Vestiges of the Three Kingdoms of Ancient Korea (Samguk yusa) is the first annotated English translation of one of the most important premodern Korean historical texts. One of only two surviving works on the Three Kingdoms period (57 BCE–668) and Greater Silla (668–936), the Samguk yusa is a rich collection of historical, supernatural, and mythical stories, including one of … [Read More]
Booklist: Prehistory and Early Korea
Early Korea-Japan Interactions
From the publisher’s website: Volumes in the Early Korea Project Occasional Series focus on central issues related to the study of early Korean history and archaeology. The present volume presents seven studies of interactions between societies and polities on the Korean peninsula and the Japanese archipelago from an archaeological perspective. The time periods reflected in … [Read More]
The Ancient State of Puyo in Northeast Asia
From the publisher’s website: Mark E. Byington explores the formation, history, and legacy of the ancient state of Puyŏ, which existed in central Manchuria from the third century BCE until the late fifth century CE. As the earliest archaeologically attested state to arise in northeastern Asia, Puyŏ occupies an important place in the history of that … [Read More]
Reconstructing Ancient Korean History: The Formation of Korean-ness in the Shadow of History
From the publisher’s website: This book examines the contested re-readings of “Korea” in early Chinese historical records and their influence on the formation of Korean-ness in later periods. The earliest written records on “Koreans” are found in Chinese documents produced during the Han dynasty, from the third century BCE to the third century CE. Since … [Read More]
The Han Commanderies in Early Korean History
From the publisher’s website: This volume, consisting of ten chapters and an introduction, treats that period of the history of the Korean peninsula characterized by the presence of commanderies first established by the Chinese Han empire in 108 B.C. The ten chapters of this volume address such topics as the societies that preceded the commanderies, … [Read More]
Early Korea 3: The Rediscovery of Kaya in History and Archaeology
From the publisher’s website: Early Korea is dedicated to developing the fields of early Korean history and archaeology in the English language. Volume Three features six articles written by Korean scholars who specialize in the subjects presented herein. The featured section includes three articles written on the Kaya polities in Korean history, with focuses on political … [Read More]
Early Korea 2: The Samhan Period in Korean History
From the publisher’s website: Early Korea, a publication of the Early Korea Project at the Korea Institute, Harvard University, is a series designed to promote and develop studies of early Korean history and archaeology in the English language. While these fields are active and dynamic in East Asia, they are only beginning to develop in English-language … [Read More]
Early Korea 1: Reconsidering Early Korean History through Archaeology
From the publisher’s website: Early Korea is dedicated to developing the fields of early Korean history and archaeology in the English language. The present volume consists of six scholarly works by specialists active in these fields. Three studies focus on the topic of recent advances in historical archaeology on the Korean peninsula and adjacent regions and … [Read More]
Constructing “Korean” Origins: A Critical Review of Archaeology, Historiography, and Racial Myth in Korean State-Formation Theories
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 … [Read More]
Samguk Yusa: Legends and History of the Three Kingdoms of Ancient Korea
A fascinating work, dating from the late 1200s. This book (Yusa), is not just a story but a collection of histories, anecdotes and memorabilia, covering the origins of Korea’s three monarchies: Silla, Paekche and Koguryo, offering an account of the latter nation that differs quite a bit from what you’ll read in Chinese history books. … [Read More]