Hamgyong Province

Hamgyong Province (Korean pronunciation:

The province was first established as Yonggil (Korean: 영길, 永吉, Yŏnggil) in 1413. It was renamed Hamgil (함길, 咸吉) three years later. In 1470, it was renamed Yongan (영안, 永安, Yŏngan). In 1509, it was renamed Hamgyong after its two principal cities, Hamhung (함흥, 咸興, Hamhŭng, "Complete Success") and Kyongsong (경성, 鏡城, Kyŏngsŏng, "Mirror," "Clear," or "Perceptive City").

In the 18th century, this was transcribed via Chinese as Kyen-king and glossed as meaning "the Happy".^[1] In the 19th century, it was transcribed as Ham-kieng.^[2]

Within Korea, the province was also referred to as "Dongbuk" ("Northeast"). The southern half of the province was also referred as "Kwannam", and the northern half of the province was also referred as "Kwanbuk".

History

Korea's northeastern frontier was first organized into the province of Yonggil in 1413.

In 1895, the province was replaced by the districts (부, 府, bu) of Kyongsong in the northeast, Kapsan (갑산, 甲山) in the northwest, and Hamhŭng in the south.

In 1896, Kyŏngsŏng District was reorganized into

• Provinces of Korea
• Administrative circuit

References

Citations

Bibliography

• "Corea" , Encyclopædia Britannica, 9th ed., Vol. VI, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1878, pp. 390–394.
• Regis, Jean-Baptiste (1747), "A Description of Korea, Eastern Tartary, and Tibet", in Astley, Thomas; et al. (eds.), A New General Collection of Voyages and Travels..., Vol. IV, London: Thomas Astley.

External links

• Seoul City history article on Hanseong and 22 other late 19th-century districts (in Korean)