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, the history and material culture of the commanderies, particularly of Lelang, the political and cultural influence the commanderies exerted upon surrounding regions, and the structural character of the commanderies in Korea viewed in broad perspective.