In Wiman - Chosŏn, there was a number of Sang(相) who had their own private fiefdom. So many people have recognized that the Sang of Wiman - Chosŏn different from the one of China. However, the inference had come without thorough investigation abou...
In Wiman - Chosŏn, there was a number of Sang(相) who had their own private fiefdom. So many people have recognized that the Sang of Wiman - Chosŏn different from the one of China. However, the inference had come without thorough investigation about Sang of China. At that time China government placed two people to Seung Sang(丞相), Prime Minister, and dispatched lots of Sang to the princely states, some of the Sang had their own private fiefdom. It is mean that the Sang of Wiman - Chosŏn was not different from the one of China. Meanwhile, one said that the Sang of Wiman - Chosŏn was a tribal chief, on the grounds that the Sang of Xiongnu(匈奴) and Nanyue(南越) were dissimilar to the one of China, but in this paper it is determined that the grounds were insufficient.
It is quite natural that Wiman - Chosŏn, which founded by Wiman who became known Yan(燕) man and in which resided lots of refugees coming from Yan(燕), Qi(齊), Zhao(趙), areas of China, accepted political system of China. The Sang of Wiman - Chosŏn, as in the case of China, was appointed by the king on the throne, and was the head of many government officials. The Sang of Wiman - Chosŏn were Chosŏn Sang(朝鮮相), Nigye - Sang(丞谿相), etc. Chosŏn - Sang was Prime Minister, the nature of it was like to Seung Sang of China. Nigye - Sang was a provincial governor to dispatch the Nigye princely states(侯國). Another Sang was supposed Su - Sang(守相) that appointed temporarily in the national crisis. Chosŏn - Sang was the most high up official in Wiman - Chosŏn, Wiman - Chosŏn ruled the province by dispatching local minister.
Koguryo also ruled the annexed areas by lots of Sang, the fact is confirmed through 『Samgukji(三國志)』 East - Okjeo(東沃沮) chapter. Since then annexed Okjeo(沃沮), Koguryo governed Okjeo depending on Han(漢)’s method about ruling over princely states. Namely, Koguryo gave Saja(使者) title to the Adult(大人) of Okjeo, in order to receive their help when ruled over Okjeo, dispatched lots of Sang for dominating colonial Okjeo. And when the king of Sin - Dae(the late second century A.D.), Koguryo made a new government office, Guk - Sang(國相) the same as Seung - Sang of China just like Wiman - Chosŏn. The Guk - Sang was not elected by subject or dignitary but appointed by the king, was a counselor to assist the reign of King and the head of all government officials.