Etymology of Han Commanderies

Abstract:

The Four Commanderies of Han漢四郡 is one of the most bitter pills to swallow for the Korean.

It is a manipulated name for the benefit of Han invasion and widely advertised names along with the Great Wall in the history of Northeast Asia.

 

As of many other names written with Chinese logograms, scholars ought to please the Chinese Emperor under the Confucian value. They used derogatory names to their rivals.

Any of the names of Four Commanderies weren’t provided by the official scribers at the time of invasion.  But those names appear in the Book of Han compiled a century later by the scholars tamed with the theory of an omen圖讖說. Thereafter, their word spread out like a wild fire. No one dare to farness them.  It is fiducially duty for the historians to invest the origin of wild fire and find the culprits for the peace and prosperity in the region.

By reviewing the ancient scriptures, it is apparent that those names were emerged to the western shore of Bohai Sea渤海灣, not in the Korean peninsula.

 

Introduction

The birth place of ancient Chinese civilization and logograms are in the original Nine Provinces (九州) which had been flooded by the reverse flow of the Yellow River. One band of Northern tribes moved down to this region, controlled the epic flood, and built the first kingdom where fertile soil and salt from the Xiechi-pool provide optimum condition to live.

 

They used Tungustic language. Ancient scriptures were compiled with Phonetic Loan Characters (PLCs) and Phono-Semantic Matching Characters (PSMCs) without space in between logograms. Selections of and making new logograms was the prerogative of the scribers. Later scholars had to discuss the logograms and sentence. Very often, they misinterpreted. A new branch of study to translate each logogram and scripture(訓誥學, 經學) was emerged. Yet, it was exclusively a domain of highly regarded Chinese scholars[1]. Their word was the final one under the blessing of the imperial court. It was a slippery slope. A group of scholar blessed by the later Han court manipulated near a million of characters(論難百餘萬言), but scholars worldwide accepted the way of Chinese had interpreted[2].

 

Gu Jiegang (顧頡剛:1893 –1980) and others were the leading force of the Doubting Antiquity School (疑古派, 古史辨) and criticized ancient historiographies and old Chinese hermeneutics after Qing dynasty collapsed[3]. Yet, no one from the subjugated region could dare to challenge.  Long tradition and geopolitical reason, other scholars still couldn’t unvalued many of the academic questions relating to the ancient history of the Northeast Asia.

 

Four Commanderies:

 

Birth place of Lelang (樂浪) is clear!

 

Time period and location is clear. It was in between Han invasion in 109 BC and the Book of Han compiled by Ban Gu 班固 (ad 32–92) and his younger sister. But the place is on dispute, though stated by the grand historian as four military camps along the corridor to the Joseon capital, from the very beginning because of the elusive nature of Chinese characters and interpretation[4].

Emperor Xian of Eastern Han (漢獻帝; Ruled 28-189 AD) liked history, but disliked the Book of Han. Hence he ordered XunYue (荀悅:148–209) to compile the Previous Han History(前漢紀) with historical evidences based upon the Book of Han[5].

During that time period, two dictionaries had emerged. Both of them have the name “朝鮮” and names of the place around the south western shore of Bohai Bay. However, only Shuowen Jiezi

(說文解字) by Xu Shen (許慎; c. 58 – c. 148 CE) includes “朝鮮”and Lelang (樂浪, 낭랑 by Korean) with clear description of relationship with Bohai Bay and Pei Creek (浿水) which is the boundary[6].  Decree from emperor Taizong of Tang(克高麗白巖城詔) explained the region[7].   The word “樂浪” was well explained  by Xu Shen as of PLCs; meaning either “revolving sound of water falls, or lengthy explanation by a old female shaman” along with few other names around the current Shanhai Pass (山海關). The Grand historian also described this region as the point where the Han army provided ritual services after had been defeated Xiongnu[8].  It is the description of delightful place where the Luan River (滦河,列水) passing through the rocky narrow place and generate pleasant sounds  “Langlang浪浪, 랑랑->낭낭 by Korean”

 

Chen Shou described the dialect of Jinhan (辰韓) people who claimed that Lelang people in the west were the leftover of the same group(樂浪人為阿殘) [9].

 

According to the Korean historiography(三國史記), the word “樂浪” had been used in the events being described even before Ban Gu 班固 (ad 32–92) was born[10].  Lelang was described as a region in the west and name of the town state(樂浪國) in the east of Liaodong Bay. They were Samhan (三韓) people and travelled freely along the coastal waterway of the Bohai-Liaodong Bay.

