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Korea

A statue of Yi Sun Shin 3

The Ancient Korean Kingdoms: Silla, Goguryeo, and Baekje

The Korean Peninsula, a land rich in history and culture, was once home to three powerful and influential kingdoms: Silla, Goguryeo , and Baekje. These kingdoms, which existed from the late 1st...
Korean haenyeo divers. Source: ufokim / Adobe Stock.

Haenyeo: The Last Mermaids of Jeju (Video)

In the azure waters surrounding the historic Korean island of Jeju, a remarkable tradition endures. Enter the world of Kim Ok Ja, a tenacious 78-year-old woman who defies age and nature's challenges...
Traditional Korean printing press. Source: YouTube Screenshot / Great Big Story.

The Hidden History of Korea's Printing Innovation (Video)

Situated just 30 miles northwest of Seoul, a narrative unfolds that underscores Korea's devotion to the written word. Even before Johannes Gutenberg introduced movable type to Europe in 1440 , Korea...
Korean traditional bronze tableware. Source: bong / Adobe Stock.

Price of Perfection: Why Hand-Forged Korean Bronze Tableware is so Expensive (Video)

In a world where mass-produced, disposable items have become the norm, traditional crafts hold a certain allure. Bangjja yugi, the hand-forged bronze tableware from Korea , is a shining example of...
Onggi pottery vessels for making kimchi. Source: MIN CHEOL KIM / Adobe Stock.

How Master Potters Keep a 7000-Year-Old Kimchi Tradition Alive (Video)

Kimchi , the spicy and tangy fermented vegetable dish that has been a staple of Korean cuisine for over 7000 years, is more than just a food - it is a symbol of cultural identity and heritage. And...
The wako pirates are typically portrayed as Japanese pirates, but the reality was more complex. Depiction of a pirate ship sailing on the ocean against a golden sky. Source: Gasi / Adobe Stock

The Notorious Wako Pirates of Japan

The wako (also called wokou or waegu) were a group of marauders that dominated the seas of East Asia for centuries. They have been seen by Western historians and culture as a kind of Japanese pirate...
Wang Zhaojun - O Shokun by Hishida Shunso (1902) (Public Domain)

The Currency Of Chinese Princesses In Conjugal Peace Alliances

For thousands of years, the institution of marriage has been in a constant state of evolution. The established form of marriage recognized in each country, religious or social group at any given time...
New Evidence of Human Sacrifice in Silla Dynasty’s Wolseong Palace

New Evidence of Human Sacrifice in Silla Dynasty’s Wolseong Palace

Archaeological excavations at the ancient Silla palace of Wolseong in Gyeongju, South Korea have produced new evidence confirming that human sacrifices took place there during the structure’s...
The Tripitaka Koreana: A Vast Trove of Buddhist Woodblock Wisdom

The Tripitaka Koreana: A Vast Trove of Buddhist Woodblock Wisdom

The Tripitaka Koreana is a collection of Buddhist texts, laws, and treaties originally created during the 11 th century by the Korean kingdom of Goryeo. The Tripitaka Koreana was carved onto...
The Goryeo Dynasty: Buddhist Unifier of the Korean Peninsula

The Goryeo Dynasty: Buddhist Unifier of the Korean Peninsula

The Goryeo dynasty was a Korean dynasty that existed between the 10 th and 14 th centuries. The Goryeo dynasty was established following the unification of Korea’s Later Three Kingdoms and ended when...
Cheomseongdae observatory at night, Gyeongju, South Korea.          Source: Ivan / Adobe stock

Star Gazing at Cheomseongdae - East Asia’s Oldest Observatory

The Korean peninsula is known for many things. One thing that may be less well known about Korean culture is its contribution to world astronomy. One particularly visible contribution is the oldest...
7th century Tang dynasty painting of envoys from the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Baekje, Goguryeo, and Silla (Public Domain)

