File:Pointed tip knife (尖首刀) written in 'unknown characters' (未知文字) - Li Zuoxian (李佐贤) 1875.jpg

English: This public domain image of an Ancient Chinese knife money object is notable for containing an unknown Ancient Chinese script, according to Gary Ashkenazy (Hebrew: גארי אשכנזי): “The Yonhap News Agency is reporting that a Korean scholar believes a previously unknown inscription on a 2,500-year-old Chinese knife-shaped form of money is actually written in Korean.” This knife coin has therefore been attempted to be connected to the Choson’gul alphabet, which was developed millenia later in the Korean peninsula. “Dr. Lee Chan-gu is an expert on the ancient Chinese book of divination known as the “Book of Changes” (I Ching, yijing 易经). In his new book entitled “Money”, Dr. Lee claims that the inscription on a specimen of Chinese knife-shaped money (daobi 刀币) dating from the middle to late Spring and Autumn Period (771 BC – 476 BC) is written in the Korean alphabet known as Hangul (한글).” This claim is one set forth by a single South Korean expert but does not seem to be particularly popular with any other South Korean experts.

Furthermore in the source article on Primaltrek/Primal Trek, Gary Ashkenazy specifically notes that: “Korean inscription on ancient Chinese knife-shaped money The “pointed tip knife” (jian shou dao 尖首刀), shown at the left, was discovered in northeast China and has been included in such famous Chinese numismatic works as the “Xu Quan Hui” (续泉汇) published in 1875 by Li Zuoxian (李佐贤) as well as the Pre-Qin Volume of the “The Great Dictionary of Chinese Numismatics” (中国钱币大辞典:先秦篇) published in 1995.” This specific image of this knife money was taken from the “Xu Quan Hui” (续泉汇) published in 1875 by Li Zuoxian (李佐贤), which means that its copyright has expired in China (including Taiwan) and that this image may be freely re-used by anyone for any purpose. Furthermore Gary Ashkenazy notes that: “These authoritative works state that the inscription is written in “unknown characters” (未知文字).” Which means that the exact origins of this ancient Chinese script remain unknown. Later in the article Gary Ashkenazy from Primaltrek / Primal Trek States: “Dr. Lee claims that the “unidentified” inscription is written in ancient Korean characters and is the Korean word don (돈) which means “money”.” While this is a big coincidence, it is nothing more than that, a coincidence. Later in the article Gary Ashkenazy from Primaltrek / Primal Trek States: “Dr. Lee’s premise has evoked a great deal of controversy among scholars in both Korea and China.” Which is understandable, as this claim only relies on a Single knife money object.

Later in the article Gary Ashkenazy from Primaltrek / Primal Trek States: “The fundamental question is how a specimen of ancient Chinese “knife money” could possibly have an inscription written in Korean when Sejong the Great (King Sejong) of the Joseon Dynasty did not even invent the Korean alphabet Hangul until 1443-1444 AD, which was some 2,000 years later.” This is the main question surrounding this object, as a difference of 2 (two) millennia is quite significant and cannot be ignored. Later in the article Gary Ashkenazy from Primaltrek / Primal Trek States: “The answer, according to Dr. Lee, is found in a document written by Sejong the Great in 1446. In “The Proper Sounds for Instructing the People” (Hunmin jeongeum 훈 민정음 해), Sejong the Great reveals that some of his new writing system imitates an ancient Korean script.” This does increase the plausibility of Dr. Lee’s hypothesis as it's evidence that Choson’gul wasn't 100% (one-hundred percent) original when it was conceived by King Sejong the Great.

Later in the article Gary Ashkenazy from Primaltrek / Primal Trek States: “Dr. Lee believes that the inscription on this knife money is evidence that Sejong the Great did indeed incorporate ancient Korean characters in the Hangul script he invented.” Which is why this image is so notable to begin with. Later in the article Gary Ashkenazy from Primaltrek / Primal Trek States: “It is believed that this particular example of “knife money” originated in the ancient state of Guzhu (guzhuquo 孤竹国) which was situated in northeast China and was a vassal state during the Shang and Zhou dynasties.” The location of this Chinese vassal state is also quite close to the Korean peninsula meaning that this lends more credence to Dr. Lee’s hypothesis.

Later in the article Gary Ashkenazy from Primaltrek / Primal Trek States: “According to the ancient Korean historical text “Legends and History of the Three Kingdoms of Ancient Korea” (samguk yusa 삼국유사, 三國遺事), the people of Guzhu also lived on the Korean peninsula and the traditions of Guzhu continued under the ancient Korean kingdom of Goguryeo (고구려,高句丽).” While this is a good claim to make, the ancient Korean state of Goguryeo used Traditional Chinese characters as their official script and not any other ancient script that modern scholars are aware of. Later in the article Gary Ashkenazy from Primaltrek / Primal Trek States: “Based on this, Dr. Lee speculates that the Korean script first began to be used about 3000 years ago in the area of Guzhu.” Even if this was true, there is no evidence to suggest that this ancience Guzhu script is in any form the same script as modern Choson’gul which also means that there are many gaps to fill. Later in the article Gary Ashkenazy from Primaltrek / Primal Trek States: “This new theory challenges the accepted view of the origin of the written Korean language. Many scholars, however, remain skeptical and are reluctant to accept Dr. Lee’s theory without additional proof.” Which is also my stance, just because I uploaded this image here to Wikimedia Commons does not in fact mean that I endorse the hypothesis put forth by Dr. Lee.