It is clear that  “Langlang樂浪, 浪浪,낭낭” was a PLCs of an old Korean word, hence being applied to many nobles; such as Duke (樂浪公 or Princess (樂浪公主) who had strong connection to the western shore of Bohai Bay.

The invader Han named Lelang Commandery along the western shore of Bohai bay stretched further north from the pre-Qin era (先秦時代) Liaodong to near the capital region of King Ugeo (右渠王: killed  in 108 BC ) where old Citadel of Okjeo (沃沮wòjǔ城[11]) had been around the Yiwulü Mountain(醫巫閭山) in the south west of Manchuria.

 

 

Birth of Daifang Commandery(帶方郡).

Daifang Commandery(帶方郡) wasn’t even listed in the Book of Han. Chen Shou described the birth of Daifang county (帶方郡) out of prefecture (帶方縣) which was in the southern Lelang region. Book of Jin illustrated the size of and counties.

 

The person who made Daifang county was listed as “公孫康” in the Book of Three Kingdom by Chen Shou, and “公孫度” in the Book of Jin(晉書) complied by a group of scholars. Both names are under full of mysteries.  Details are in the Ancient history of Northeast Asia.

Because of political turmoil and constant war for a century, many people abandoned once flourished coastal region and spread out through the sea route.  Book of Han has the phrase “朝鮮在海中” which means people in the old Joseon territory spread out to the sea. Thereby they named the east of China as “汗海, 韓海, 翰海”, sea under control of many Hans. The warlord Gong sun Du(公孫度) who controlled the western shore of Bohai Bay known as Liaodong during the end of later Han made Daifang Commandery[12].  Gong sun Du also divided pre-Qin era Liaodong (遼東) to three pieces (分遼東郡為遼西、中遼郡[13]), thereby provided illusion that Liaodong, Pei Creek(浿水), Yang Pyong (襄平), and so on were in the east of current Liao River(遼河). As a result, many westerners interpreted that the Great wall was ended in the east of Liao River. Some of Chinese clam that Pei Creek, Lelang, Capital of the King Ugeo were in the Pyongyang of North Korea.

 

The new administrative district, Daifang was in the south western corner of Bohai Bay. The main hub of the Daifang Commandery was the port city Tianjin(天津)  where the original Changhai  Prefecture (滄海之郡) had been. Later Ming dynasty named the place as Zhili (直隸) Province derived from the Slave (隸省, 晉) Province. It had been the home land of Joseon (肅愼, 濊貊, 貊國,朝鮮) people for millennia years as late as to the period of warring State written in the Book of Dialects(方言; 燕之外郊朝鮮洌水之間, 北燕朝鮮洌水之間) so on.

Korean historiography stated the first son “Biryu 沸流王” settled in the old Daifang territory built the Kingdom of Baekje in the  Michuhol(彌鄒忽,미추홀) . His younger brother, Onjo (溫祚王; r. 18 BC–AD 28) settled in the Wiryeseong(慰禮城) east of Liaodong Bay. Two brothers set two different capitals (別立國都) east and west. King Onjo territory had been raided by “樂浪”. The first king Hyeokgeose of Silla (朴赫居世居西干69 BC – 4 AD, r. 57 BC–4 AD) was also encounter  with Lelang.

Chinese historiographies  have that Gong sun Du(公孫度) married to the princess of Buyeo and built mighty country amongst Dong Yi nations. Chen Shou named his father in-law as Wei gu dae(尉仇台) meaning the enemy Wei dae, but  didn’t mentioned anything about younger brother of Biryu[14].  Who would name their king with a logogram enemy. Chinese  scholars orchestrated to conceal the existence of Baekje (伯濟, 百濟) in the south of the Great Wall. Evidence is embedded in the evolution of original Prefecture by the Chang He(滄海之郡[15]) to Leader of Maek(穢君南閭) surrendered with over a quarter million of Joseon people to Later Han.

[1].Origin of 五經博士:

[2].後漢書. 賈逵傳：逵數為帝言古文尚書與經傳爾雅詁訓相應. 逵所著經傳義詁及論難百餘萬言，學者宗之, 後世稱為通儒.
論曰：鄭、賈之學，行乎數百年中，遂為諸儒宗，亦徒有以焉爾。賈逵能附會文致，最差貴顯。世主以此論學，悲矣哉”

[3].use “顧頡剛.疑古派, 古史辨”as key words.

