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Chinese Ironware First Introduced to Korea Peninsula 2,500 Years Ago
Chinese archaeologists believe that the first massive introduction of Chinese ironware to the Korea Peninsula in east Asia began in the Warring States period (475 B.C.-221 B.C.)
This has given a challenge to the traditional opinion that it occurred in 108 B.C., the year when the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-24 A.D) established the Lelang Prefecture in the Korea Peninsula, according to sources from a seminar on the Asian history held recently in Beijing.
According to Wang Wei, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), metallurgy and ironware emerged in the late Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century B.C.-771 B.C.) and further developed in the Warring States period, especially in the Yan Kingdom.
The Yan Kingdom, comprising parts of the modern areas of Hebei and Liaoning provinces, was an important connection linking central and northeast China, the expert said.
The ironware culture in the Yan Kingdom had a strong influence on the tribes to the north and northeast of the kingdom, Wang said, adding that numerous historical relics unearthed in Liaoning and Jilin provinces and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region are similar to those made in the Yan Kingdom.
Afterwards, Chinese ironware was introduced farther to the north part of the Korea Peninsula across the Yalu River. This was proved by lots of historical relics unearthed on the peninsula.
Later on, the ironware culture began to spread further on the southern part of the Korea Peninsula.
Similar ironware to that of the Yan Kingdom were excavated in a number of ruins, dating back to an earlier period before the establishment of Lelang Prefecture, in the southern parts of the peninsula.
As a result, the traditional academic opinion that Chinese ironware was introduced to the Korea Peninsula after the founding of Lelang Prefecture has been overthrown, Wang said.
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