Kingdom of ancient Korea that in AD 668 consolidated other polities on the Korean peninsula under the Unified Silla dynasty (668935).
Traditionally believed to have been founded by Hy 014F; kk 014F; se in 57 BC, Silla emerged as a full-fledged kingdom in the 6th century. In the reign of King Chinh 016D; ng (540576), a unique military corps, the hwarang (see Hwarangdo ), was organized; allied with Tang-dynasty China, it defeated the Korean state of Paekche in 660 and Kogury 014F; in 668, then expelled the Tang forces to create a unified and independent Korean state. It adopted a Chinese bureaucratic structure, but its aristocracy was never replaced by a bureaucratic class based on merit. Silla art before unification shows a tendency toward abstraction; postunification art reflects Tang naturalism.