Eastern Bound Ep. 34 — Were the Han Commanderies Really in North Korea?
For generations, historians have taught that Han China conquered Gojoseon and established Lelang and the other Han Commanderies on the Korean Peninsula.
But what if the archaeology used to prove it doesn't hold up?
In this 2-hour episode, we examine the case against locating the Han Commanderies in Pyongyang — from ancient Chinese geographical records and the Pei River problem to Japanese colonial archaeology, disputed clay seals, the Jeomje Monument, the Lelang census slip, and the thousands of tombs surrounding Pyongyang.
We also examine evidence placing the commanderies much farther west in Liaoning and Hebei, and ask how colonial historiography, Korean scholarship, nationalism, and modern politics turned an ancient geographical question into one of the most fiercely guarded debates in Korean history.
This isn't about asking you to accept an alternative map.
It's about asking why the map we're given is treated as unquestionable.
Watch the full episode below.