舊•新 兩門Authoritative Lineage Matrix
Gu (Old) vs. Shin (New) Andong Kim: The Dual Lineage Matrix
One of the most persistent misunderstandings in Korean genealogy is the assumption that all people bearing the ancestral seat of Andong Kim belong to a single biological family. In reality, two entirely independent lineages share the cradle of Andong.
Archival Lineage Distinction
Two Clans, One Ancient Ancestral Seat (同本異系)
In the Korean genealogical tradition known as Dongbon-igye (동본이계 / 同本異系—“same ancestral seat, different paternal bloodline”), both clans revere the historic city of Andong (안동 / 安東) in North Gyeongsang Province as their ancestral cradle (bon-gwan). However, their origins, founding ancestors, and historical developments are completely separate:
舊 安東 金氏
The Gu (Old) Andong Kim
Traces its bloodline to Kim Suk-seung, grandson of King Gyeongsun of Silla. Renowned for supreme military valor during the Mongol invasions (Supreme Commander Kim Bang-gyeong), the Imjin War (General Kim Si-min), and the modern democratic statehood led by Baekbeom Kim Gu.
新 安東 金氏
The Shin (New) Andong Kim
Traces its bloodline to Kim Seon-pyeong, Goryeo Founding Merit Subject and Samtaesa. Renowned for foundational early Joseon cartography (Kim Sa-hyeong), Neo-Confucian moral resistance in 1636 (Kim Sang-heon), late Joseon statecraft (15 Prime Ministers & 3 Queens), and armed independence (General Kim Jwa-jin).
Explore Dynastic Trajectories
Filter historical milestones by dynasty or view the comprehensive unified comparison.
Origins & Ancestral Cradle (10th Century)
1. Founding Ancestors & Lineage Roots
舊 安東 (상락)Gu (Old) Clan Line
Silla Royal House Lineage (신라 왕실계)
- Founded by Kim Suk-seung (김숙승 / 金叔承), the grandson of King Gyeongsun (the 56th and final sovereign of Silla).
- Following the peaceful surrender of Silla to Goryeo in 935 CE, his lineage was enfeoffed in the ancient regional territory of Sangrak (modern-day Andong).
- Often historically designated as the Sangrak Kim Clan (상락 김씨) in medieval court scrolls to distinguish its Silla royal provenance.
Representative Figures:
Kim Suk-seung (Clan Founder)
新 安東 (장동)Shin (New) Clan Line
Goryeo Founding Merit General (고려 개국공신계)
- Founded by Kim Seon-pyeong (김선평 / 金宣平), a regional castle castellan of Gochang (Andong) during the Later Three Kingdoms turmoil.
- In 930 CE, joined forces with Gwon Haeng and Jang Jeong-pil to defeat Gyeon Hwon's Later Baekje army at the decisive Battle of Gochang.
- Enfeoffed as Goryeo Samtaesa (Three Supreme Mentors) by King Taejo Wang Geon, granting eternal tax-exempt lands in Andong.
Representative Figures:
Goryeo Dynasty (10th–14th Century)
2. Military Defense & Sovereign Autonomy
舊 安東 (상락)Gu (Old) Clan Line
Supreme Military Command Against Mongol Dominance
- Led by Supreme Commander Kim Bang-gyeong (1212–1300), the middle restorative patriarch (중시조) of the Gu clan.
- Orchestrated the suppression of the Sambyeolcho rebellion in Jindo and Jeju (1270–1273), preventing direct Yuan military annexations.
- Demonstrated unyielding loyalty under torture before Kublai Khan, who personally acquitted him and confirmed his Lordship of Sangnak (상락군).
Representative Figures:
新 安東 (장동)Shin (New) Clan Line
Regional Scholarly Consolidation & Goryeo Administration
- Consolidated landholdings and civil administration across Gyeongsang province while serving in the Goryeo civil bureaucracy.
- Preserved ancestral rites at Taesamyo shrine alongside the Gwon and Jang clans under royal protection.
- Laid the intellectual groundwork that transitioned the family from regional nobility to foundational scholars of the early Joseon Dynasty.
Representative Figures:
Kim Geuk-sin (16th Gen Regional Patriarch)
Early Joseon Dynasty (1392–1600)
3. Dynastic Transition, Cartography & Jinju Defense
舊 安東 (상락)Gu (Old) Clan Line
Imjin War Command: The Iron Wall of Jinju
- General Kim Si-min (1554–1592) commanded the defense of Jinju Fortress during the First Siege of Jinju in 1592.
- With only 3,800 garrison troops and civilians, decisively repelled 30,000 elite Japanese samurai, protecting the granaries of Jeolla province.
- Posthumously honored with the supreme military epithet Chungmu-gong (충무공) and enshrined as one of the Three Great Victories of the Imjin War.
Representative Figures:
新 安東 (장동)Shin (New) Clan Line
Foundational Statecraft & The 1402 Kangnido World Map
- Left State Councilor Kim Sa-hyeong (1341–1407) was named a Gaeguk Gongsin (Foundational Merit Subject) for founding Joseon with King Taejo.
- In 1402, Kim Sa-hyeong directed the compilation of the historic Kangnido Map—the earliest surviving East Asian world map depicting Africa and Europe.
- Established the Ikwongong branch, positioning the Shin clan at the center of Joseon capital politics in Hanseong.
