Hamgyong

English

Alternative forms

• Hamgyeong
• (obsolete): Ham-kieng

Etymology

An improper simplification of the McCune-Reischauer romanization Hamgyŏng of Korean 함경(咸鏡) (Hamgyeong), from its one-time principal cities Hamhung and Kyongsong.

Proper noun

Hamgyong

1. (historical) A former province of northeastern Korea under the Joseon dynasty.
   • 1894, Korea and the Sacred White Mountain: Being a Brief Account of a Journey in Korea in 1891‎^[1], London: George Philip & Son, →OCLC, page 197:

     The explanation given was, that last night the Prefect had ordered six for me, while this morning the Governor said two were enough for me. Very soon after this, the card of the Governor of the Hamgyong province, whose name is Han-Chang-Sok, arrived, but still no ponies.

   • 1960, Edwin O. Reischauer, John K. Fairbank, East Asia: The Great Tradition‎^[2], Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, →OCLC, page 431:

     In 1413 the old Koryŏ division of the country into a capital district, five provinces, and two northern border zones was revised into a uniform pattern of eight provinces: Kyŏnggi around the capital, surrounded by the three provinces of Hwanghae, Kangwŏn, and Ch'ungch'ŏng, with Chŏlla and Kyŏngsang in the southwest and southeast, and P'yŏngan and Hamgyŏng in the northwest and northeast respectively.

2. The mountain range between the northern coast of the East Korea Bay and the Kaema Highlands which runs through the former province, now divided into North Korea's provinces of North and South Hamgyong.

Synonyms

• (mountains): Gangbaekjeonggan (official within North Korea); Pepishan, Pepi Shan (obsolete); Pujonryong (improper)

Hyponyms

• (province): North Hamgyong, South Hamgyong
• (mountains): Pujollyong, Pujonryong