韓民族의 起源에 대한 諸問題

Questions About The Origin of Koreans

This article regards the time of the advent of Ye Maek(濊貊, the tribe of Huei-Mai), which has been well-known as the ancestor of Koreans, as the formative period of Koreans. It sets up the process just before the advent of Ye Maek as the subject of the origin of Koreans, and through archaeological discussions makes a point about the origin of tribes in Neolithic Age and Bronze Age. The theory that claims siberia as the origin of Neolithic pottery has been criticized by many scholars. However there are examples that show close relations between pottery discovered in the Korean peninsula and the Amur (黑龍江, the Heilong Jiang riv.) area. Thus the theory that the origin of Korean Neolithic culture was created by the migration of Paleo-Asiatics is still valid. However terminological problems about setting up ethnic units was pointed out for two theories. One theory was that Neolithic residents were Paleo-Asiatics, formulated in early studies to figure out the origin of Koreans. The other was the theory of two phase resident shift that claims Neolithic residents were assimilated and absorbed by Tungus or Altai, which had the Bronze culture. Criticism has also been raised regarding the insufficient resemblance between Siberia and Korean peninsula, and the two theories being based on the diffusion theory(傳播論). Yet no alternative explanations have been brought up. However they should still be recognized because an archaeological thesis is based on explanations followed by scrutiny of age, resident and remains. Furthermore criticism should be accepted and achievements in other parts like physical anthropology(形質人類學), linguistics, archaeology and folklore should be taken in in other to come up with alternative plans. In matters of the origin of Koreans, the cultural aspects of Siberia, Liaoning(遼寧) and Nei Mongol(內蒙古) have to be reviewed in detail. In other words, although Ye Maek, well known as the ancestor of Koreans, is based on an instable documental evidence that Ye(濊) and Maek(貊) are separated from early West Zhou era (西周, BC 12C) to middle Chunqiu era (春秋, BC 8~7C), it obviously appears to be the owner of the Mandolin-Shaped Dagger(琵琶形銅劍) in the Daling(大凌河) basin as proven through archaeological data in Liaoning and Nei Mongol area.