Question 1: Beginning of Korea › 5. East Asia depicted in Account of Encounter with East Barbarians › 3. East Okjeo
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1.5.3. East Okjeo
[East Okjeo people live along the great sea (the Japan Sea) to the east of the Great Mountains of Kaema in Goguryeo. The territory stretches narrowly from the east to the north, long from the west to the south, and the length is about 1,000 Li. The state borders Yilou and Buyeo to the north and Yemaek to the south. The number of households is 5,000, there is no great monarch, they have built villages for generations, and each village has a chief. Their language is almost the same as that of Goguryeo, with some differences.
At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, when Wiman, the refugee from Yan, was the king of Joseon, Okjeo also belonged to Joseon. In 109 BC, Emperor Wu of Han attacked Joseon, killed Wiman’s grandson Wi Ugeo, divided his territory into four parts and turned them into four commanderies. Then, Fort Okjeo was turned into Xuantu Commandery. Afterwards, it was attacked by Yemaek and Han moved Xuantu Commandery to the northwest of Goguryeo. […]
As East Okjeo was a small country sandwiched by superpowers, it naturally yielded alliance to Goguryeo. […] The land is fertile, is located between mountains and the sea, is suitable for cultivating five main crops and vegetables. They have similarity with Goguryeo in terms of food and drink, dwelling, clothing and social manners.]
East Okjeo is a state that stretches along the Japan Sea coast from northeast to southwest, in today’s North Korea. The total number of households was only 5,000 and the state was subject to Goguryeo because there was no king that reigned the entire Okjeo, while villages had their own chief. However, as there was no trace of immigration by people of East Okjeo, we can say that people lived there since the Stone Age and thus formed a unique tribe.
