Constructing Korean Origins

Download or read book Constructing “Korean” Origins written by Hyung Il Pai and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2020-03-23 with total page 589 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this wide-ranging study, Hyung Il Pai examines how archaeological finds from throughout Northeast Asia have been used in Korea to construct a myth of state formation. This myth emphasizes the ancient development of a pure Korean race that created a civilization rivaling those of China and Japan and a unified state controlling a wide area in Asia. Through a new analysis of the archaeological data, Pai shows that the Korean state was in fact formed much later and that it reflected diverse influences from throughout Northern Asia, particularly the material culture of Han China.