Chun of Old Chosŏn
Gojoseon king who later fled to Mahan and proclaimed himself King/Prince of Han (韓王) some time after 194 BC
Chun (Korean: 준왕; Hanja: 準王) was the last king of Old Chosŏn or in some scenarios, Kija Chosŏn. He was forcibly succeeded by Wiman (Weiman), whose usurpation of the throne began the dynasty of Wiman Chosŏn of Old Chosŏn.
Identity
The genealogy of King Chun is currently disputed by modern historians. In native Korean records, there is no mention of a name "Chun" that ruled over Old Chosŏn.
In Chinese accounts such as the Book of the Later Han, it states that Chun was the last king of Kija Chosŏn, a possible second dynasty that began after Kija (Jizi) founded the dynasty.
Usurpation by Wiman
According to the Chinese text Book of the Later Han, Wiman entered Old Chosŏn as a refugee, and submitted to King Chun. Chun granted Wiman's request to serve as a commander of the western borders.
The Book of the Later Han describes Wiman revolting against King Chun's Kija Chosŏn, and successfully usurping the throne to found his new dynasty, the Wiman Chosŏn.
Alleged exile to Mahan confederacy
Sometime around 194–193 BCE after Wiman's revolt, King Chun and his followers headed down into the southern part of the Korean peninsula. According to the myth, the Mahan confederacy was founded and King Chun became its first sovereign.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Chun of Old Chosŏn” is gojoseon king who later fled to Mahan and proclaimed himself King/Prince of Han (韓王) some time after 194 BC. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Chun, Chosŏn and Gojoseon, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “gojoseon king who later fled to Mahan and proclaimed himself King/Prince of Han (韓王) some time after 194 BC” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Chronology provides the most reliable spine for this subject; interpretation should follow only after identities and dates are secure. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 5, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q711336. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
A concise life account rarely captures disputed attribution, private networks or the changing language used to describe a career. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Read biographical claims against dates, named institutions and the cited references. Distinguish a subject’s later reputation from evidence produced during their lifetime.
- Establishing names and roles
- Building a first chronology
- Locating cited institutions
Personal papers, civil or court records, institutional files and the scholarship cited by the source.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Chun of Old Chosŏn”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Chun of Old Chosŏn primary sources, Chun of Old Chosŏn archive and Chun research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Chun of Old Chosŏn”?
- Which primary records establish identity, chronology and institutional ties?
- How has the subject’s reputation changed across later accounts?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Chun of Old Chosŏn” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.