[4].  史記 列傳 :  王右渠左將軍使右渠子長降、相路人之子最告諭其民，誅成巳，以故遂定朝鮮，為四郡。封參為澅清侯，

陰為荻苴侯，唊為平州侯，長［降］為幾侯。最以父死頗有功，為溫陽侯。

[5]. 前漢紀 序:其三年詔給事中祕書監荀悅鈔撰漢書。略舉其要。假以不直。尚書給紙筆。虎賁給書吏。悅於是約集舊書。Wiki: 作者為東漢的荀悅，漢獻帝時常苦班固的《漢書》文繁難省，於建安三年（198年）命荀悅依編年體左傳體例，刪略《漢書》改編撰寫

[6]. 說文解字 :  𧧛：𧧛𧧛，多語也。从言冄聲。樂浪有𧧛邯縣. 浿水。出樂浪鏤方，東入海。从水貝聲。一曰出浿水縣. 方言: 咺：朝鮮謂兒泣不止曰咺. 朝鮮謂釜曰錪.爾雅 釋言語:言，宣也，宣彼此之意也. 語，敘也，敘己所欲說也. 說，述也，序述之也.

[7].   克高麗白巖城詔:焚櫬錫爵，驅馳遼浿之間；鑿井耕田，編列弁辰之野。古人有言曰：「全國為上」，蓋斯之謂焉。 又燕碣土風，素多霖霔。軒皇遭召雨之寇，晉後苦湧水之災。自朕出師，上靈幽贊，旭日澄靄，膚雲輟陰。所指未有堅城.

[8].史記 列傳 :驃騎封於狼居胥山，禪姑衍，臨翰海而還。濟弓閭，獲屯頭王、韓王等三人，將軍、相國、當戶、都尉八十三人，封狼居胥山，禪於姑衍，登臨翰海 .   山海經 海內北經:列姑射在海河洲中。姑射國在海中，屬列姑射，西南，山環之.

[9]. 三國志魏書三十 辰韓傳:相呼皆為徒，有似秦人，非但燕、齊之名物也。名樂浪人為阿殘；東方人名我為阿，謂樂浪人本其殘餘人。 今有名之為秦韓者。始有六國，稍分為十二國。赫居世居西干（前69年－4年）

[10]. 三國史記 新羅本紀第一: 三十年，夏四月己亥晦，日有食之。樂浪人，將兵來侵，自辰韓遺民，以至卞韓、樂浪、倭人，無不畏懷，

而吾王謙虛，遣下臣，修聘. 元年，樂浪兵至國圍金城數重。十四年，高句麗王無恤，襲樂浪滅之。其國人五千來投，分居六部

[11].三國志   東沃沮傳:漢武帝元封二年，伐朝鮮，殺滿孫右渠，分其地為四郡，以沃沮城為玄菟郡。後為夷貊所侵，徙郡句麗西北，今所謂玄菟故府是也。沃沮還屬樂浪。

[12].三國志 韓傳:桓靈之末，韓濊彊盛，郡縣不能制，民多流入韓國。建安中，公孫康分屯有縣以南荒地為帶方郡

晉書:帶方郡公孫度置。統縣七，戶四千九百. 帶方列口南新長岑提奚含資海冥.

[13].三國志 公孫度傳: 公孫度字升濟，本遼東襄平人也。分遼東郡為遼西、中遼郡，置太守。越海收東萊諸縣，置營州刺史。

自立為遼東侯、平州牧，追封父延為建義侯。立漢二祖廟，承制設壇墠於襄平城南，郊祀天地，籍田，治兵，乘鸞路，九旒，旄頭羽騎.

[14].三國志: 夫餘本屬玄菟。漢末，公孫度雄張海東，威服外夷，夫餘王尉仇台更屬遼東。時句麗、鮮卑彊，度以夫餘在二虜之間，妻以宗女。尉仇台死，簡位居立。無適子，有孽子麻余。삼국사기:始祖沸流王，其父優台，北扶餘王解扶婁庶孫。母召西奴，卒本人延●勃之女，始歸于優台，生子二人，長曰沸流，次曰溫祚。優台死，寡居于卒本。別立國都。」遂與第弟率黨類，渡浿、帶二水，至●鄒忽彌鄒忽以居之。『北史』及『隋書』皆云：「東明之後有仇台，篤於仁信。初立國于帶方故地，漢遼東太守公孫度以女妻之，遂為東夷强國。」未知孰是.

 

 

 

[15].東夷穢君南閭等降為倉海郡今貊穢國. 東夷薉君南閭等口二十八萬人降，為蒼海郡.元朔元年，濊君南閭等畔右渠，率二十八萬口 詣遼東內屬，武帝以其地為蒼海郡，數年乃罷. 《夏侯湛·笳賦》南閭兮拊掌，北園兮鳴笳。