Three Confederate States of Gojoseon

The Three Gojoseon kingdoms are states noted in history texts such as Joseon Sangosa [Joseon Sangosa. Sin Chaeho. (1931) ISBN : 8947210331] (1924-25), and has been researched by several historians [김정배, 고조선 연구의 사적 고찰 (Historical Survey on Research of Kochosun), "단군학연구", 7, 185 - 206 (2002)] , [이정복, 논점 한국사 사료집성 (The Collection of Korean History Controversy), 국학자료원, ISBN : 8982064729] , [신채호, 조선민족의 전성시대 (The Prosperity Age of Joseon People), "삼천리", 7(1), 59-67 (1935)] , [강경구, 고대의 삼조선과 낙랑 (Three Gojoseon and Nangnang Nation), 기린원 (1991)] , although not widely accepted by scholars. [ The theory is even mentioned in most canonical history texts, including Lee Ki-baek's "A New History of Korea" and the Korean National Commission's "Korean History: Discovery of its characteristics and developments" (Seoul:Hollym, 2004).]

By popular Korean history drawing on the Korean founding myth, Gojoseon (고조선, 2333 BCE – 239 BCE) was the first state of Korea that was established around Liaoning, south Manchuria and north Korean peninsula. According to fringe historians, Gojoseon was a united kingdom composed of three confederacies of Gojoseon such as Majoseon (마조선), Jinjoseon (진조선) and Beonjoseon (번조선). Three confederacies were also called as Mahan, Jinhan and Beonhan. In conventional Korean history, the posterior Samhan (the three confederacies Mahan, Byeonhan, and Jinhan) existed in central and southern Korean Peninsula, and were established around the time of Gojoseon's fall until fully absorbed by the Three Kingdoms of Korea around the 4th century CE. Therefore, the posterior Samhan must be discriminated from the prior Samhan or Samjoseon.

Government Structure

Based on Joseon Sangosa that is written in 1924-25 by Sin Chaeho, Gojoseon had an organizational system of three states and 5 ministries. Three states were composed of Jinjoseon, Majoseon and Beonjoseon. Jinjoseon was ruled by a Supreme-Dangun. Beonjoseon and Majoseon were ruled by two Vice-Danguns. Five Ministries or Ohga were composed of Dotga (which means a pig), Gaeda (which means a dog), Soga (which means a cow), Malga (which means a horse) and Shinga according to their areas of east, west, south, north and center. This ministry system using the name of animals were also used by Buyeo, which was a succession of Gojoseon. In wartime, five military troops of a central army, an advanced army, a left army and a right army were organized according to military commands by the general of central army. It is said that the traditional Korean game or Yut follows the structure of these five military structures. Generally, the succession system of the Supreme Dangun and the Vice-Dangun were judged by heredity, and sometimes the ruler could be succeeded by one of the Ohga, which shows that the sovereign's power was not absolute.

Territory of Three Confederacies

.
Gojoseon is developed based on the bronze wares, and continue to the Iron Age. The territory of three Gojoseons can be known by their unique style bronze sword. i.e., mandolin-shaped dagger (비파형동검, 琵琶形銅劍). The mandolin-shape dagger is found in around Liaoning, Manchuria, Korean peninsula and even Hebei. It proves that three Gojoseons territory at least cover the area in the map. Furthermore, the shape of the mandolin-shape dagger of Gojoseon are very different from those found in China. In addition, the composition of Gojoseon's bronze contains much more tin than that of China. These prove that the culture of bronze of Gojoseon are very different from Chinese bronze-ware so that they are not affected by Chinese bronze culture.

Jinjoseon (2333 BCE - 239 BCE)

It is usually said that the prefixes Ma, Jin and Beon were borrowed by Chinese characters to represent the Korean language. "Jin" or sometimes "Shin" represent the meanings of "whole" or "general", which says that Jinjosen was the central confederacy of Gojoseon.
Asadal (아사달) was the capital city of Jinjoseon governed by Dangun, and the other two Joseons were governed by the vice Danguns. Joseon Sangosa says that Asadal corresponds to the current Harbin. In history books, Jinjoseon was usually called "Jin." At 425 BCE, the name of Ancient Joseon was changed to Great Buyeo, and the capital city was moved to Jangdang. At this time, Jinjoseon did not have enough power to control Beonjoseon and Majoseon, and gradually Gojoseon began to disintegrate. At 239 BCE, Jinjoseon was conquered by Hae Mosu Dangun, and the state name was changed to Buyeo.

Beonjoseon (2333 BCE - 108 BCE)

"Beon" or sometimes "Byun" means a plain or a field. Because Bejoseon was a neighbor to the Chinese states, Chinese history usually referred to Beonjoseon as "Gojoseon" or simply "Joseon." Therefore, Gija Joseon and Wiman Joseon were usurptions of Beonjoseon. The Danguns allowed Gija and Wiman to rule over Beonjoseon because they were of the Dongyi race. Chinese usually referred to the ancestral Korean race, "Dong-i", which means an eastern barbarian. Dangun had assigned Chidunam (치두남, 蚩頭男) as a vice Dangun of Beonjoseon. Its capital city was Heomdokhyeon (험독현, 險瀆縣), also called Wanggeomseong (왕검성, 王儉城). Chidunam was a descendant of Emperor Chi-Woo the Great of Baedalguk (치우, 蚩尤), and a descendant of the Baedal royalty. Hyeomdokhyeon is currently located in Changli (昌黎) County of Hebei Province in the modern People's Republic of China [ Shihchi jijie(史記集解), Chapter 115 Records of Joseon [http://staff.whsh.tc.edu.tw/~huanyin/anfa_shi_chi_115.htm] ] . According to Joseon Sangosa, the "Gi" family became the kings of Beonjoseon in 323BCE, and the central authority of the Vice-Dangun became very powerful. Beonjoseon of the Gi family was usurped by Wiman during 193BCE, from which it was called Wiman Joseon henceforth. The last Vice-Dangun, Gijun, fled with his nobles and a large number of people into the Korean peninsula. There, he conquered Majoseon, and established Mahan.

Majoseon (2333 BCE - ?)

"Ma" is generally used to represent south, and Majoseon was located at the south of Jinjoseon. Dangun assigned Ungbaekda (웅백다, 熊伯多) as Vice Dangun of Majoseon. Its capital city was Pyongyang. The years of destruction are not certain, but it is thought that Majoseon was conquered by Gijun when he fled from Wiman, and then changed the name of the state to Mahan, which was one of the confederacies of posteria Samhan. It seems that Mahan had continued until it was conquered by Baekje.

Disintegration of Three Gojoseon

According to Joseon Sangosa, the disintegration of three Gojoseon started at 400BCE, when Yan had attacked Gojoseon, and Gihu became the king of Beonjoseon. When Gihu became the king of Beonjoseon, it seems that Gihu did not fall under the jurisdiction of Jinjoseon, and Beonjoseon by Gi family was indedepent of Jinjoseon. Thereafter, the power of Jinjoseon over Beonjoseon and Majoseon greatly weakened, which caused the disintegration of Gojoseon.

Notes

References

* [http://bluecabin.com.ne.kr/history/chosun0.htm Outline of Joseon-sango-sa]
* [http://home.postech.ac.kr/~yihs Ancient Korean history]

See also

*Gojoseon
*Jinjoseon
*Bukbuyeo
*Ae of Gojoseon
*Haemosu