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The capital of Dangun Joseon, Asadal, and the capital of Wiman Joseon, Wanggeomseong

Pyongyang is a place where South and North Korean academia are identified as the capital of Gojoseon. South Korean academia believes that Wanggeomseong, the capital of Wiman Joseon, was in Pyongyang, and North Korean academia believes that Asadal, the capital of Dangun Joseon, was in Pyongyang.

The capital of Gojoseon was recorded in the literature as follows. Asadal, Mountain Muyeop, Baekak, Baekak Palace, Pyongyang Castle, Mountain Gunghol, Geummidal, Jangdangyeong, Humdok, Wanggeomseong and Wanghumseong. At first glance, it looks like there are many capitals. However, Mountain Muyeop and Baekak(or Baekak Palace) are the perceptions of the time regarding Asadal. Wanghum and Wanggeom are the same area, which is interpreted as calling them different place names. In the end, the capital of Gojoseon can be summarized as Asadal and Wanggeomseong.

The place name Asadal is described only in relation to Dangun. Ilyeon wirte the title of the part about Gojoseon among the 「Ki Yi」 of 『Samguk Yusa』 as 'Gojoseon and Wanggeom Joseon'. He quoted 『Wei Shu』 and recorded that Dangun Wanggeom had set Asadal as the capital. And claimed that Asadal was Pyongyang. The 『Yeokdae-senyeonga(歷代世年歌)』(1436) written by Kwon Je(1387~1445) in the Joseon Dynasty stated that Asadal is the name of the mountain. And it was Mountain Guwol in Hwanghae Province. This recognition leads to the 『History of Goryeo』 compiled in the Joseon Dynasty.

Wanggeomseong is described in the Chaoxian Liezhuan of 『Shiji(史記)』. After exile, Wiman gathered the exiles of Zhen fan, Joseon, barbarians, Yan and Qi and designated Wanghum as the capital. Later Chinese historians such as Chen Zan(臣瓚) easily explained 『Shiji』 and said, "Wangeomseong is located in the east of Pei Shui in Nakrang County." The part about Wiman Joseon of 『Samguk Yusa』 is recorded as Wanggeom, and later recorded that Wanggeomseong was located in Pyongyang.

There was no large-scale royalty in Pyongyang, so people thought there was a capital in Liaoning

Modern historians and archaeologists have made great efforts to find where Asadal and Wangeomseong were. They all say the place is Pyongyang, but it's not clear. Whether it is Asadal of Dangun Joseon or Wangeomseong of Wiman Joseon, there is no castle to be a city of one country.

North Korean academia says earthen fortification of Cheongam-ri or earthen fortification of Nakrang are 'Asadal'. However, the size of these earthen fortifications is not large, and there are no artifacts to see them as royal castles. In addition, they differ from the direction recorded in the literature. South Korean academia did not identify any particular castle, but it supports the opinion that Wangeomseong is Pyongyang. After the fall of Gojoseon, the tombs and relics of the Han Dynasty were concentrated in Pyongyang. People regard this place as Nakrang County and estimate it as Joseon prefecture. It is believed that the county office was established where the Wangeomseong is located. Some researchers have raised questions about this approach. They find Wangeomseong in Benxi, Liaoning or Liaodong Peninsula. Some of them are trying to find in Luanhe, Hebei. For them, Asadal is Pyongyang.

China to exploit the history of ethnic Koreans living in China,

History of the Gojoseon in North Korea as a National Ideology

Pyongyang is a very important place in the history of Gojoseon. In addition, it was a key area to interact with the southern part of the Korean peninsula. The presence of dolmens in Pyongyang, and the relocation of the Goguryeo capital to Pyongyang, may have been due to this reason.

Pyongyang is also very important to the North Korean regime today. By the 1960s, North Korea had also opened up possibilities in the west of Liaohe and Pyongyang. Then they said Pyongyang in the 1990s. They built a large-scale Tomb of Dangun, and began to emphasize Pyongyang by introducing Theory of Taedonggang culture. Now Pyongyang has become a sacred place, the source of Dangun Joseon and the birthplace of the nation.

This change in North Korea is not irrelevant to China; China has changed and grown rapidly since it declared Chinese economic reform in 1978. This included minority policy. In 1949, there were about 400 ethnic groups. However, since the implementation of the Ethnic Classification, China recognizes just 56 ethnic nationalities including Han Chinese. This influenced historical awareness of China. In the 1980s, various discussions on Chinese history were held, and artifacts and remains were actively excavated to solve historical issues. As a result, all that happened within the largest territory in history was defined as Chinese history. Archaeology was regarded as an academic discipline that investigates historical evidence.

North Korea has tightened its solidarity by emphasizing Juche Ideology; they have strengthened their perception of history around Pyongyang. The results are Theory of Taedonggang culture and Tomb of Dangun. Theory of Taidonggang culture claims that mankind lived in the Taidonggang basin from the Paleolithic period and created ancient civilization. And it emphasizes that it is the Joseon people who founded Dangun Joseon. The Tomb of Dangun is a restoration of what was in the Pyongyang area. They link both to the legitimacy of the North Korean regime.

North Korea and China interpret history from a modern point of view and use it as an ideology for the operation of the state. In this regard, the historical perceptions of both countries are very similar. The conflict with neighboring countries is also similar. This shows how dangerous it is to interpret history by modern needs.