Gojoseon - Misplaced Pages

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File:Samjoseon1.gif

Template:Koreanname Gojoseon was an ancient Korean kingdom. Many consider it to be the first Korean kingdom, although its emperors claimed to be descendants of Baedalguk. Go-, which distinguishes it from the later Joseon Dynasty, is sometimes translated as "Old" or "Ancient". Joseon is also romanized as Chosŏn. See also: Names of Korea.

According to legend, Gojoseon was founded in 2333 BC by Dangun in the basins of the Liao and Taedong Rivers, ruling over northern Korean peninsula and southern Manchuria, and maintained 1,048 years (Senyeon-ga, sejong shilok) or about 1,500 years (Samgukyusa).

Gojoseon refers to this continuous entity then called Joseon, but the early legendary years are sometimes called Dangun Joseon.

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History of Korea

Prehistoric period

Palaeolithic	700,000 BC-8000 BC
Neolithic	8000 BC–1500 BC
* Jeulmun
Bronze Age	1500 BC–300 BC
* Mumun
* Liaoning dagger

Ancient period

Gojoseon	2333 BC–108 BC
* Dangun
* Gija
* Wiman
Jin	4th–2nd century BC
Yemaek

Proto–Three Kingdoms period

Four Commanderies of Han

Three Kingdoms period

Goguryeo	37 BC–668 AD
Baekje	18 BC–660 AD
Silla	57 BC–935 AD
Gaya confederacy	42–562
Tamna (Tributary of Baekje)	498–660
Usan	512–930

Northern and Southern period

United Silla (Unified Silla)	668–892
Balhae	698–926
Little Goguryeo	699–820
Tamna (Tributary of Silla)	662–925

Later Three Kingdoms period

Later Baekje	892–936
Taebong (Later Goguryeo)	901–918
Unified Silla (Later Silla)	892–935
Later Sabeol	919–927
Dongdan Kingdom	926–936
Later Balhae	927–935
Jeongan	938–986

Dynastic period

Goryeo	918–1392
Tamna (Vassal of Goryeo)	938–1105
Heungyo	1029–1030
Joseon	1392–1897
Korean Empire	1897–1910

Colonial period

Japanese occupation	1910–1945
Provisional Government	1919–1948

Modern period

Military governments	1945–1948
North-South division	1945–present
* North	1948–present
* South	1948–present

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People

The people of Gojoseon belonged to the Tungusic family and were linguistically affiliated with the Altaic. They propagated in Manchuria, far eastern China, north of the Yangtze River, and the Korean Peninsula. Gojoseon eventually consolidated in lower Manchuria, the entire Korean Peninsula, the Yellow River valley, and even established colonies into modern-day Japan.

The people of Gojeoson were recorded as Dongyi (東夷) in Chinese, meaning ""eastern barbarians". The expression is also interpreted as "eastern bowmen", because 夷 consists of "弓" (bow) and "人" (man).

Governmental Structure

Gojoseon consisted of three smaller provincial states called Three Gojoseon(삼조선). They were Jinjoseon, Majoseon, and Byeonjoseon. Jinjoseon was the main state and was ruled directly by the Dangun(단군), who was ruler of all of Gojoseon with his center of power at the ancient city of Asadal. The rulers of Majoseon and Byeonjoseon were vice-Danguns(부단군). The Dangun had absolute power over the empire, and the power of second-in-command was equally shared by the two vice-danguns. The selection method of the danguns is unknown, but it was most likely hereditary succession. Under the Dangun and his vice-danguns were probably military governors who ruled over smaller provinces within the three states. It is unknown how influential religion was during this time, but it can be inferred that shaman also held a high position and influence in the governmental hierarchy. The structure of Gojoseon was, in itself, a highly advanced one for its time. This is one of many contributions that allowed Gojoseon to stand for such a long period of time.

Location

Gojoseon was centered around the present-day Pyongyang region with its capital at the city of Asadal.

It consisted of three provincial states called Jinjoseon, Byeonjoseon, and Majoseon, who were the predecessor states to the Samhan, who would eventually settle in the Korean peninsula.

Jinjoseon's borders covered all of Manchuria, Majoseon covered the Korean peninsula and the modern-day Tokyo region, and Byeonjoseon covered the Liaodong Peninsula and modern-day Liaoning.

As a whole, Gojoseon began in the basins of the Liao and Taedong rivers, just southeast of present-day Manchuria, but after attacks by the Yan, moved its capital to Pyongyang, sometime before 4th century BC.

Founding legend and historical formation of Ancient Joseon

Dangun Wanggeom is the legendary founder of Korea. The oldest existing record of this founding myth appears in the Samguk Yusa, a 13th-century collection of legends and stories. A similar account is found in Jewang Ungi.

The Lord of Heaven Hwanin (환인; 桓因, a name which also appears in Indian Buddhist texts), had a son Hwanung who yearned to live on the earth among the people. Hwanin relented, and Hwanung descended to Mount Taebaek with 3,000 helpers, where he founded a city he named Sinsi (신시; 神市, "City of God" or "Holy City"). Along with his ministers of clouds, rain, and wind, he instituted laws and moral codes and taught the people various arts, medicine, and agriculture.