The Age-Old Bone-Rank Caste System of the Korean Kingdom of Silla

In several cultures one’s social standing was determined by one’s birth, which included or precluded certain privileges and even determined the cutlery one was allowed to use. Such was the caste...
This 14th-century Persian painting portrays a scene from the Kushnameh in what scholars believe could be the betrothal of prince Abtin (kneeling) and Silla princess Frarang (sitting). (Hanyang University Museum)

The 1,500-Year-Old Love Story Between a Persian Prince and a Korean Princess that Could Rewrite History

More than a thousand years before the first European explorer reached Korea’s shores, the Persian Empire was writing love stories about Korean princesses. It’s a little-known story that could change...
The letter (Image courtesy Andong National University)

Last Words of Love Were Sealed for 500 Years in a Korean Tomb

I just want to go to you. Please take me to where you are. My feelings towards you I cannot forget in this world and my sorrow knows no limit. Where would I put my heart now and how can I live with...
Remains of what appears to be a flush toilet made during the Unified Silla Dynasty in the 8th century have been discovered in a secondary palace in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea.

A Stone ‘Throne’: 8th Century Toilet Unearthed at Korean Palace Complex

Archaeologists in South Korea have unearthed the remains of a royal bathroom. The discovery provides insight on what high-end hygienic services would have looked like for royals over 1000 years ago...
Magu, Goddess of Longevity and immortal hemp maiden.

Magu: The Hemp Goddess Who Healed Ancient Asia

"Cannabis" and "criminal" are synonymous in many countries. While cannabis has been steadily weaving onto the "right" side of the law in recent years, the "high" people get from the plant is still...
Museum diorama depicting scholars from the Joseon Dynasty (Public Domain), and script from the Hunmin Jeongeum Eonhae

What Happens if Scholars Rule a Kingdom? How Korea’s Kingdom of Joseon Lived Up to its Legendary Namesake

By the 14th century, the foundations of Korea’s Goryeo Dynasty (918 -1392 CE) started to collapse from years of war and de facto occupation from the Mongol Empire. The royal court in Goryeo was at...
Magu, Goddess of Longevity and immortal hemp maiden

Wearing it, Smoking it, or Selling it? The Hazy History of Cannabis in Ancient Korea

Cannabis. Even the word is enough to bring people closer or drive them further away. Although the topic of legalization is controversial in the USA, not all regions have felt this way. In fact, the...
Bizarre Alien-Like Skull Unearthed in Korea was Naturally Formed

Bizarre Alien-Like Skull Unearthed in Korea was Naturally Formed

Archaeologists have unearthed an elongated skull in a grave belonging to the ancient Silla culture of Korea, which experts say was NOT deliberately flattened through the practice of cranial...
A dolmen on Ganghwado, South Korea.

Looking for the Origins of the Mysterious Dolmens of Korea

The megalithic constructions in Korea are mind blowing. Researchers still have more questions than answers, but the hundreds of dolmens are among the most fascinating archaeological sites in the...
A reconstruction of a hwacha.

The Powerful Hwacha: An Early Korean Rocket Launcher

The hwacha (which roughly translates as fire chariot ) is a type of weapon developed in Korea, and used by its army on the field of battle. This weapon is best known for its deployment during the...
Celadon: Appreciating Pottery for its Aesthetic Value and Magical Qualities

Celadon: Appreciating Pottery for its Aesthetic Value and Magical Qualities

Celadon pottery (also known simply as ‘celadon’) is a type of ceramic that originated in ancient China. Celadon is well-known for its jade-like color, which it obtains due to the glaze that is...
Unfolding the Golden Nuggets of Early Chinese Paper Folding and the Art of Origami

Unfolding the Golden Nuggets of Early Chinese Paper Folding and the Art of Origami

Paper folding is a form of art that most people today associate with Japan. Indeed, Japanese origami is arguably the most well-known type of paper folding today. What is perhaps less well-known is...
A modern religious painting shows the Founding-King in similar motifs.

The Legendary Founder of Korea, Dangun Wanggeom

According to Korean tradition, Dangun Wanggeom (known also as Dangun or Tangun) was the legendary founder of Gojoseon (or ‘Old Joseon’), the first recorded state in Korean history. This state...

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