ExclusiveGija Joseon, the ancient Korean kingdom founded by Jizi or Gija #Gija Joseon

Since ancient times, the Korean peninsula has shared a significant historical connection with China. Yet, few may know that the peninsula's first dynasty, Jijijoseon, was established by a Chinese figure named Jizhi, or Jija. His influence, marked by the fusion of Chinese civilization with the Korean peninsula, left an indelible mark on its early history. Hello everyone, I'm Sarah. Today, I'll talk about the intriguing history of Jijijoseon and explore how the Chinese Han culture spread to the Korean peninsula during this period. Jizhi, also known as Shuyu, was the uncle of King Zhou, the last ruler of the Shang dynasty in China. Contrary to King Zhou's tyrannical rule, Jizhi was renowned for his virtue and wisdom, earning him the title of one of the Three Sages alongside Begon and Huizi. Faced with King Zhou's atrocities, the Three Sages tried to admonish him. Despite their efforts, Huizi departed, Begon met a tragic end, and Jizhi resorted to feigning madness to evade persecution, yet he still found himself imprisoned by King Zhou. After the fall of the Shang dynasty, the new ruler, King Wu of Zhou, set Jizhi free. As a former minister of the Shang dynasty, Jizhi was unwilling to submit as a vassal to Zhou. Then King Wu of Zhou granted him control over the Korean peninsula. Jizhi thus led 5,000 people to settle there. Later, King Wu asked for Jizhi's advice on how to govern, leading Jizhi to write the Hongfan, which explained principles for effective leadership and maintaining social harmony. Historical records on this matter vary slightly. But they unanimously affirm Jizhi's establishment of the first kingdom in Korea. Early Korean historical documents, including records of the Three Kingdoms and Remnants of the Three States, further validate that Jizhi's dynasty was indeed the inaugural kingdom in the history of the Korean peninsula. Jizhi's reign was marked by the propagation of Chinese civilization on the Korean peninsula. He introduced principles of propriety and righteousness, established the first written laws, eight prohibitions of Lelong Joseon, promoting social harmony. Moreover, Jizhi imparted agricultural and weaving techniques, laying the foundation for economic development. Archaeologists have uncovered Jishans in the southern region of Pyongyang, the capital of Korea. As detailed in the Study of Jishans by Korean scholar Han Baek-hyun, these fields were meticulously square-shaped and adhered to a pattern resembling the Chinese character four-field, depicted in the oracle bones of This archaeological evidence strongly suggests the presence of Shang civilization in Korea during this era. Jizhi Joseon maintained economic exchanges with the Zhou dynasty, evidenced by the discovery of thousands of Mingdao coins within its territory. It was the currency of its neighboring state. Despite political turmoil in China, Jizhi Joseon flourished and evolved, adapting to external pressures while preserving its cultural identity. As the Qin unification gathered momentum towards the conclusion of the Warring States period, citizens from the remaining six states, particularly those in the northern regions like Yan state, Zhou state, and Qi state, sought refuge in the Korean peninsula to escape the turmoil of war. Despite facing assaults from Yan state and Qin state, Joseon managed to survive. The Records of the Three Kingdoms document reveals that the descendants of Jizhi were granted the title of Marquis of Joseon. However, some of them exhibited arrogance and oppression, provoking an attack by Yan kingdom's general Qin Kai. This incursion resulted in the loss of over 2,000 li of their territory, reaching into the Manchurian region and signaling the start of Joseon's decline. Following the unification of China under the Qin dynasty, Jizhi Joseon entered into a vassal relationship with Qin, becoming an overseas vassal state. However, they refrained from offering tribute to the Qin court. As the Qin dynasty neared its end, tens of thousands of people sought refuge in Korea. During this period, the king of Joseon, a descendant of Jizhi named Jizhuan, resettled these Chinese refugees in the western region of the Korean peninsula. In the early years of the Han dynasty, Liu Bang appointed the former Yan general Zhang Tu as the king of Yan. However, Zhang Tu rebelled against the Han dynasty shortly after his appointment. Following the suppression of his rebellion, Liu Bang was installed as the new king of Yan, but he too rebelled shortly afterward. Amidst the turmoil, people of the Yan kingdom fled once more to the Korean peninsula in search of refuge, including a man named Wai Man. When Wai Man arrived on the Korean peninsula with over a thousand followers, he received a warm welcome from Jizhuan, who appointed him as a scholar and presented him with jade in accordance with Central Plains customs. Moreover, Jizhuan entrusted Wai Man with governance