A tiger and a bear living in a cave prayed to Hwanung that they may become human. Upon hearing their prayers, Hwanung gave them 20 cloves of garlic and a bundle of mugwort, instructing them to eat only this sacred food and remain out of the sunlight for 100 days. The tiger shortly gave up and left the cave, but the bear remained and after 21 days was transformed into a woman.

The bear-woman (Ungnyeo, 웅녀, 熊女) was very grateful and made offerings to Hwanung. She lacked a husband, however, and soon became sad and prayed beneath a Shindansu (신단수; 神檀樹, "Divine Betula") tree to be blessed with a child. Hwanung, moved by her prayers, took her for his wife and soon she gave birth to a son, Dangun Wanggeom (단군 왕검; 檀君王儉).

Gojoseon is said to have been established in 2333 BC, based on the description of the Dongguk Tonggam (1485). The date differs among historical sources, although all of them put it during Yao's reign (traditional dates: 2357 BC-2256 BC). Samguk Yusa says Dangun ascended to the throne in the 50th year of Yao's reign, Sejong Sillok says the first year, and Dongguk Tonggam says the 25th year.

Gojoseon is first found in contemporaneous historical records of early 7th century BC, as located around Bohai Bay and trading with Qi (齊) of China. At this point, it was identified as a distinct polity, but there is little archeological evidence of a fully functioning state.

Some historians argue that "Dangun" may have been the title of Gojoseon's early leaders. The legitimacy and authority of the "Dangun Wanggeom" seem to have been dependent on, or glorified by the divine lineage that linked them to Hwanin, which suggests the religious character of this type of leadership, which is thought to have existed when Gojoseon was a fortified city-state (not unlike those of Ancient Greece), most likely located in the Taedong river basin at Pyongyang.

By the 4th century BC, other states with defined political structures arose developed in the areas of the earlier bronze age sometimes called "walled-town states". Gojoseon was the most advanced of them in the peninsular region. The leaders of the city-state expanded the influence and power of the city-state by incorporating other neighboring city-states either by alliance, or by military conquest. Thus, a vast confederation of various political entities between the Taedong and Liao rivers was formed. As the frontiers and the very nature of the Gojoseon civilization evolved, so did the title and function of the leader, who came to be designated as "king" (王 Wáng), in the tradition of the Zhou Dynasty, around the same time as the Yan (燕) leader. Records of that time mention the hostility between the feudal state in Northern China and the "confederated" kingdom of Gojoseon, and notably, a plan to attack the Yan/Yen beyond the Liao River frontier. The confrontation will lead to the decline and eventual downfall of Gojoseon, described in Yan records as "arrogant" and cruel". But the ancient kingdom also (and perhaps first and foremost) appears as a prosperous bronze culture civilization, with a complex social structure, including a "class" of horse-riding warriors who certainly contribued to the development of Ancient Joseon and particularly the northern expansion, which annexed most of the Liaotung basin. The controversial 3rd century BC Chinese records of Jizi refer to laws (Beomgeum Paljo, 범금팔조, 犯禁八條) that evidence a hierarchical society and legal protection of private property.

Around 300 BC, Gojoseon lost significant western territory after a war with the Yan state, but this indicates Gojoseon was already a large enough state that could wage war against Yan and survive the loss of 2000 li of territory. Gojoseon is thought to have relocated its capital to the Pyongyang region around this time.

Gija controversy

Gija Joseon is generally negated in Korean history because of its lack of evidence. It is generally explained that, after Han dynasty unified China, Chinese historian fabricated that Gija went to Gojoseon because the book titled Chu-shu chi-nien (竹書紀年) and Confucian Analects (論語), which firstly describes Gija, do not say anything about going to Gojoseon.. It is also proved by the culture and heritage of Gojoseon. The most representative relic of Gojoseon is mandolin-shaped bronze dagger. However, its shape and the composition of bronze are very different from those of China. Therefore, it is not true that Gija went to Gojoseon.

According to the school of historians, who claim that Gija Joseon coexisted with Gojoseon of Dangun, suggests that Gija Joseon was established at the only west of Gojoseon, which is currently around Hebei, Liaoning and southern east of inner Mongolia, and was later overthrown by Wiman. Thus Wudi's conquest against Wiman Joseon was in western part of Gojoseon formerly ruled by Gija and his descendants, which corresponds to Beonjoseon.

Decline of Gojoseon

The course of the decline and Gojoseon's fall is under controversy, depending on how historians view the migration of Gija Joseon.

The first opinion is that Gojoseon was disintegrated by 1st century BC as it gradually lost the control of its former fiefs. As Gojoseon lost the control to their confederacies, many smaller states sprang from the former territory of Gojoseon such as Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye, Guda-guk, Galsa-guk, Gaema-guk, Hangin-guk, etc. The origin of Goguryeo and Baekjae is Buyeo.

