On the basis of written accounts of Chinese and European observers, crucible smelting was first practiced in China in Shanxi province as early as the 10th century. These same reports also indicate that the practice spread to other provinces (Shandong and Manchuria) from Shanxi. Because of the language barrier, western scholars do not always find the written records accessible thus, two articles which originally appeared in the Japanese journal <i>Tetsu to Hagane</i> (Iron and steel) and one excerpt from a mining report on Manchuria have been translated into English here.