Wiman Joseon
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| Wiman Joseon | |
|---|---|
| Korean name | |
| Hangul: | 위만조선 |
| Hanja: | 衛滿朝鮮 |
| McCune-Reischauer: | Wiman Chosŏn |
| Revised Romanization: | Wiman Joseon |
| Chinese name | |
| Traditional Chinese: | 衛滿朝鮮 |
| Simplified Chinese: | 卫满朝鲜 |
| Hanyu Pinyin: | Wèimǎn Cháoxiǎn |
| Wade-Giles: | Weiman Ch'ao-hsien |
Wiman Joseon (194 - 108 BC) was the last confederacy of several Gojoseon's conferacies. It began with Wiman's seizure of the throne from a King Jun and ended with the death of King Ugeo who were a grandson of Wiman.
[edit] Founding and Fall of Wiman Joseon
Wiman is said to have been a refugee from the Chinese state of Yan, who submitted to King Jun. Jun appointed Wiman a commander in the western border region of Gojoseon where corresponds to the west of Liaoning. But he revolted against the King Jun, and took over the throne. He made the capital in Wanggeomseong (왕검성, 王險城). Shihchi jijie says that Wanggeomseong is Xianjixian at Changli County of Hebei Province in current China [1].
In this period, Wiman Joseon expanded to control a vast territory and became strong economically by controlling trade between China's Han Dynasty and many nations at Manchuria. Emperor Wu of Han China was thought that Wiman Joseon increasingly threatened Han China, and Wiman Joseon would ally with the Xiongnu.
Wiman's grandson, Woogeo (우거,右渠), allowed many exiles from Han China to live in Wiman Joseon, and their numbers of exiles were so significant. In addition, Wiman prevented Jinjoseon from communicating to Han of China. Thus, in 109 BC, Wudi of China invaded against Wiman Joseon near the Luan River, but Wudi had failed several times to destroyed Wiman Joseon. So, Han Wudi tried to conciliate the princes of Wiman Joseon to kill the king Ugeo of Wiman Joseon [2], which was the cause of destruction of the entire Gojoseon. After the war of Han China and Wiman Joseon, Wudi of Han China sentenced the two generals to death for failing the war against Wiman Joseon[3]. For more details of the war between Wiman Joseon and Han China, see the authoritative Chinese history book Shiji (Chapter 115) by Sima Qian.
After a year of battle, Wanggeomseong was captured Wiman Joseon was destroyed. Han China established four commanderies in the captured areas, which corresponds to the current North Korea, Liaoning and Hebei[4]. They fell quickly to local resistance. The Nangnang nation must be differentiated from the Lelang commandery[5].
[edit] References
- ^ Shihchi jijie(史記集解), Chapter 115 Records of Joseon[[1]]
- ^ http://staff.whsh.tc.edu.tw/~huanyin/anfa_shi_chi_115.htm
- ^ http://staff.whsh.tc.edu.tw/~huanyin/anfa_shi_chi_115.htm
- ^ Nangnang Encyclopedia Britannica
- ^ New History of Korea. Written by Lee Hyun Hee, Park Sung Soo, Yoon Nae Hyung, published by Jimundang, Published year 2005
- http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-9500.html
- http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Korea-Democratic-People-s-Republic-of-DPRK-HISTORY.html
- http://www.bartleby.com/65/ko/Korea.html
- http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/04/eak/ht04eak.htm
- http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/publications/pdfs/korea/divided/History-Religions.pdf
- http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/c/cumings-korea.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
- http://www.mmtaylor.net/Literacy_Book/DOCS/Part_2_Korea.html