Some historian says that the disintegration of Gojoseon is caused by the destruction of Beonjoseon, which is one of three confederacies of Gojoseon. They say that Beonjoseon's King Jun appointed one of three refugees from China, Wiman. Wiman later rebelled in 194 BC, and Jun fled to Jinjoseon. Wiman Joseon was sinicized, but not a Chinese fief. In 109 BC, Wudi of China invade against Beonjoseon near the Liao River. Gojoseon fell after over a year of war in 108 BC. it is thought that China established four commanderiesin western part of Gojoseon, although it is doubtful that the chinese commanderies existed or not.

Culture

Around 2000 BC, a new pottery culture of painted and chiseled design is found. These people practiced agriculture in a settled communal life, probably organized into familial clans. Rectangular huts and increasingly larger dolmen burial sites are found throughout the peninsula. Bronze daggers and mirrors have been excavated, and there is archeological evidence of small walled-town states in this period.

Mumun pottery

In the Mumun Pottery Period (1500 - 300 BC), plain coarse pottery replaced earlier comb-pattern wares, possibly as a result of the influence of new populations migrating to Korea from Manchuria and Siberia. This type of pottery typically has thicker walls and displays a wider variety of shapes, indicating improvements in kiln technology. This period is sometimes called the Korean bronze age, but bronze artifacts are relatively rare and regionalized until the 7th century BC.

Rice cultivation

Sometime around 1200 to 900 BC, rice cultivation was introduced to Korea, most likely from China by way of Manchuria. The people also farmed native grains such as millet and barley, and domesticated livestock.

Bronze tools

File:Bipajoseon.jpg

mandolin-shaped bronze dagger of Gojoseon

The beginning of the Bronze Age on the peninsula is usually said to be 1000 BC, but estimates range from the 15th to 8th centuries BC. Although the Korean bronze age culture derives from the Liaoning and Manchuria, it exhibits unique typology and styles, especially in ritual objects.

By the 7th century BC, a Bronze Age material culture, with influences from northeastern China as well as Siberia and Scythian bronze styles, flourishes on the peninsula. Korean bronzes contain a higher percentage of zinc than those of the neighboring bronze cultures. Bronze artifacts, found most frequently in burial sites, consist mainly of swords, spears, daggers, small bells, and mirrors decorated with geometric patterns.

File:Bipabronze1.jpg

The distribution map of the mandolin-shaped dagger shows the extent of Gojoseon's territory

Gojoseon's development seems linked to the adoption of bronze technology. Its singularity finds its most notable expression in the idiosyncratic type of bronze swords, or mandolin-shaped daggers (비파형동검, 琵琶形銅劍). The mandolin-shape dagger is found in the regions of Liaoning, Manchuria down to the Korean peninsula. It suggest the existence of Gojoseon dominions, at least in the area shown on the map. Remarkably, the shape of the "mandolin" dagger of Gojoseon differs significantly from the sword artefacts found in China. In addition, the composition of Gojoseon's bronze artefacts contains much more tin than that of China, which emphasizes the differences between Gojoseon's bronze culture and Chinese bronze ware, and the originality of Gojoseon's technological development.

Dolmen tombs

Around 900 BC, burial practices become more elaborate, a reflection of increasing social stratification. Dolmen tombs, formed of upright stones supporting a horizontal slab, are more numerous in Korea than in other parts of East Asia. Other new forms of burial are stone cists (underground burial chambers lined with stone) and earthenware jar coffins. The bronze objects, pottery, and jade ornaments recovered from dolmens and stone cists indicate that such tombs were reserved for the elite class.

Around the 6th century BC, burnished red wares, made of a fine iron-rich clay and characterized by a smooth, lustrous surface, appear in dolmen tombs, as well as in domestic bowls and cups.

Iron culture

Around this time, Jin-guk occupied the southern part of the Korean peninsula. Very little is known about this state, except it was the apparent predecessor to the Samhan confederacies.

Around 300 BC, iron technology was introduced into Korea from China. Iron was produced locally in the southern part of the peninsula by the second century BC. According to Chinese accounts, iron from the lower Nakdong River valley in the southeast, was valued throughout the peninsula and Japan.

Proto-Three Kingdoms

Main article: Proto-Three Kingdoms of Korea

Numerous small states and confederations arose from the remnants of Gojoseon, including Goguryeo, Buyeo, Okjeo, and Dongye. Three of the Chinese commanderies fell to local resistance within a few decades, but the last, Lelang, remained an important commercial and cultural outpost until it was destroyed by the expanding Goguryeo in 313.

King Jun of Gojoseon is said to have fled to the state of Jin in southern Korean peninsula. Jin developed into the Samhan confederacies, the beginnings of Baekje and Silla, continuing to absorb migration from the north. Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla gradually grew into the Three Kingdoms of Korea that dominated the entire peninsula by around the 4th century.

Notes

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