Abstract

This study is focused on tracing the origin and the formation of the title of the ‘Han(韓)’, which referred to the mid-southern part of the Korean Peninsula in ancient times. In the records about ‘King of Han’ in the Han Section of the Sanguozhi(『三國志』), is described, how King Jun was defeated by Wiman(衛滿) and moved to the lands of han(韓地) and named himself King of Han. However, this souce can not to be trusted. It is be supposed that the record about King of Han after King Jun’s migration to the south, was based on a China-centered historic description, which was influenced by later historical opinions. Whereas it was considered, that the article in the Weilue(『魏略』), that the family of King Jun(準王) used ‘Han’ as their last name was recorded through historical transmission. Through the seal inscriptions on various materials excavated in Lelang(樂浪), it has been discover, that the Han tribe in northwestern Korea was a native ruling power. According to the Han Section of the Sanguozhi in 108 B.C the Gojoseon(古朝鮮) fell, and many people in northwest Korea went down to the mid-southern part of the Korean peninsula. And it also reported, that the Jinhan(辰韓) society was mainly composed of the Gojoseon people. It can be inferred, that the group of King Jun called their family name ‘Han’ and other native ruling groups from northwestern Korea among the immigrants, which moved from GoJoseon to Jinhan. I think the title of ‘Han’ was formed in the mid-southern part of the Korean peninsula, as a result of the immigration of Han tribes who represented the people from GoJoseon. The title of Jinhan(辰韓) was formed after the establishment of Han commandery of Lelang(樂浪郡), and it is considered that the title of Han was used among the people of Lelang while interacting directly with the people in the mid-southern part of the Korean peninsula. Before using the title of ‘Han’, the native name of Jin was used in the mid-southern part of the Korean peninsula. In this place, only the region, which the people from GoJoseon had lived was called Jinhan by the people of Lelang. Therefore the title of the three Han was used in Jinhan for the first time, and then the other regions with political and cultural differences from Jinhan were called Mahan(馬韓) and Byeonhan(弁韓).