Dongye: Encyclopedia II - Dongye - People and culture

Dongye - People and culture

Gojoseon, Jin
Proto-Three Kingdoms:
 Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye
 Samhan, Gaya
Three Kingdoms:
 Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla
Unified Silla, Balhae
Later Three Kingdoms
Goryeo
Joseon
Japanese Rule
Divided Korea:
 N. Korea, S. Korea

• List of Rulers
• SK electoral history

Dongye considered itself the same people as Goguryeo, and shared the language and ethnic origins of the people of Okjeo and Goguryeo. This may indicate that Dongye also shared a common origin with Buyeo and Gojoseon. The population was recorded to be 20,000 families.

Very little information about Dongye has survived. However, the custom of Mucheon (무천, 舞天), a festival of worshipping heaven through song and dance in the 10th month, is mentioned in some records. This appears to have been closely related to the Goguryeo festival of Dongmaeng, held at the same time of year, which also incorporated martial displays. The people worshipped the tiger as a deity.

The economy of Dongye was based primarily on agriculture, including sericulture. The Mucheon festival was largely aimed at securing a good harvest in the coming year. Their agriculture appears to have been well-organized at the village level. Dongye law meted out stiff penalties for those who encroached on communal land.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "People and culture", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki