Wiman of Gojoseon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wi Man衛滿 위만 |
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|---|---|
| King of Wiman Joseon | |
| Reign | 194 BCE – Unknown |
| Successor | Unknown |
| House | Wi |
| Wiman of Gojoseon | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese name | |||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 衛滿 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 卫满 | ||||||||
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| Korean name | |||||||||
| Hangul | 위만 | ||||||||
| Hanja | 衛滿 | ||||||||
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Wi Man (also known as Wei Man) was a powerful military leader. He was originally from China and served in the Kingdom of Yan. When his king was defeated around 195 BCE, Wi Man moved to Gojoseon, an ancient kingdom in what is now north-western Korea.
In 194 BCE, Wi Man took control of Gojoseon. He started a new kingdom called Wiman Joseon. Wi Man is important because he was the first ruler in Korean history whose story was written down in official documents from his own time. These records include the Records of the Grand Historian and the Book of Han.
Contents
Wi Man's Rise to Power
After a rebellion in China, the Han dynasty emperor appointed a new king for the Yan region. This new king, named Lu Wan, was later suspected of planning his own rebellion. Because of this, the Han emperor attacked Yan in 196 BCE.
Lu Wan fled to a group called the Xiongnu. His general, Wi Man, led about a thousand followers east into Gojoseon. The king of Gojoseon at the time, King Jun of Gojoseon, initially asked Wi Man to help protect Gojoseon's northwestern border.
However, Wi Man used this chance to gather more support. With the help of other people who had also fled from Yan, Wi Man took over the throne from King Jun. This happened sometime between 194 and 180 BCE. King Jun then fled to a place called Jin and declared himself the "King of Han."
Expanding the Kingdom
Wi Man made Wanggeom-seong his capital city. This city is generally believed to be modern-day Pyongyang. The Han dynasty in China was still getting organized and stable. Because of this, the governor of the Liaodong Peninsula in China made a deal with Wi Man.
Wi Man was appointed as an "outer subject," which meant he was a leader outside the main Han empire but still connected to it. The deal allowed him to rule Gojoseon as long as he didn't stop local people from traveling to the Han empire. This agreement was made around 191 or 192 BCE.
With his strong army, Wiman Joseon grew powerful. Wi Man was able to conquer other states nearby, like Jinbeon and Imdun. This greatly expanded the borders of his kingdom.
The End of Wiman Joseon
Wi Man's kingdom, Wiman Joseon, lasted for many years. However, it was eventually conquered by the powerful Emperor Wu of Han from China. This happened in 108 BCE, during the reign of Wi Man's grandson, Ugeo of Gojoseon.
Wi Man's Family
- Son: His name is not fully known, but he became the second king of Wiman Joseon.
- Grandson: Ugeo was the last king of Wiman Joseon.
- Great-grandson: Wi Jang
Images for kids
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Gojoseon around 108 BCE, near the end of its time as a kingdom.
