Taejon
Taejo means great ancestor in
the Korean language. There are several of these great ancestors who
have contributed to this surname.
King Taejo of Goguryeo ruled
for ninety-three years (47 BC-165 AD). He consolidated the five
existing clans, and expanded both Korea's territory and governmental
control.
The son of a prominent merchant
family, Taejo of Goryeo (877-943) defeated the last king of Silla to
found the Goryeo dynasty. He again unified the kingdom, and
encouraged the establishment of Buddhism as the national religion.
Taejo of Joseon was the founder
of the Joseon dynasty. The son of a Mongolian official, he rose
through the hierarchy of the Goryeo army and was instrumental in the
overthrow of the 400 year old Goryeo dynasty. His reign (1392-1398)
was short, due to family strife and murders over the succession to his
throne, and the discontent among the fired officials from the previous
regime. Before he abdicated, he moved the capital from Kaesong to
Hanseong, now known as Seoul, and the undercurrent of his subjects'
disapproval led to a resurgence of national interest in Korean
heritage and culture.
There is also the city of
Daejon, also spelled as Taejon, which is located in central South
Korea. During the Joseon dynasty it was called Hanbat, meaning "large
field", and Daejon means the same in
Hanja, the Chinese
characters which were incorporated into the Korean writing. It was a
small agricultural village back then, but in the early 20th century
Daejon became a transportation hub, and grew into the large city is it
today.
Sources:
wikipedia-King Taejo
wikipedia-Daejon
~Contributed by Feiyan Zhou
~Family plaque by Night~Owl Nyentsen