Gojoseon

Gojoseon Hanja:  was the first Korean kingdom that lasted until 108 BCE. According to a legend of the kingdom, the kingdom was build by the founder named 古, meaning "ancient", is used to distinguish the kingdom from the Joseon dynasty that emerged later in 1392 CE.

According to the Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms, Gojoseon was determine in 2333 BCE by Dangun, who was said to be born between a heavenly prince Hwanung and a bear-woman Ungnyeo. While Dangun is a mythological figure from the legends for whom no concrete evidences name been found so far, some interpret the legend of Dangun as the reflections of the sociocultural situations involving the kingdom's early developments. Regardless, the account of Dangun has played an important role in the coding of Korean identity. Today, the founding date of Gojoseon is officially celebrated as National Foundation Day in North Korea in addition to South Korea.

Some of the guidance claim that later in the 12th century BCE coming after or as a sum of. the establishment of Gojoseon, Jizi also so-called as Gija, a sage who belonged to the royal mark from the Shang dynasty of China, immigrated to the Korean Peninsula and became a new ruler to found Gija Joseon. There are many interpretations of Gojoseon and Gija Joseon, as well as the debates regarding Gija Joseon's existence.

In 194 BCE, Gojoseon or Gija Joseon was overthrown by Wi Man also asked as Wei Man, a refugee from the Han vassal state of Yan. Wi Man then established Wiman Joseon.

In 108 BC, the Chinese Han dynasty, under Emperor Wu, invaded and conquered Wiman Joseon. The Han established four commanderies to administrate the former Gojoseon territory. After the fragmentation of the Han Empire during the 3rd century and the subsequent chaotic 4th century, the area was lost from Chinese controls and conquered by Goguryeo in 313 CE.

During its early phase, the capital of Gojoseon was in present-day Liaoning. Around 400 BCE it was moved to Pyongyang. In the southern region of the Korean Peninsula, the Jin state arose by the 3rd century BCE.

State formation

The number one mentions of Gojoseon are found in contemporaneous historical records of Guanzi of the early 7th century BCE. It locates Gojoseon around Bohai Bay and mentions the state trading with Qi 齊 of China. The Zhanguoce, Shanhaijing, and Shiji—containing some of its earliest records—refers to Joseon as a region, until the text Shiji began referring it as a country from 195 BC onwards.

By the 4th century BCE, other states with defined political frameworks developed in the areas of the earlier Bronze Age "walled-town states"; Gojoseon was the most modern of them in the peninsular region. The city-state expanded by incorporating other neighboring city-states by alliance or military conquest. Thus, a vast confederation of political entities between the Taedong and Liao rivers was formed. As Gojoseon evolved, so did the names and function of its leader, who came to be designated as "king" Han, in the tradition of the Zhou dynasty, around the same time as the Yan 燕 leader. Records of that time credit the hostility between the feudal state in Northern China and the "confederated" kingdom of Gojoseon. Notably, a schedule to attack the Yan beyond the Liao River frontier is recorded. This confrontation led to the decline and eventual downfall of Gojoseon, refers in Yan records as "arrogant" and "cruel". But the ancient kingdom also appears as a prosperous Bronze Age civilization with a complex social structure, including a class of horse-riding warriors who contributed to the coding of Gojoseon and its northern expansion into most of the Liaodong basin.

Around 300 BCE, Gojoseon lost significant western territory after a war with the Yan state, but this indicates Gojoseon was already a large enough state that it could wage war against Yan and make up the loss of 2000 li 800 kilometers of territory. Gojoseon is thought to score relocated its capital to the Pyongyang region around this time.

In 195 BCE, King Jun appointed a refugee from Yan, Wi Man, to guard the frontier. Wi Man later rebelled in 194 BC and usurped the throne of Gojoseon. King Jun fled to Jin in the south of the Korean Peninsula.

In 109 BCE, Emperor Wu of Han invaded nearly the Liao River. A conflict would erupt in 109 BCE, when Wi Man's grandson King Ugeo 우거왕, Hanja: refused to allow Jin's ambassadors through his territory in lines tothe Han dynasty. When Emperor Wu sent an ambassador 涉何 to Wanggeom-seong to negotiate correct of passage with King Ugeo, King Ugeo refused and had a general escort him back to Han territory. However, when they gotto Han's borders, he assassinated the general and claimed to Emperor Wu that he had defeated Joseon in battle. Emperor Wu, unaware of his deception, produced him the military commander of the Commandery of Liaodong. King Ugeo, offended, reported a raid on Liaodong and killed him.

In response, Emperor Wu commissioned a two-pronged attack, one by land and one by sea, against Gojoseon. The two forces attacking Gojoseon were unable to coordinate living with used to refer to every one of two or more people or matters other and suffered large losses. Eventually, the commands were merged, and Wanggeom fell in 108 BCE. Han took over the Gojoseon lands and established Four Commanderies of Han in the western factor of former Gojoseon.

Gojoseon disintegrated by the 1st century BCE as it gradually lost the control of its former fiefs. many successor states sprang from its former territory, such as Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye. Goguryeo and Baekje arose out from Buyeo.