Discover

'Wiman Joseon' (194 - 108 BC) was the successor-state of Beonjoseon, which was one of the Three Confederate States of Gojoseon. It began with Wiman's seizure of the throne from Beonjoseon's King Jun and ended with the death of King Ugeo who was a grandson of Wiman.

Contents

Founding

Fall

References

See also

Founding

Wiman is said to have been a general from the Chinese state of Yan, who submitted to Beonjoseon's King Jun. Jun accepted and appointed Wiman as the commander of the western border region of Beonjoseon, where corresponds to the west of Liaoning. Despite the generosity that King Jun had demonstrated, Wiman revolted and destroyed Beonjoseon. In 194 BCE, he established Wiman Joseon and made his capital in Wanggeom seong (왕검성, 王險城). Shihchi jijie says that Wanggeomseong is Pyongyang city^[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.

Fall

Wiman's grandson, Ugeo (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 with the Han Dynasty. 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^[2]. 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 of Han in the captured areas, which corresponds to the current North Korea, and eastern Liaoning. The Commanderies fell quickly to local resistance, and several nations were formed in its place. Among them was the Nangnang Joseon (낙랑조선), which was founded by Choi Sung (최송) The Nangnang nation must be differentiated from the Lelang commandery^[4].

References

1. Shihchi jijie(史記集解), Chapter 115 Records of Joseon[[1]]
2. http://staff.whsh.tc.edu.tw/~huanyin/anfa_shi_chi_115.htm
3. http://staff.whsh.tc.edu.tw/~huanyin/anfa_shi_chi_115.htm
4. 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

See also

★ List of Korea-related topics

★ History of Korea

★ List of Korean monarchs