Sunday, July 13, 2003
MUSEUMS AND HISTORY: Also visited the Kanghwa Historical Museum. Some interesting things I observed include:
--the umproblematic inclusion of Tan’gun as an actual historical figure. He is simply listed after the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods as follows: “Gochoseon Dynasty: Dangun constructed the Chamseongdan for sacrificing to heaven.” Many Koreans regard Tan’gun as a national myth but apparently museums don’t always follow this line (more on Tan’gun later).
--the depictions of the heroic Korean resistance to French and American incursions (more here) in 1866 and 1871 respectively. A stark reminder of how history is viewed differently by different peoples. Most Americans (and I suspect most French) don’t even know about these events, don’t know that Korean artifacts seized in the conflicts are still kept by the French and American governments/militaries. But Koreans who attend this museum will be reminded of the foreign perfidy, down to the number of books seized by the French. Also noted that the conflicts are depicted as Korean victories: the Grand Prince Taewôn’gun would be proud. The nearly life-size dioramas depicting Korean soldiers killing and being killed by invaders brings home the conflicting messages of Korean victim hood and Korean heroism.
--overlooking the ramparts of what appears to be a re-created fortress of the type that fired upon French, American, and Japanese invaders alike, one can see endless miles of razor-wire-topped fence: a reminder that many in the ROK still fear invasion, from North Korea this time.
--the umproblematic inclusion of Tan’gun as an actual historical figure. He is simply listed after the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods as follows: “Gochoseon Dynasty: Dangun constructed the Chamseongdan for sacrificing to heaven.” Many Koreans regard Tan’gun as a national myth but apparently museums don’t always follow this line (more on Tan’gun later).
--the depictions of the heroic Korean resistance to French and American incursions (more here) in 1866 and 1871 respectively. A stark reminder of how history is viewed differently by different peoples. Most Americans (and I suspect most French) don’t even know about these events, don’t know that Korean artifacts seized in the conflicts are still kept by the French and American governments/militaries. But Koreans who attend this museum will be reminded of the foreign perfidy, down to the number of books seized by the French. Also noted that the conflicts are depicted as Korean victories: the Grand Prince Taewôn’gun would be proud. The nearly life-size dioramas depicting Korean soldiers killing and being killed by invaders brings home the conflicting messages of Korean victim hood and Korean heroism.
--overlooking the ramparts of what appears to be a re-created fortress of the type that fired upon French, American, and Japanese invaders alike, one can see endless miles of razor-wire-topped fence: a reminder that many in the ROK still fear invasion, from North Korea this time.
