Many Korean learned
Dangun grandfather is the founder of our Minjok and now it is regarded as an
established theory. For example I easily found a video that show Dangun story to
children.
Let’s look at the korean calendar, what is
October 3rd called? It is Gaechun Day that Dangun founded Korea (called Dangun
Chosun). But, as you know Dangun story is just a mythology. How Bears can be
woman or son of the lord of heaven can appear on this ground. This story is
written by priest Il Yeon in the Koryo. Considering Korean people were gathered
while they were struggling indebtedness of appealing ethnicity. Let’s find the
true of Dangun story and what ‘Minjok’ means to the people.
Korean
history textbook says “Our ethnic group has maintained one group for 5,000
years. In this sentence, ‘the ethnic group’ is not clear. It is obvious that
there were several groups around the Korean peninsula. In the Bronze Age, Each
group made the political relations, rules, marriage custom, religious
ceremonies etc. At that time, it is possible that each group didn’t retain
political or cultural ties with the others. Therefore, we may say there was a
cultural range around the Korean peninsula however, we may not say there was a
one ethnic group. Actually, in A.D 3C, there were several countries such as
Booyeo, Goguryo, Okjae, Ueproo, Three Han, Yea etc. It means, before 3C, there
were more small countries around there. Old Chosun was not only country at that
time.
Then
when we began to think Dangun is the founder of Korean minjok? It was necessary
to unite Koryo people against the Mongolian troop at the latter term of Koryo.
The ruling class of Koryo needed a symbol to unite people. Since Koryo had
maintained one country – one ethnic group for 500 years, Koryo people accepted
the existence of Dangun easily. But we can find some faults in this theory of
Dangun and Korean minjok. First,
there were several groups except Dangun’s group that have each custom. And
think that Dangun’s major territory is northern Korean peninsula where
Booyeo-language user lived in. However, Sila and Koryo people used Han-language
(Korean language).
In 1920s, Mr. Shin Chae-Ho wrote <Chosun
Old-History> called 조선상고사 in
Korea. He wrote the stroy of Dangun again and emphasized the Gogyryo protected
themselves from Chinese attacking. Modern historians evaluated his writing that
‘Mr. Shin overcome the Japanese Colonial historical view and tried to revive
and national historical view. What the important is that his history is written
against Japanese imperialism. And it triggered Korean people to unite
again.
In Koryo, Korean united to fight with Mongolian. In 20C, Korean
united again to Japanese Imperial. What about nowadays? It’s the age of
Americanization. All things including ideology, food, fashion, and some
languages are absorbed in American style. Koreans are becoming American in some
meanings however, we don’t try to be against Americanization. Without any
caution about this situation, there is no sure that we won’t be a part of America.
Think that Korean become one minjok as a result of one country fought and
defeat the others.
I was surprised to read your introduction and not see your name! Also, where is your Nacirema essay?? I am disappoint. You could have used more images in some of your other posts, although you did do a decent enough job in the Minjok post and the film review, image wise. Still, where are the rest? >.< While reading the Minjok essay, I was disappointed that you did not seem to really engage or make use of the readings assigned in class.
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