In the traditional view, the importance of the Lelang in Korean history was seen in its role as the common enemy, at the time when Korea first experienced colonial rule. Such sentiment is so strong that there are actually some Korean ultranationalists who even deny the very existence of the Lelang commandery.

 

This view has been further complicated by the fact that some of the earliest archaeological work on Lelang was initiated by the Japanese around the time of the First World War. Back then, the ulterior motives of territorial claims by the Japanese Government General's Office of Korea over the Korean peninsula and Manchuria made some Japanese Lelang scholars claim that Han Lelang culture in Korea was a purely Han Chinese phenomenon, with no native Korean variants and forms.

 

But what really were the relations between the Korean Peninsula and the Han Dynasty Commandery of Lelang? Hyung Il Pai (1992) presented a more balanced theoretical view that may help reconcile the nationalistic view of contemporary Korean scholars with pre-war Japanese colonial interpretations of Han Lelang's position in Korean prehistory. Basically, he argued that social and regional differentiation in the Korean peninsula were not possible without initial Han contact. Before the Lelang period, regional differences find expression ony in terms of minor variation in pottery styles. In contrast, third-century texts of the Weizhi (300 years after initial Han contact) reveal the existence of various guo (or tribal kingdoms) such as Puyo, Koguryo, Okcho, Eastern Ye and Samhan. They are recorded as having distinctively idfferent social organizations, subsistence systems, customs, and rituals.

 

The most important "traits of civilization" such as iron technology, writing, gold craftsmanship, and intesive rice agriculture, were derived from Han Lelang culture. Such widespread distribution of ideas and technology would not have been possible without the elite distribution network of seals, bronze mirrors, and luxury Han goods which stimlulated the initial exchange network.

 

According to Pai (1992), once this network was established in the core areas of Lelang, it quickly spread to all other parts of Korea and into southern-western Japan, forming the "Lelang Interaction Sphere" in Korean prehistory (that included Koguryo, Wa of Japan, and Samhan - Chinhan, Pyonhan, and Mahan)"

 

Without this initial phase, the second stage of the interaction sphere that comprised Koguryo, Paekche, Silla, and Kofun Japan, would not have been pssible. Extensive trade and diplomatic activities were heightened and reinforced by competition and warfare with Yamato Japan and the three kingdoms. These states shared common features in palatial architecture, in the spread of Buddhism and associated sculpture, as well as in gold artwork and jewellery.

 

Such competition and emulation in the rise and fall of overlapping dynasties in contiguous regions were also evident for Bronze Age China (among the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties), for the European pre-Classical civilizations of the Mediterranean, and for Central Europe and its contacts with the more advanced Classical world of Greece and Rome.

 

Pai's (1992) hypothesis emphasizes both the uniqueness and the continuity of the features of Korean native traditions while at the same time presenting a systematic approach to the problem of interpreting external cultureal influences from China and Japan inside Korea without having to resort to "imperialistic" arguments involving migrations, conquests, or colonizations.

 

This, in my opinion, is doing REAL history without any political agenda.

 

 

Pai, U. I. (1992). Culture contact and culture change: The Korean peninsula and its relations with the Han Dynasty Commandery of Lelang. World Archaeology, 23(3), 306-319.

 

Agree.  Very good research too.

 

Jiangwei

Regardless, I would like to correct on somethings mentioned by flyingzone.

 

The most important "traits of civilization" such as iron technology, writing, gold craftsmanship, and intesive rice agriculture, were derived from Han Lelang culture. Such widespread distribution of ideas and technology would not have been possible without the elite distribution network of seals, bronze mirrors, and luxury Han goods which stimlulated the initial exchange network.

 

Korea already entered iron age before Han Dynasty invaded. And I doubt the Lelang commandery had anything to do with the spread of wet-paddy rice agriculture on the Korean peninsula, as it already did far before the establishment of the commandery.

 

It would be good, though, if one can find research studies that look into the historical development of intensive rice agriculture on the Korean peninsula.

 

I still doubt Lelang commandery had anything to do with agriculture in China. In none of the works I've seen so far have I seen Lelang commandery taking any significant part in spread of agriculture in Korea. Lelang commandery served as a trading post, with very limited political influence on the Korean peninsula, mostly exploiting Korea's iron production. And as far as I know from common sources, it was under the Korean three kingdoms when agriculture went through significant advances and spread.

 

can you give me a timeline when Chinese migrated to Korea? and what states? and anything on Arigulture? not saying your wrong just interested in sources and when was Iron? Jin/Chin [Korea] exsisted from 2nd and 3rd centuries BCE and it was an Iron State

 

I bet he's talking about the Gija myth.

 

*I give up on this quoting thingie.