With the unification of the Three Kingdoms by Shilla, the Korean people, except for those of Koguryo still living in Manchuria, were able to form a single nation under one government and one system.
In Manchuria, the Kingdom of Parhae was founded with the people of Koguryo at its center, but after the destruction of Parhae which lasted for over 220 years, Manchuria drifted away from Korea's national activities.
Unified Shilla amalgamated the cultures of the Three Kingdoms and was influenced by the Tang culture to develop an advanced national culture. Buddhism flowered and was propagated among the populace. The arts of creating temples, Buddhist images, stone pagodas, stone lanterns, and Buddhist bells were developed. Many monks and Hwarangs composed Hyangga and aristocrats wrote literature in Chinese.