Jeju Island. Photo: VCG

Several Chinese cultural relics, including ancient coins and porcelain works, have been discovered in the waters off the coast of a South Korean island - evidence of the exchanges that were taking place between the two nations in ancient times. The discovery has captured the interest of Chinese netizens, many of whom say that South Korean netizens should not hold a narrow attitude when it comes to cultural communication. 

A South Korean museum and cultural research institute announced on Tuesday that they have discovered a giant stone in the waters of Jeju Island that belonged to an ancient Chinese merchant boat dating back to around 900 years ago. The stone, 3.1 meters long and weighing 586 kilograms, was mainly used as an anchor for mooring the ship.

This is not the first time such stones have been discovered in South Korean waters. Besides the most recent discovery, three other stones for mooring ships have been found. 

These stones from ancient China are evidence of the exchanges that took place between the two nations hundreds of years ago, according to the South Korean institutes.

Some ancient Chinese coins and porcelains have also previously been found in a temple in Jeju dating back to the Korean kingdom of Goryeo (918-1392). 

The archeological discoveries went viral on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo on Wednesday, reminding Chinese netizens of the long-time cultural exchanges between China and South Korea.

"I hope South Korean netizens read this news and realize what they think is their own is actually the result of exchanges in ancient times. Why do they always say we copy them?"  one netizen commented on Sina Weibo.

Other netizens also asked South Korean netizens to face up to history. "Again and again, from saying they own the Dragon Boat Festival and to the recent incident saying China copied the Korean Hanbok [clothing], this is the perfect example of the idea that when you lack something, you try really hard to steal it," noted another.

Several disputes have erupted between the two countries' netizens due to claims of cultural "plagiarism ."

Earlier this month, Chinese comic book artist Old Xian tweeted a drawing of four characters from his popular web comic dressed in traditional clothing, stirring up a fiery debate between Chinese and South Korean netizens about which country the clothing came from.

Many South Korean netizens launched an attack in comments to the post, saying that some of the clothing in the drawing originated from ancient Korea and asked the artist to give a clear indication of their origin. Chinese netizens quickly responded, noting that the clothing depicted was from China's Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and that the similarities with Korean clothing was due to Chinese influence on Korea. 

Global Times