Nangnang

Nangnang, Chinese (Pinyin) Lelang or (Wade-Giles romanization) Lo-lang, one of four colonies (Nangnang, Chinbŏn, Imdun, and Hyŏnto) established in 108 bce by the emperor Wudi of the Han dynasty (206 bce–220 ce) of China when he conquered the ancient Korean state of Wiman (later named Chosŏn). Nangnang, which occupied the northwestern portion of the Korean peninsula and had its capital at P’yŏngyang, was the only one of the four colonies to achieve success. It lasted until 313 ce, when it was conquered by the expanding northern Korean state of Koguryŏ. Chinbŏn and Imdun were abandoned in 82 bce and Hyŏnto in 75 bce.

An extremely prosperous state with a population of around 400,000, Nangnang was the centre of Chinese culture and influence in Korea at the time. The Chinese officials assigned to govern Nangnang brought with them all the customs of their motherland and created a miniature Chinese society. The tombs left behind by this Chinese ruling class contain some of the finest examples of ancient Chinese art in existence.

Though the Chinese culture and social institutions of Nangnang appear to have had little impact on the general population of Korea at the time, its technology, especially the metalworking techniques, strengthened the native tribal communities outside of Chinese dominance.