The origin problem of the ancient ‘Nine-Squares Field System’ and the Gojoseon Dynasty: Centering on Mengzi's comparisons to the Xia, Yin, and Zhou eras

This study aims to investigate the ‘nine-square field system’ (NSFS, Jeongjeonje井田制) of the Xia(夏), Yin(殷), and Zhou(周) Dynasties mentioned by Meng zi(孟子) over 2300 years ago and the NSFS mentioned in The I Ching or Book of Changes(周易), respectively, and to consider its origin from the perspective of Gojoseon Dynasty(Dangun-Joseon), away from these three countries-centered studies in China. Meng zi initially called it ‘Well Field’ (井地, Jing di) instead of NSFS, but later Zhū Xī(朱熹) called it NSFS and this name became common. Meng zi argued that for a monarch to practice virtuous politics, the boundaries of the land must be rightly governed, and said that the NSFS was fundamental to royal politics of virtue. The Book of Changes draws attention to the well at the heart of NSFS. The well is neither scarce nor overflowing, neither harmful nor beneficial to anyone, so we should imitate it and practice an equitable royal politics of virtue(王道政治). Regarding the origin of this NSFS, Zhū Xī said it originated in the Dynasty of Yin, while Wang Fuzhi(王夫之) said it was first created by Huangdi(黃帝). While Park Ji-won views Zhougong as the creator of NSFS, there are also arguments to view his ancestor Gong Liu (公劉) as the originator of NSFS in the Dynasty of Zhou. On the other hand, Lee yi, Han Baek-gyeom, Jeong Yak yong, and others have argued that NSFS in Korea was introduced by jizi(箕子). By cross-examining Shin Chae-ho's “Joseon-sanggosa(朝鮮上古史)” Lee Seung-hue's “Ghewang-ungi(帝王韻記)” and Lee Am's “Dangun-segi(檀君 世紀)” with “NSFS-brick(정전벽돌)” excavated from the Lower Xiajiadian culture(夏家店下層文化), I found that NSFS originated in Gojoseon and influenced the Xia, Yin, and Zhou Dynasties in China. It is hoped that this NSFS study will help understand Gojoseon and Northeast Asian civilizations in the future.