Goguryeo’s(高句麗) Subjugation and Rule over Dong-Okcho(東沃沮)

This study reexamines the Samguksagi(三國史記) and the Sanguozhi(三國志), and reconstructs the structure of domination over Dong-Okcho(東沃沮) based on these sources. First, it analyzes the early conquest records in the Goguryeo(⾼句麗) section of the Samguksagi(三國史記), categorizes their narrative structures, and investigates the agents of conquest. It finds that until the reign of Daemusin-wang(大武神王), the king or his direct retainers served as the main agents of conquest, whereas from the reign of Taejo-wang(太祖王) onward, both the king and the Nabu(那部) appear as agents. In contrast, the record of the Dong-Okcho(東沃沮) campaign does not specify a conquest agent, suggesting the possibility that the campaign was a joint military operation conducted by the Gyerubu(桂婁部) and various other Nabu(那部). Through analysis of the Dong-Okcho(東沃沮) section in the Sanguozhi(三國志), this study argues, contrary to previous interpretations that regarded “Sang”(相) as a centrally dispatched local official, that the phrase Sasangsuryong(使相主領) should be understood as a general idiomatic expression meaning “to govern.” As a result, it is suggested that Goguryeo(⾼句麗) appointed native leaders as Saja(使者) and conducted tax collection through the Daega(大加). Synthesizing the information from both historical sources, the study concludes that Goguryeo(⾼ 句麗) did not establish a direct rule system such as the Chinese-style commandery-county system (junxian 郡縣制), but rather maintained a decentralized collection structure without large storage facilities. In other words, it is highly likely that the authority to collect tribute from Dong-Okcho(東 沃沮) settlements was divided among the various Nabu(那部). The native leaders(Daein, 大人) of the Dong-Okcho(東沃沮) settlements were subordinated to individual Nabu(那部), including the Gyerubu(桂婁部), through their appointment as Saja(使者), and the tribute collected through the Daega(大加) was distributed to each Daega(大加) of the respective Nabu(那部).