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Joseon 3 — Ugeo Dies and Four Commanderies Are Made朝鮮列傳 三

Shiji Chaoxian Liezhuan (The Account of Joseon in the Records of the Grand Historian) 史記 朝鮮列傳 · Sima Qian · About 90 BC · 2 passages · 233 Chinese characters · reading time 0.9 min

Shiji Chaoxian Liezhuan (The Account of Joseon in the Records of the Grand Historian) Complete in one volume The only contemporary record of the rise and fall of Wiman's Joseon. It begins with Man, a man of Yan, binding up his hair in a topknot and crossing the Paesu to become king, and ends with his grandson Ugeo killed by his own ministers and the land turned into four commanderies. The two Han generals who attacked Joseon fell out with each other, and one was put to death in the marketplace while the other was made a commoner; even the envoy sent to set matters right was killed. Sima Qian closes with the words: "Both armies were disgraced, and among the generals not one was made a marquis."

1The Ministers Flee and Surrender, and Ugeo Is Killed by His Own Minister

左將軍已并兩軍,即急擊朝鮮。朝鮮相路人、相韓陰、尼谿相參、將軍王唊相與謀曰:「始欲降樓船,樓船今執,獨左將軍并將,戰益急,恐不能與,(戰)王又不肯降。」陰、唊、路人皆亡降漢。路人道死。元封三年夏,尼谿相參乃使人殺朝鮮王右渠來降。王險城未下,故右渠之大臣成巳又反,復攻吏。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。

Once the General of the Left had joined the two armies to each other, he struck Joseon hard. Noin (路人), a chief minister of Joseon, Haneum (韓陰), another chief minister, Sam (參), the chief minister of Nigye (尼谿), and the general Wang Hyeop (王唊) took counsel together and said, "At first we meant to surrender to the tower ships. Now the tower ships are seized, and the General of the Left alone commands both armies. The fighting grows harder, and we fear we cannot stand against him. Yet the king still will not surrender."

Haneum, Wang Hyeop, and Noin all fled and surrendered to Han. Noin died on the road. In the summer of the third year of Yuanfeng, Sam, the chief minister of Nigye, had a man kill Ugeo, the king of Joseon, and came over and surrendered.

The city of Wanggeom had not yet fallen. Seonggi (成巳), a great minister who had served Ugeo, rebelled in his turn and attacked the officials again. The General of the Left had Janggang (長降), a son of Ugeo, and Choe (最), a son of the chief minister Noin, make proclamation to the people of the city and bring them over, and he put Seonggi to death. By this Joseon was at last settled, and four commanderies were made of it.

Sam was enfeoffed as Marquis of Hwaecheong (澅淸侯), Haneum as Marquis of Jeokjeo (荻苴侯), Wang Hyeop as Marquis of Pyeongju (平州侯), and Janggang as Marquis of Gi (幾侯). Choe, whose father had died and who had merit enough of his own, was made Marquis of Onyang (溫陽侯).

Interlinear notes 1

長[降]

The source text writes 長[降] here, the second graph supplied by the editor. The son's name is read as Janggang. ― translator

2The General of the Left Dies in the Marketplace, and the General of the Tower Ships Becomes a Commoner

左將軍徵至,坐爭功相嫉,乖計,棄市。樓船將軍亦坐兵至洌口,當待左將軍,擅先縱,失亡多,當誅,贖為庶人。

When the General of the Left was summoned and came, he fell under the charge of having contended for merit, borne envy against his fellow, and thwarted the plan, and he was put to death in the marketplace. The General of the Tower Ships fell under a charge as well. When his troops reached Yeolgu (洌口) he ought to have waited for the General of the Left, but he charged ahead on his own, and many were lost and killed. He ought to have been put to death, but he bought off his guilt and became a commoner.