This study was conducted with detailed analysis on the contents of the stone tablets of Gwanmun Fortress after its re-decipherment. The results estimated the dates of the tablet to be around the late 7th to early 8th century. The labor mobilization occurred during these times of stability in Shilla's ruling structure. During the Unified Shilla period, members of tax-villages(食邑) were mobilized in an administratively independent manner (identical to those of prefectures or counties) to meet the central government's demands for certain labor. This was possible since the tax-village was regarded as a separate administrative unit from the prefecture-county system. In fact, it could be inferred that the number or the size of aristocracy-governed tax-villages constituted high percentages of total land holdings in Shilla. Moreover, certain attention must be paid to the fact that the tax-villages enjoyed an equal administrative status to prefectures or counties. This clearly illustrates that Unified Shilla adopted substantial elements of 'feudalism'(封建制) while maintaining its centralized ruling system. Hence, the tax-villages at this time could be defined as an aristocracy-governed dominion. The ruling of tax-villages centred around assuming the right to collect taxes and labour from the peasants. However, the aristocracy was not guaranteed a monopoly over tax-villages, as they were subjected to the central government's wish to gather its members whenever there was a national building operation. The king of Shilla not only had the right to utilize such labor duties, but also possessed full privileges to dictate the lord of the tax-villages to make financial contributions to Buddhist temples. Such phenomenon was possible since the king and the lord were under 'feudal'(封建的) contract.

This study was conducted with detailed analysis on the contents of the stone tablets of Gwanmun Fortress after its re-decipherment. The results estimated the dates of the tablet to be around the late 7th to early 8th century. The labor mobilization occurred during these times of stability in Shilla's ruling structure. During the Unified Shilla period, members of tax-villages(食邑) were mobilized in an administratively independent manner (identical to those of prefectures or counties) to meet the central government's demands for certain labor. This was possible since the tax-village was regarded as a separate administrative unit from the prefecture-county system. In fact, it could be inferred that the number or the size of aristocracy-governed tax-villages constituted high percentages of total land holdings in Shilla. Moreover, certain attention must be paid to the fact that the tax-villages enjoyed an equal administrative status to prefectures or counties. This clearly illustrates that Unified Shilla adopted substantial elements of 'feudalism'(封建制) while maintaining its centralized ruling system. Hence, the tax-villages at this time could be defined as an aristocracy-governed dominion. The ruling of tax-villages centred around assuming the right to collect taxes and labour from the peasants. However, the aristocracy was not guaranteed a monopoly over tax-villages, as they were subjected to the central government's wish to gather its members whenever there was a national building operation. The king of Shilla not only had the right to utilize such labor duties, but also possessed full privileges to dictate the lord of the tax-villages to make financial contributions to Buddhist temples. Such phenomenon was possible since the king and the lord were under 'feudal'(封建的) contract.

prefecture-county system, aristocracy-governed dominion, Gwanmun fortress, tax-villages, labor duties