Four Commanderies of Han
Encyclopedia
The Four Commanderies of Han (漢四郡, 한사군) are Lelang
, Lintun, Xuantu
and Zhenfan commanderies in northern Korean Peninsula
and part of the Liaodong Peninsula. set up by Emperor Wu
of the Han Dynasty
in early 2nd century BC after his conquest of Wiman Joseon
. The commanderies were set up to control the populace in the area as far south as the Han River
, with a core area at Lelang near present-day P'yongyang, which was previously under the control of Gojoseon
. The accurate positions of the commanderies other than Lelang commandery are still under debate.
The Chinese presence existed for 400 years. As its administrative center in Lelang, the Chinese built what was inessence a Chinese city where the governor, officials, merchants, and Chinese colonists lived. Their administration had considerable impact on the life of the native population and ultimatedly the very fabric of Gojoseon society became eroded. Goguryeo
, a later founded kingdom, slowly began conquering the commanderies and eventually absorbed them into its own territory.
A commandary that was separated out of Lelang Commandery in the later years of its history is the Daifang Commandery
(帶方郡, 대방군, AD 204 ~ AD 313)
Other descriptions: the Tongdian
, the Records of Three Kingdoms
, the Book of Later Han
Lelang Commandery
Lelang was one of the Chinese commanderies which was established after the fall of Gojoseon in 108 BC until Goguryeo conquered it in 313. Lelang Commandery was located in the northern Korean peninsula with the administrative center near modern P'yongyang....
, Lintun, Xuantu
Xuantu Commandery
Xuantu Commandery was a commandery established beyond the far eastern pale of Han China. It was one of Four Commanderies of Han, established in 107 BCE, after the Han Dynasty invaded Wiman Joseon of Korea. Goguryeo rose in this area in competition with the Chinese over the region...
and Zhenfan commanderies in northern Korean Peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
and part of the Liaodong Peninsula. set up by Emperor Wu
Emperor Wu of Han
Emperor Wu of Han , , personal name Liu Che , was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under his reign, as well as the strong and centralized Confucian state he organized...
of the Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
in early 2nd century BC after his conquest of Wiman Joseon
Wiman Joseon
Wiman Joseon was part of the Gojoseon period of Korean history. It began with Wiman's seizure of the throne from Gojoseon's King Jun and ended with the death of King Ugeo who was a grandson of Wiman.-Founding:...
. The commanderies were set up to control the populace in the area as far south as the Han River
Han River (Korea)
The Han River is a major river in South Korea and the fourth longest river on the Korean peninsula after the Amnok, Duman, and Nakdong rivers. It is formed by the confluence of the Namhan River , which originates in Mount Daedeok, and the Bukhan River , which originates on the slopes of Mount...
, with a core area at Lelang near present-day P'yongyang, which was previously under the control of Gojoseon
Gojoseon
Gojoseon was an ancient Korean kingdom. Go , meaning "ancient," distinguishes it from the later Joseon Dynasty; Joseon, as it is called in contemporaneous writings, is also romanized as Chosŏn....
. The accurate positions of the commanderies other than Lelang commandery are still under debate.
The Chinese presence existed for 400 years. As its administrative center in Lelang, the Chinese built what was inessence a Chinese city where the governor, officials, merchants, and Chinese colonists lived. Their administration had considerable impact on the life of the native population and ultimatedly the very fabric of Gojoseon society became eroded. Goguryeo
Goguryeo
Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
, a later founded kingdom, slowly began conquering the commanderies and eventually absorbed them into its own territory.
List of four Commanderies of Han
- Lelang CommanderyLelang CommanderyLelang was one of the Chinese commanderies which was established after the fall of Gojoseon in 108 BC until Goguryeo conquered it in 313. Lelang Commandery was located in the northern Korean peninsula with the administrative center near modern P'yongyang....
(樂浪郡, 낙랑군, BC. 108 ~ AD 313): 25 prefecturePrefectureA prefecture is an administrative jurisdiction or subdivision in any of various countries and within some international church structures, and in antiquity a Roman district governed by an appointed prefect.-Antiquity:...
s, 62,812 households, population of 406,748. - Lintun Commandery (臨屯郡, 임둔군, BC 107 ~ BC 82)
- Xuantu CommanderyXuantu CommanderyXuantu Commandery was a commandery established beyond the far eastern pale of Han China. It was one of Four Commanderies of Han, established in 107 BCE, after the Han Dynasty invaded Wiman Joseon of Korea. Goguryeo rose in this area in competition with the Chinese over the region...
(玄菟郡, 현도군, BC 107 ~ AD 302): 3 prefectures, 45,006 households, population of 221,845. - Zhenfan Commandery (真番郡, 진번군, BC 107 ~ BC 82)
A commandary that was separated out of Lelang Commandery in the later years of its history is the Daifang Commandery
Daifang Commandery
Daifang Commandery was one of the remnants of the Four Commanderies of Han in the Korean peninsula.-History:Gongsun Kang, a warlord in Liaodong, separated the southern half from the Lelang commandery and established the Daifang commandery in 204 to make administration more efficient...
(帶方郡, 대방군, AD 204 ~ AD 313)
Other descriptions: the Tongdian
Tongdian
The Tongdian is a Chinese institutional history and encyclopedia text. It covers a panoply of topics from high antiquity through the year 756, whereas a quarter of the book focuses on the Tang Dynasty. The book was written by Du You from 766 to 801...
, the Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms , is regarded as the official and authoritative historical text on the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history covering the years 184-280 CE. Written by Chen Shou in the 3rd century, the work combines the smaller histories of the rival states of Cao Wei , Shu Han and...
, the Book of Later Han
Book of Later Han
The Book of the Later Han or the History of the Later Han is one of the official Chinese historical works which was compiled by Fan Ye in the 5th century, using a number of earlier histories and documents as sources...
See also
- Gojoseon-Han WarGojoseon-Han WarThe Gojoseon–Han War was a campaign launched by the Han Dynasty of China against Wiman Joseon, the last remaining part of Gojoseon after many kingdoms in the Korean peninsula became independent countries, between 109 BC and 108 BC...
- Wiman JoseonWiman JoseonWiman Joseon was part of the Gojoseon period of Korean history. It began with Wiman's seizure of the throne from Gojoseon's King Jun and ended with the death of King Ugeo who was a grandson of Wiman.-Founding:...
- Han DynastyHan DynastyThe Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
- GoguryeoGoguryeoGoguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
- Daifang CommanderyDaifang CommanderyDaifang Commandery was one of the remnants of the Four Commanderies of Han in the Korean peninsula.-History:Gongsun Kang, a warlord in Liaodong, separated the southern half from the Lelang commandery and established the Daifang commandery in 204 to make administration more efficient...
- Fall of the Lelang and Daifang