over a territory stretching 100 miles in the western region, with the hope that Wai Man would play a crucial role in safeguarding the western border. However, Wai Man had political ambitions. Exploiting this trust, he clandestinely recruited soldiers and amassed power. In 194 BC, he deceitfully led troops to the capital city Wanggamsung, known today as Pyongyang in Korea. After seizing the capital, he proclaimed himself king, maintaining the name Joseon for the kingdom, thus establishing the Wai Man Joseon dynasty, thereby bringing an end to the thousand-year reign of Jija Joseon. During this period, when the Han dynasty was undergoing stabilization under the reign of Emperor Hui, a policy of recovery and advancement was implemented. The governor of Liaodong Commandery brokered an agreement with Wai Man, whereby Wai Man would serve as an external vassal of the Han dynasty. His role involved guarding against the incursions of barbarian tribes from beyond the frontier, thus ensuring the security of the border regions. Additionally, leaders of these tribes were permitted to visit the Han court to pay respects to the emperor, in accordance with their customs. Emperor Hui endorsed and approved this arrangement, aiming to maintain stability and security along the frontier. As a result, Wai Man further expanded his influence, reaching south of the Yalu River, effectively extending his territory over thousands of miles. To bolster governance, he instituted administrative offices such as princes, ministers, and generals, following the organizational model of the Han dynasty. This initiative enhanced the political framework of ancient Korea. Additionally, Wai Man persisted in introducing elements of Chinese culture to Korea, thereby contributing to its continued development and advancement. After the death of Wai Man, his grandson Wei ascended to the throne. However, Wei not only discontinued trade and tribute with the Han dynasty, but also obstructed neighboring tribes from interacting with the Han court or participating in trade and tribute activities. In the first year of Emperor Wu of Han's rule, approximately in 128 BC, dissatisfaction with Wei's governance prompted the king of a minor tribe in the Korean peninsula, Nangong, along with others, to lead a group of 280,000 individuals in surrendering to the Han dynasty. In response, Emperor Wu designated the region as Songhai Commandery. In 109 BC, Emperor Wu dispatched Xuer He as an envoy to Joseon with the aim of persuading Wei Youzhu to reconsider his policies and strengthen their vassal relationship. However, his efforts were in vain. Frustrated by the mission's failure, Xuer He, upon his return journey, unjustly slew the Joseon prince accompanying him and falsely claimed to Emperor Wu that he had killed a Joseon general. In response, Emperor Wu rewarded him by appointing him as the eastern commandant of Liaodong Commandery. However, this deceitful act escalated tensions further. Wei Youzhu, nursing resentment, launched an attack on Liaodong and killed Xuer He. Subsequently, Emperor Wu decided to mobilize troops to confront the escalating situation in Joseon. With a force of 50,000 troops, Emperor Wu launched an expedition into Joseon. In the summer of 108 BC, King Wei Youzhu of Joseon was assassinated by his pro-peace subordinates. Subsequently, the capital city of Wangamsung fell, leading to the demise of the In the aftermath, Emperor Wu proceeded to establish the commanderies of Liaodong, Linton, Xuantu, and Jinfon in the region, collectively known as the Four Commanderies of Han. Numerous counties were organized under these commanderies, each governed by officials appointed by the central government of the Han dynasty. This administrative restructuring effectively extended Han rule over the vast majority of the peninsula, with only a small southeastern region known as Chunhan remaining independent. This consolidation demonstrated Emperor Wu's success in integrating the northern part of the Korean Peninsula into the Han Empire's domain. During Emperor Zhao's reign in 82 BC, Jinfon Commandery was abolished, followed by the abolition of Linton Commandery in 75 BC during the Yuanfeng era. Meanwhile, Xuantu Commandery relocated to the north of the Yalu River, becoming the primary Han administrative region in Korea, overseeing fewer counties than previously. Eventually, in 313 CE, Lelong Commandery was absorbed by Goguryeo, after spanning over 400 years. Throughout this period, Han culture greatly influenced Korea. The architectural resemblance of tombs in the Lelong district of Pyongyang to those from the Zhou and Han periods, along with over 2,000 tomb clusters, underscores the profound impact of Chinese civilization on Korea, peaking during the Ming dynasty. Perhaps this was intended to serve as a reflection for present-day mainland China, which may have strayed from the authentic essence of Chinese culture. That's it for today. Please leave a comment and share. See you next time.