Benkan - Benkan

The name of a tribe and its habitation in southern Korea that appears in the Gishi Dongyi Zhuan, written in the mid-3rd century. It is also called Byeonjin. Byeonhan had 12 small countries, including Mahan (56 countries) to the west and Jinhan (12 countries) to the east. Mahan and Jinhan together make up the Three Han. The 12 countries of Byeonhan had leaders called Shinchi, Jianbang, Fanye, Sakei, and Yushaku. The larger countries had 4,000 to 5,000 families, and the smaller countries had 600 to 700 families, for a total of 40,000 to 50,000 households. They bred the five grains and raised silkworms, and produced iron within the country, which attracted people from Han, Wi, and Wa. They also supplied it to the two counties of Rakuro and Taifang. They enjoyed singing, dancing, and drinking alcohol, and it is said that there were differences in wedding etiquette between men and women, and that the dead were buried with feathers from a large bird. In the mid-4th century, Byeonhan came under pressure from Japan and became the states of Mimana and Kara.

[Kousaku Hamada]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

3世紀中ごろのことを記した『魏志東夷伝』(ぎしとういでん)にみえる朝鮮南部の種族とその居住地の名。弁辰(べんしん)ともいう。弁韓には12の小国があり、西に馬韓(ばかん)の56国、東に辰韓(しんかん)の12国があった。馬韓、辰韓とあわせて三韓という。弁韓の12国には首長がいて、臣智(しんち)、険側(けんそく)、樊濊(はんわい)、殺奚(さっけい)、邑借(ゆうしゃく)と称し、大国には4000～5000家、小国には600～700家があり、総じて4万～5万戸があったという。五穀の育種や養蚕を行い、国内に鉄を産し、韓、濊、倭(わ)人らがこれを求めてやってきた。また楽浪(らくろう)、帯方(たいほう)の2郡にもそれを供給した。歌舞、飲酒を好み、婚礼の作法には男女で区別があって、死者には大鳥の羽根を用いて葬送したという。4世紀なかば、弁韓は日本の圧迫を受け、任那(みまな)、加羅(から)の諸国となった。

［浜田耕策］

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