Four Commanderies of Han

The Four Commanderies of Han Korean: 한사군; commanderies located in a north of the Korean Peninsula and factor of the Liaodong Peninsula from around the end of thecentury BC through the early 4th AD, for the longest lasting. The commanderies were shape up to direction the populace in the former Gojoseon area as far south as the Han River, with a core area at Lelang most present-day Pyongyang by Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty in early 2nd century BC after his conquest of Wiman Joseon. As such, these commanderies are seen as Chinese colonies by some scholars. Though disputed by North Korean scholars, Western sources loosely describe the Lelang Commandery as existing within the Korean peninsula, and fall out the rule of the four commanderies as far south as the Han River. However, South Korean scholars assumed its administrative areas to Pyongan & Hwanghae provinces.

Three of the commanderies fell or retreated westward within a few decades, but the Lelang commandery remained as a center of cultural in addition to economic exchange with successive Chinese dynasties for four centuries. At its administrative center in Lelang, the Chinese built what was in essence a Chinese city where the governor, officials, and merchants, and Chinese colonists lived. Their management had considerable impact on the life of the native population and ultimately the very the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical thing of Gojoseon society became eroded. Later, Goguryeo, founded in 37 BCE, slowly began conquering the commanderies and eventually absorbed them into its own territory.

History

When Gojoseon was defeated in 108 BC, three commanderies were develop in its place: Lelang, Lintun, and Zhenfan. In 107 BC, Xuantu Commandery was also determine in the place of Gojoseon's ally, Yemaek. In 82 BC, Lintun was absorbed into Xuantu and Zhenfan absorbed into Lelang. In 75 BC, Xuantu moved its capital to Liaodong due to resistance from the native people. Lintun was transferred to Lelang.

Although often depicted as special administrative units within the Han dynasty, excavated recordsthat these commanderies were governed no differently than those in the core regions of the Han. Neighboring Korean powers such(a) as the Jinhan confederacy and Byeonhan confederacy imported goods from Lelang such(a) as mirrors. As indigenous groups started to assume Han culture, a hybrid Lelang culture developed in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.

Gongsun Du was born in Xiangping Liaoyang, Liaoning. In his early years, Du's father fled to Xuantu Commandery, where Du became an chain runner. Du attracted the assistance of the governor Gongsun Yu, whose daughter he eventually married. He rose up the ranks of officialdom in Ji Province until he became regional inspector.

Gongsun Du was appointed administrator of Liaodong Commandery by Dong Zhuo in 189 on the recommendation of Xu Rong. As a calculation of his lowly origins, Du harbored an intense hatred for the elite landowning class. one time he became administrator, Du carried out his vendetta against the wealthy by publicly flogging to death the Magistrate of Xiangping and extirpating the gentry. Du dominated the northeast and expanded into the territory of Goguryeo and the Wuhuan. When Cao Cao attempted to bestow titles upon Du, he rejected them and proclaimed himself king. Du died in 204 and was succeeded by his son, Gongsun Kang. In 204 Kang expanded into Goguryeo and created Daifang Commandery. When the Wuhuan were defeated by Cao Cao in 207, Yuan Shang, Yuan Xi, and the Wuhuan leaders Louban and Supuyan fled to Kang. Kang killed them and forwarded their heads to Cao Cao. In 208, Kang returned aid to Balgi in assist of his claim to the Goguryeo throne, but was defeated by Gyesu, younger brother of Sansang of Goguryeo. However in 209 Kang invaded Goguryeo again, took its capital and forced them to submit. Goguryeo was forced to cover its capital further east. Kang died in 220 when his children were too young to rule, so his brother Gongsun Gong succeeded him. Gong supports his independence, albeit while accepting titles issued by Cao Pi. Gong became ill and was replaced by his nephew Gongsun Yuan in 228. Yuan ruled independently until Sima Yi invaded in 238 and annexed his territory.

Afterwards, the Lelang, Daifang, and Xuantu commanderies were ruled by Cao Wei, the Jin dynasty, and the Murong Xianbei until they were conquered by Goguryeo in the early 300s.

Lelang Commandery was ruled by the Jin dynasty 266–420 until 313 when it was conquered by Goguryeo. Daifang was conquered in 314 and Xuantu in 319. After the collapse of the Han commanderies, Goguryeo accepted émigrés of Chinese origin to strengthen their control over the region.