Jinhan, like the other Samhan confederacies, arose out of the confusion and migration following the fall of
Wiman Joseon in 108 BCE. Thus, Jinhan's 12 countries are records of quasi-independent countries that have weakened since the defeat of Silla during the
Cheomhae Isageum era. Before the 3rd century, it was presumed that there was no distinction between the Jinhan (辰韓) and
Byeonhan (弁韓 or 弁辰). It is said that the people of Jinhan and Byeonhan intermingled and immigrated quite frequently (雜居), ultimately making it difficult to differentiate the two states culturally.
Book of Wei - Volume 30's some part are record left by Wei envoy who visited
Okjeo and
Jinhan after the victory of the
Goguryeo–Wei War and the
Battle of Giryeong at the late 3rd century. The same book also comments on the people of Jinhan, citing that they had tattoos and looked similar to the people of
Wa. The
Book of the Later Han also states similar observations, commenting that the people of Jinhan being physically attractive and having tattoos like the people of Wa.
Misconceptions A claim found in the Chinese chronicle,
Records of the Three Kingdoms states that an elderly man spoke about refugees from the
Lelang area founding Jinhan after political turmoil of the
Qin dynasty at the end of the 3rd century BCE and carried over the name "Qin/秦". This claim is parroted by other Chinese books that were published later such as the
History of the Northern Dynasties, and the
Book of Liang, all using the same elderly man as their source. However, due to the dates of the Qin dynasty (221–206 BCE) overlapping with the
Jin state (4th–2nd century BCE) and no historical documents from Korea backing this claim, it is mostly regarded as a false rumor. Historically, the
Samhan kingdoms, including Jinhan (辰韓), specifically claimed successorship over Jin state (辰國) and not the Qin dynasty (秦朝). Such misconception had ultimately affected immigrants who hailed from Silla to Japan known as the
Hata clan who were wrongfully labeled as descendants of the Qin dynasty simply for being associated with Silla (Jinhan). Japanese scholars such as (井上 満郎), (平野 邦雄), (上田 正昭), and (直木 孝次郎), while studying about the origins of the Hata clan, criticized the claims found within the Chinese chronicle, calling it a "fabrication invented by the Chinese". The misconception's long-lasting effect is deemed negatively by modern Japanese and Korean scholars alike today. ==Culture==