Qin and Han · Ruler and Founder of Wiman Joseon

Wiman 滿

Wei Man

Attested BC 195 - BC 180

Passages: 4
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Wiman was a ruler and Founder of Wiman Joseon.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 195 to BC 180 孝惠、高后時
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passages 6, 8
BC 195 燕王盧綰反
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passage 5

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Ancestor of Ugeo (右渠)
grandson 孫 · paternal line · 2 generations
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passage 9
Parent of Son of Wiman
son 子
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passage 9

Career and standing

outer vassal 外臣
Outer vassal · Became
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passage 6

Places and affiliations

Joseon 朝鮮
Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passages 1, 5
Yan 燕
Relation Originated from
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passage 1
At Yan 燕
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passage 1
At Wanggeom 王險 · Relation Capital at
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passage 5

Events and relationships

Fled east
Exile · Fugitive · At beyond the Pae River 渡浿水
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passage 5
Made himself king
Political · Founder · At Wanggeom 王險
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passage 5
Subjugated neighbors
Military · Conqueror · At Zhendan and Lintun 真番、臨屯
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passage 8

References in the histories

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 115Treatise on Korea · 4 passages

朝鮮王滿者，故燕人也。 Wiman, the king of Joseon, was originally a man of the state of Yan.

燕王盧綰反，入匈奴，滿亡命，聚黨千餘人，魋結蠻夷服而東走出塞，渡浿水，居秦故空地上下鄣，稍役屬真番、朝鮮蠻夷及故燕、齊亡命者王之，都王險。 When Lu Wan, the King of Yan, rose in rebellion and fled to the Xiongnu, Wiman went into exile. He gathered more than a thousand followers, tied up their hair in the fashion of the eastern barbarians, donned barbarian clothing, and fled east beyond the frontier passes. After crossing the Pae River, he settled in the abandoned Qin territories between the upper and lower fortifications, and gradually brought the barbarians of Zhendan and Joseon under his rule, along with refugees from the former states of Yan and Qi. He made himself their king and established his capital at Wanggeom.

會孝惠、高后時天下初定，遼東太守即約滿為外臣，保塞外蠻夷，無使盜邊； It happened that during the reigns of Emperor Hui and Empress Dowager Gao, when the empire had only just been pacified, the Governor of Liaodong made an agreement with Wiman to serve as an outer vassal. He was charged with keeping the barbarians beyond the frontier in check and preventing them from raiding the border.

以聞，上許之，以故滿得兵威財物侵降其旁小邑，真番、臨屯皆來服屬，方數千里。 When this arrangement was reported to the throne, the emperor approved it. Armed with this mandate, Wiman used his military power and wealth to invade and subjugate the smaller settlements around him. Before long, Zhendan and Lintun had all submitted to his authority, and his domain stretched over several thousand li.