Gojoseon

Categories: Early Korean history

Gojoseon
Hangul:	고조선
Hanja:	古朝鮮
Revised Romanization:	Go-Joseon
McCune-Reischauer:	Ko-Josŏn

Gojoseon ("ancient" Joseon, to distinguish from the later Joseon Dynasty) was the first Korean kingdom. According to legend, it was founded in 2333 BC by Dangun in the basins of the Liao and Taedong Rivers, ruling over northern Korean peninsula and southern Manchuria until 108 BC.

Historians generally refer to this entire period as Gojoseon, but some classify Gija Joseon and Wiman Joseon as separate periods.

1 Founding legend
2 History
3 Annals of Danguns
4 See also

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Founding legend

History of Korea
Gojoseon Samhan Three Kingdoms : Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla Unified Silla and Balhae Later Three Kingdoms Goryeo Joseon 1900-1950 Divided Korea : N. Korea, S. Korea

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

Dangun's ancestry begins with his grandfather Hwanin (환인; 桓因;), the "Lord of Heaven" (a name which also appears in Indian Buddhist texts). Hwanin had a son Hwanung who yearned to live on the earth among the valleys and the mountains. Hwanin chose Mount Taebaek for his son to settle down in and sent him with 3,000 helpers to rule the earth and provide humans with great happiness. Hwanung descended to Mount Taebaek and founded a city, which he named Sinsi (신시; 神市), or "City of God." Along with his ministers of clouds, rain, and wind, he instituted laws and moral codes and taught the humans various arts, medicine, and agriculture.

A tiger and a bear living in a cave together prayed to Hwanung that they may become human. Upon hearing their prayers, Hwanung called them to him and gave them 20 cloves of garlic and a bundle of mugwort. He then ordered them to only eat this sacred food and remain out of the sunlight for 100 days. The tiger shortly gave up and left the cave. However, 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 sandalwood 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, who was named Dangun Wanggeom (단군 왕검; 檀君王儉).

Dangun ascended to the throne in the 50th year of the reign of the Emperor Yao (the legendary Chinese sage Yao), the year of Gengyin, built the walled city of P'yŏngyang, and called the kingdom Joseon. He then moved his capital to Asadal on Mount Baegak (or Mount Gunghol). 1,500 years later, in the year Kimyo, King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty enfeoffed Jizi to Joseon, and Dangun moved his capital to Jangdangyeong. Finally, he returned to Asadal and became a mountain god at the age of 1,908.

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History

Gojoseon is said to have been established in 2333 BC, based on the description of the Dongguk Tonggam (1485), but the date differs among historical sources; nevertheless, 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, while Sejong Sillok says the first year and Dongguk Tonggam says the 25th year.

The people of Gojoseon are called in Chinese records Dong-i, "eastern bowmen," belonging to the Tungusic family and 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 Manchuria and the Korean Peninsula, and was praised by Confucius and Mencius for the decorum of its people. However, it was called arrogant and cruel by the Yen.

The Bronze Age began around 2500 - 1000 BC. Rice, red beans, soybeans and millet were cultivated, and rectangular huts and increasingly larger dolmen burial sites are found throughout the peninsula. [1] Around 2000 BC, a new pottery culture is evidenced, with painted designs, in Manchuria and northern Korea.

Bronze daggers, and mirrors have been excavated from the Korean bronze age. Bronze was employed as weaponry and helped in the conquest of Neolithic communities. Archeological evidence of walled-town states are found from this time.

Gija, a subject of the Yin state, entered Gojoseon and introduced the culture of Yin around the 11th century BC Gojoseon clashed with the Zhou during China's Warring States Period (475-221 BC), and lost the territories west of the Liao River to the Yen people in the third century BC. By this time, iron culture was developing and the warring states pushed the refugees eastward.

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

Among the Yen refugees, Wiman entered the service of Gojoseon as military commander with a base on the Amnokgang river. He usurped control from King Jun in 194 BC.

In 109 BC, the Han emperor Wuti began a massive invasion of Gojoseon near the Liao River. Gojoseon fell after over a year of war, and four Chinese commanderies were set up in southern Manchuria and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula: Lelang (樂浪) (Korean: Nangnang), Xuantu (玄菟) (Hyeondo), Zhenfan (真番) (Jinbeon), and Lintun (臨屯) (Imdun).

Numerous small states and confederations arose from the remnants of Gojoseon. Three of the commanderies fell quickly to the Koreans of Samhan, and the last, Lolang (Korean: Nangnang) was destroyed by Goguryeo in 313.

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Annals of Danguns

Annals of the Danguns are recorded in Gyuwon Sahwa (1675), which is described by its author as a nationalistic, rather than mainstream, history.

Dangun Wanggeom BC 2333-BC 2240
Dangun Buru BC 2240-BC 2182
Dangun Garuk BC 2182-BC 2137
Dangun Osagu BC 2137-BC 2099
Dangun Gueul BC 2099-BC 2083
Dangun Dalmun BC 2083-BC 2047
Dangun Hanyul BC 2047-BC 1993
Dangun Useohan BC 1993-BC 1985
Dangun Asul BC 1985-BC 1950
Dangun Noeul BC 1950-BC 1891
Dangun Dohae BC 1891-BC 1834
Dangun Ahan BC 1834-BC 1782
Dangun Holdal (a.k.a. Daeumdal) BC 1782-BC 1721
Dangun Gobul BC 1721-BC 1661
Dangun Daeum (a.k.a. Huhuldal) BC 1661-BC 1610
Dangun Wina BC 1610-BC 1552
Dangun Yeoul BC 1552-BC 1484
Dangun Dongum BC 1484-BC 1435
Dangun Gumoso BC 1435-BC 1380
Dangun Sotae BC 1337-BC 1285
Dangun Saekbullu BC 1285-BC 1237
Dangun Aheul BC 1237-BC 1161
Dangun Solna BC 1150-BC 1062
Dangun Churo BC 1062-BC 997
Dangun Dumil BC 997-BC 971
Dangun Haemo BC 971-BC 943
Dangun Mahyu BC 943-BC 909
Dangun Naehyu BC 909-BC 874
Dangun Deungol BC 874-BC 849
Dangun Chumil BC 849-BC 819
Dangun Gammul BC 819-BC 795
Dangun Orumun BC 795-BC 772
Dangun Sabeol BC 772-BC 704
Dangun Maeruk BC 704-BC 646
Dangun Mamul BC 646-BC 590
Dangun Damul BC 590-BC 545
Dangun Duhol BC 545-BC 509
Dangun Daleum BC 509-BC 491
Dangun Umcha BC 491-BC 471
Dangun Uleuji BC 471-BC 461
Dangun Mulli BC 461-BC 425
Dangun Gumul BC 425-BC 396
Dangun Yeoru BC 396-BC 341
Dangun Boeul BC 341-BC 295
Dangun Goyeolga BC 295-BC 237

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Gojoseon

Contents

Founding legend

History

Annals of Danguns

See also