Representative Figures:
Middle to Late Joseon (1600–1890)
4. Moral Integrity, Royal In-Laws & Factional Stature
舊 安東 (상락)Gu (Old) Clan Line
Confucian Academies & Provincial Aristocracy
- Maintained high moral prestige through scholar-commanders and seowon (private academies) across Gyeongsang and Chungcheong provinces.
- Remained largely independent of the fierce court in-law politics that characterized the central capital government in late Joseon.
- Codified 21 autonomous branch registries (*Pabo*), documenting regional filial pieties and civil service honor rolls.
Representative Figures:
Chungmu Lineage Scholars
新 安東 (장동)Shin (New) Clan Line
The Jangdong Lineage: 15 Prime Ministers & 3 Queens
- Kim Sang-yong sacrificed his life at Ganghwa Island (1637); Kim Sang-heon led the anti-Qing resistance at Namhansanseong.
- Their descendants, the Jangdong (Cheong-eum) branch, became the most powerful lineage in late Joseon, producing 15 Chief State Councilors (*Yeonguijeong*).
- Kim Jo-sun became King Sunjo's royal in-law, inaugurating the era of royal stewardship (*Sedo Jeongchi*) alongside Queens Sunwon, Hyohyeon, and Cheorin.
Representative Figures:
Independence Struggle & Modern Korea (1890–1950)
5. Armed Resistance & The Founding of the Republic
舊 安東 (상락)Gu (Old) Clan Line
The Moral Conscience: Baekbeom Kim Gu
- Kim Gu (1876–1949, 31st generation from Silla founder) served as President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea.
- Directed overseas diplomatic missions, organized the Korean Liberation Army (Gwangbokgun), and authored the immortal autobiography *Baekbeom Ilji*.
- Revered as the founding father of modern democratic Korean statehood and moral independence.
Representative Figures:
新 安東 (장동)Shin (New) Clan Line
Reformation & Battle of Cheongsanri
- Kim Ok-gyun (1851–1894) led the 1884 Gapsin Coup, pioneering modern legal equality and constitutional monarchical reforms.
- General Kim Jwa-jin (1889–1930) commanded the Northern Military Administration Army, achieving Korea's greatest armed victory at Cheongsanri (1920).
- Demonstrated the transition from aristocratic late-Joseon governance to sacrificial armed resistance against Japanese imperialism.
Representative Figures:
Genealogy & Sanctuaries
6. Primary Shrines, Genealogies & Head Seats
舊 安東 (상락)Gu (Old) Clan Line
Sangrak Shrines & Branch Lineages
- Ancestral shrines centered in Andong and Gyeongsangbuk-do, preserving historical artifacts of Supreme Commander Kim Bang-gyeong.
- Structured into 21 autonomous historical branches, including the Chungmu-gong, Cheomui-gong, and Sangrak-gun branches.
- Maintains branch-level Five Elements generational tables codified in regional *Pabo* volumes.
Representative Figures:
21 Autonomous Branch Associations
新 安東 (장동)Shin (New) Clan Line
Taesamyo Sanctuary & Unified Daedongbo
- Jointly maintains Taesamyo (태사묘 / Shrine of the Three Founders) in downtown Andong, active for over 1,000 years.
- Historic capital citadel centered at Cheongpunggye (Jongno-gu, Seoul) and Inwangsan ancestral residences.
- Maintains the centralized *Daedong Hangyeol* table (대동항렬표) codified by the Seoul Central Grand Clan Association (*Daejonghoe*).
Representative Figures:
Central Grand Clan Association (Daejonghoe)
Quick Reference: Gu vs. Shin At A Glance
| Dimension | Gu (Old) Andong Kim (구 안동 김씨) | Shin (New) Andong Kim (신 안동 김씨) |
|---|---|---|
| Progenitor (시조) | Kim Suk-seung (신라 경순왕의 손자) | Kim Seon-pyeong (고려 개국공신 삼태사) |
| Ancestral Origin | Silla Royal House (935 CE) | Goryeo Merit Aristocracy (930 CE Battle of Gochang) |
| Historical Alias | Sangrak Kim Clan (상락 김씨) | Jangdong Kim Clan (장동 김씨) |
| Defining Joseon Role | Military commanders (Kim Si-min / Jinju Defense) | 15 Chief State Councilors, Royal In-laws, Neo-Confucian leadership |
| Modern Hero | Baekbeom Kim Gu (Provisional Government President) | General Kim Jwa-jin (Battle of Cheongsanri Victor) |
| Genealogy Standard | 21 Autonomous Regional Branch Tables (*Pabo*) | Centralized Daedong Hangyeol Table (대동항렬표) |
Progenitor (시조)
Gu (Old) Clan:Kim Suk-seung (신라 경순왕의 손자)
Shin (New) Clan:Kim Seon-pyeong (고려 삼태사)
Ancestral Origin
Gu (Old) Clan:Silla Royal House (935 CE)
Shin (New) Clan:Goryeo Merit Nobility (930 CE)
Defining Joseon Role
Gu (Old) Clan:Military commanders (General Kim Si-min)
Shin (New) Clan:15 Chief State Councilors & Royal In-laws
Modern Independence Hero
Gu (Old) Clan:Baekbeom Kim Gu (Provisional Gov. President)
Shin (New) Clan:General Kim Jwa-jin (Cheongsanri Commander)
Generational System
Gu (Old) Clan:21 Autonomous Branch Registers
Shin (New) Clan:Centralized Daedong Hangyeol Table
Discover Where You Sit in the Lineage
Now that you understand the dual lineages of Andong, use our interactive generational decoder to identify your exact generational character, Five Elements cycle, and contemporary historical peers.