ ŋ ˈ j æ ŋ/ ( Chosŏn'gŭl: 평양 hancha: 平壤), Korean pronunciation:, literally: "Flat Land" or "Peaceful Land", approved: P’yŏngyang several variants ) is the capital of North Korea and the largest city in the country.