Okjeo () was an

ancient Korean Old Korean () is the first historically documented stage of the Korean language, typified by the language of the Unified Silla period (668–935). The boundaries of Old Korean periodization remain in dispute. Some linguists classify the sparsely ...

tribal state which arose in the northern

Korean peninsula Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

from perhaps the 2nd century BCE to the 5th century CE. Dong-okjeo (Eastern Okjeo) occupied roughly the area of the Hamgyŏng provinces of

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...

, and Buk-okjeo (Northern Okjeo) occupied the

Duman River The Tumen River, also known as the Tuman River or Duman River (), is a long river that serves as part of the boundary between China, North Korea and Russia, rising on the slopes of Mount Paektu and flowing into the Sea of Japan. The river ha ...

region. Dong-okjeo was often simply called Okjeo, while Buk-okjeo was also sometimes referred to as Chiguru (置溝婁, 치구루) or Guru (구루), the latter name being also applied to

Goguryeo Goguryeo (37 BC–668 AD) ( ) also called Goryeo (), was a Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Northeast China. At its peak of power, Goguryeo controlled most ...

. Okjeo bordered the other minor state of

Dongye Dongye may refer to: *Eastern Ye, chiefdom in northeastern Korean peninsula from roughly 3rd-century BC to around early 5th-century AD Towns in China * Dongye, Wutai County, Shanxi *Dongye, Yangcheng County Dongye () is a town in Yangcheng Count ...

on the south, and shared a similar fate.

History

In its early history, Okjeo oscillated between domination by the Chinese commanderies and by Goguryeo. From the 3rd century BCE to 108 BCE, it was controlled by

Gojoseon Gojoseon () also called Joseon (), was the first kingdom on the Korean Peninsula. According to Korean mythology, the kingdom was established by the legendary founder named Dangun. Gojoseon possessed the most advanced culture in the Korean Pen ...

. At 107 BCE, it became part of the

Xuantu Commandery Xuantu Commandery (; ko, 현도군) was a commandery of the Chinese Han dynasty. It was one of Four Commanderies of Han, established in 107 BCE in the northern Korean Peninsula and part of the Liaodong Peninsula, after the Han dynasty conquered ...

. As the

retreated towards the liadong peninsula as a result of expansion of

, East okjeo became part of the eastern part of the

Lelang Commandery The Lelang Commandery was a commandery of the Han dynasty established after it had conquered Wiman Joseon in 108 BC and lasted until Goguryeo conquered it in 313. The Lelang Commandery extended the rule of the Four Commanderies of Han as far so ...

. Due to the constant interference of its neighbours, Okjeo never grew into a fully centralised kingdom. In 28 BCE,

King Dongmyeong Chumo (Hangul: 추모, Hanja: 鄒牟), posthumously Chumo the Holy (Hangul: 추모성왕, Hanja: 鄒牟聖王), was the founding monarch of the kingdom of Goguryeo, and was worshipped as a god-king by the people of Goguryeo and Goryeo. ''Chumo ...

sent

Bu Wiyeom Bu Wiyeom () was a General of Goguryeo during King Dongmyeong's reign. Little is known about general Bu Wiyeom, except that King Dongmyeong sent him to conquer the Northern Okjeo in 28 BC. It is unknown whether he was successful or not, but ...

to attack the Northern Okjeo. In the 1st or 2nd century CE, King Taejo of Goguryeo reduced Okjeo to a tributary, which delivered local products to Goguryeo. During the 244 Wei Invasion of Goguryeo, Goguryeo's King Dongcheon briefly retreated to North Okjeo, and in 285, the

Buyeo Buyeo or Puyŏ (Korean: 부여; Korean pronunciation: u.jʌ or 扶餘 ''Fúyú''), also rendered as Fuyu, was an ancient kingdom that was centered in northern Manchuria in modern-day northeast China. It is sometimes considered a Korean ki ...

court also temporarily escaped to Okjeo under northern nomadic attacks. In early 5th century, Okjeo was completely conquered by

Gwanggaeto the Great Gwanggaeto the Great (374–413, r. 391–413) was the nineteenth monarch of Goguryeo. His full posthumous name means "Entombed in ''Gukgangsang'', Broad Expander of Domain, Peacemaker, Supreme King", sometimes abbreviated to ''Hotaewang'' ...

Culture

Knowledge of Okjeo culture is fragmentary. As with the

and Okjeo's language, food, clothing, architecture, and customs were similar to that of

. The Okjeo people practised arranged marriage by which the child-bride lived with the child-groom's family until adulthood, and they interred the dead of a family in a single coffin.

Gallery

File:Yilou-Okjeo 1 BCE to 1 CE.jpg, Okjeo and Yilou 1 BCE to 1 CE File:Yilou-Okjeo 2 CE to 3 CE.jpg, Okjeo and Yilou 2 CE to 3 CE

Notes

References

* * * {{Authority control Ancient peoples Early Korean history Former countries in Korean history 2nd-century BC establishments States and territories established in the 2nd century BC 5th-century disestablishments States and territories disestablished in the 5th century

History

Culture

Gallery

See also

Notes

References