Yemaek

Yemaek
Hangul	예맥
Hanja
Revised Romanization	Yemaek
McCune–Reischauer	Yemaek

Yemaek or Yamaek (Korean pronunciation: [jemɛk]) were an ancient tribal group regarded by many Korean scholars as being the Tungusic ancestors of the modern Korean ethnic group. These people most commonly dwelt in Manchuria and the Korean Peninsula. They had ancestral ties to various Korean kingdoms including Gojoseon, Buyeo, Goguryeo, Baekje, and tribes including Okjeo, Dongye, and Yangmaek (양맥; 梁貊) and Sosumaek (소수맥; 小水貊).

Yemaek is believed to be a combination of Ye (濊·穢·薉) and Maek (貊·貉) people of two neighboring cultures. The main culture is the Xitunshan culture (西团山文化). He Qiutao (何秋涛) said Ye is the short name of Buyeo. Dongye first appears in history as a vassal state of Gojoseon until its fall to China in 108 BCE. It was known as the Huiyetou (穢邪頭) state in Shuowen Jiezi. It later became a vassal of the increasingly powerful Goguryeo. According to the Chinese Records of Three Kingdoms, Ye worshiped tigers, whereas according to Erya, Maek means bears. Gomnaru, the capital of Baekje, also means the "bear port". Historians suggest tigers and bears may have been totems worshiped by Ye and Maek tribes.

Several history books suggest Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom in history, was established by Yemaek.

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