Jinhan confederacy

Jinhan (Korean pronunciation: [tɕin.ɦan]) was a loose confederacy of chiefdoms that existed from around the 1st century BC to the 4th century AD in the southern Korean Peninsula, to the east of the Nakdong River valley, Gyeongsang Province. Jinhan was one of the Samhan (or "Three Hans"), along with Byeonhan and Mahan. Apparently descending from the Jin state of southern Korea, Jinhan was absorbed by the later Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.

History

Part of a series on the
History of Korea
Prehistory
Jeulmun Mumun
Ancient
Gojoseon ?–108 BCE Jin
Proto–Three Kingdoms
Buyeo Goguryeo Okjeo Dongye Samhan Ma Byeon Jin Four Commanderies of Han
Three Kingdoms
Goguryeo 37 BCE–668 CE Baekje 18 BCE–660 CE Silla 57 BCE–935 CE Gaya confederacy 42 CE–562 CE
North–South States
Later Silla (Unified Silla) 668–935 Balhae 698–926
Later Three Kingdoms
Later Baekje 892–936 Taebong (Later Goguryeo) 901–918 Later Silla 668–935
Unitary dynastic period
Goryeo 918–1392 Joseon 1392–1897 Korean Empire 1897–1910
Colonial period
Japanese rule 1910–1945 Provisional Government 1919–1948
Division of Korea
Military Governments 1945–1948 North Korea 1948–present South Korea 1948–present
By topic
Art Language Military (Goguryeo) Monarchs Naval Science and technology
Timeline
Korea portal

Jinhan, like the other Samhan confederacies, arose out of the confusion and migration following the fall of Wiman Joseon in 108 BC.

Culture

Its relation to the earlier state of Jin is not clear, although the contemporary Chinese chronicle San Guo Zhi alleges that Jinhan was identical with Jin (while another record describes Jin as the predecessor of the Samhan as a whole). Jinhan and Byeonhan shared essentially the same culture, with varying religious customs, and apparently were not separated by a clear boundary.

The people claimed they were descendants of Qin dynasty migrants, fleeing Qin's force labor policies moved to the Mahan confederacy which give them the east land. The confederacy was also called Qinhan (秦韓). As immigrants, the kings might be Mahan people according to most historical books of China and Korea.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]}

In Vol 30 of Book of Wei, Biographies of Jinhan, Records of the Three Kingdoms, there is a description “名國為邦 (means they call Guo,國 as Bang,邦). It is said that people of Jinhan came from Qin, the first emperor of Han Liu Bang (Hanja: 劉邦) hesitate to use same Chinese character Bang (Hanja: 邦) to refer country, so he changed Bang (Hanja: 邦) to Guo (Hanja: 國). So after Han, people use Guo (Hanja: 國) instead of Bang (Hanja: 邦), but Jinhan people use Bang (Hanja: 邦)” it means it is certain that they are using Qin language.^[9][10]

Record of the Three Kingdoms Book of Wei, Volume 30, History of Jinhan

Classical Chinese

辰韓在馬韓之東，其耆老傳世，自言古之亡人避秦役來適韓國，馬韓割其東界地與之。有城柵。其言語不與馬韓同，名國為邦，弓為弧，賊為寇，行酒為行觴。

English

Jinhan confederacy is located in the east of Mahan confederacy. In old saying of that area, people of Jinhan was an old fugitive who came to Korea to avoid the hardship of Qin dynasty, and Mahan gave them their east land. They set a castle fence and the language they speak is not the same as Mahan’s. At there, they call Guo (Hanja: 国) as Bang (Hanja: 邦), Gong (弓) as Hu (Hanja: 弧)、Zei (Hanja: 賊) as Kou (Hanja: 寇), and Xingjiu (Hanja: 行酒) as Xingshang (Hanja: 行觴).

— 三國志 魏書卷30辰韓伝

Chinese Wikisource has original text related to this article: 三國志/卷30#韓

The Samguk Sagi and History of the Northern Dynasties say that the originally Lelang Commandery area which later became the area of Jinhan confederacy was the origin of Silla. ^[3][4][5]

Statelets

According to the San Guo Zhi, Jinhan consisted of 12 statelets of 600 to 5000 families each divided from 6 statelets:

• Saro (사로국, 斯盧國), most powerful state in Jinhan, it is also called Seorabeol. In 503, Saro state renamed itself "Silla".
• Gijeo (기저국, 己柢國), present-day Andong.
• Bulsa (불사국, 不斯國), present-day Changnyeong.
• Geun-gi (근기국, 勤耆國), present-day Pohang or Cheongdo.
• Nanmirimidong (난미리미동국, 難彌理彌凍國), present-day Miryang. It is also called "Mirimidong".
• Yeomhae (염해국, 冉奚國), present-day Ulsan.
• Gunmi (군미국, 軍彌國), present-day Sacheon.
• Yeodam (여담국, 如湛國), present-day Gunwi.
• Horo (호로국, 戶路國), present-day Sangju.
• Juseon (주선국, 州鮮國), present-day Gyeongsan.
• Mayeon (마연국, 馬延國), present-day Miryang.
• U-yu (우유국, 優由國), present-day Cheongdo or Yeongdeok.

According to Samguk Sagi, the Silla Kingdom (around present-day Gyeongju), was founded by Bak Hyeokgeose in 57 BC, who united the six clans of Jinhan under his rule. The records are sparse and conflicting regarding the relationship of the names Jinhan, Saro, Seorabeol, and the later Silla kingdom.

We know little of the daily life of Jinhan people. The religion appears to have been shamanistic, and to have played an important role in politics as well. Agriculture was heavily dominated by rice, but also included substantial rearing of livestock including horses, cattle, and chickens.

Location

Most theories indicate that Jinhan was located in the area later occupied by the Silla kingdom: the Gyeongju Basin and adjacent Sea of Japan coast. It would have been neighbored by the Byeonhan confederacy on the southwest, and by the much larger Mahan confederacy on the west. On the north it would have been bounded by the Chinese commanderies and the small coastal state of Dongye. However, some scholars place Jinhan in the Han River valley, bounded by Mahan on the north and Byeonhan on the south.

See also

• List of Korea-related topics

References