Rakuro District - Rakuro District

A local administrative organization of Chinese dynasties that was located in western North Korea, centered on Pyongyang, from the middle of the Western Han dynasty to the end of the Western Jin dynasty. In 108 BC, the Han dynasty attacked and defeated the Wiman Joseon Dynasty, which had controlled the entire area of ​​western North Korea, and established four counties in this region: Zhenfan, Lintun, Lelang, and Xuantu. The other three counties were soon abolished or moved to mainland China, but Lelang County continued to exist as an institution of successive dynasties for about 400 years in the area covering today's South Pyongan Province, South Hwanghae Province, and North Hwanghae Province. The territory of the county saw some fluctuations, and in the early 3rd century, the southern half was separated and became Daifang County. The two counties of Lelang and Daifang were later forced to move to mainland China as the Goguryeo forces moved south. Administrative institutions bearing the names Lelang and Daifang continued to exist in China until the 6th century, but the demise of Lelang Commandery is usually considered to have occurred in 313, when the commandery's organization is said to have left the Korean peninsula. The two commanderies of Lelang and Daifang had a considerable political and cultural influence on the Korean peninsula and the Japanese archipelago. It is well known that envoys from Himiko of Yamatai passed through these two commanderies when they paid tribute to China.

Investigations of ruins related to Lelang County have been underway since before World War II. To date, several earthen fortresses (remains of earthworks) thought to have been the locations of administrative offices have been discovered, and it is known that numerous tombs were built around them. Of these, the Lelang Earthen Fortress on the south bank of the Taedong River in the south of Pyongyang is large in scale, and is considered the center of Lelang County based on excavated items. There are more than 2,000 tombs near this earthen fortress, and they are known for their rich grave goods, including gold and silver, bronze and lacquerware. The culture of Lelang County is unique, based on Chinese culture but incorporating local cultural traditions, and its relationship with the horse-riding culture of northern Eurasia has also attracted attention.

In North Korea, there is a theory that Lelang Commandery was located in the direction of Liaoning Province in China, and that the ruins around Pyongyang were left behind by people indigenous to the Korean Peninsula who had no connection to the commandery, but this theory is questionable both from a literary and archaeological perspective.

[Toyoyuki Tani]

"Rakuryou" by Kazue Komai (Chuko Shinsho)" ▽ "History of Korea" edited by the History Research Lab of Korea University (1976, Chosun Seinensha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

前漢のなかばから西晋(せいしん)の末ごろまで、現在の平壌(ピョンヤン)を中心とする西北朝鮮に置かれた中国王朝の地方行政組織。紀元前108年に漢は西北朝鮮一帯を支配していた衛氏(えいし)朝鮮を攻め滅ぼし、この地方に真番(しんばん)、臨屯(りんとん)、楽浪、玄菟(げんと)の4郡を設置した。他の3郡はまもなく廃止されたり中国本土側へ移転したりしたが、楽浪郡は約400年間、歴代王朝の機関として、今日の平安南道、黄海南・北道にわたる地域に存続した。郡の領域には若干の消長があり、3世紀初頭のころには南半部が分離して帯方(たいほう)郡となった。楽浪、帯方の2郡はのちに高句麗(こうくり)勢力の南下にあい、中国本土への移転を余儀なくされた。楽浪、帯方の名を冠した行政機関は中国で6世紀まで存続したが、通常は郡の機構が朝鮮半島を離れたとされる313年をもって楽浪郡の滅亡としている。楽浪、帯方の2郡は朝鮮半島と日本列島に少なからぬ政治的、文化的影響を与えた。邪馬台(やまたい)国の卑弥呼(ひみこ)の使者が中国に朝貢した際、この2郡を経由したことは有名である。

　楽浪郡に関係する遺跡の調査は、第二次世界大戦前から行われている。今日までに行政機関の所在地と思われる土城（土塁を巡らした遺跡）が数か所で発見され、その周囲に多数の墳墓がつくられたことが明らかになっている。このうち平壌市南部、大同江南岸の楽浪土城は規模が大きく、出土品などから楽浪郡の中心地と考えられている。この土城の付近には2000基以上の墳墓があり、金銀器、青銅器、漆器など豊かな副葬品をもつことで知られている。楽浪郡の文化は中国文化を基調としつつも在地の文化伝統を取り入れた独特のものであり、北方ユーラシアの騎馬民族文化との関係も注目されている。

　なお北朝鮮では、楽浪郡は中国の遼寧(りょうねい)省方面にあったのであり、平壌周辺の遺跡は郡とは関係のない朝鮮半島固有の人々が残したものとする説が行われているが、この説には文献的にも考古学的にも疑問がある。

［谷　豊信］

『駒井和愛著『楽浪』（中公新書）』▽『朝鮮大学校歴史学研究室編『朝鮮史』（1976・朝鮮青年社）』

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