Well, that pavilion above the entrance does look a bit odd for a hanok, no?

The Wealthy Hyeon Family House in Beolgyo, Jeollanam-do featured prominently in Jo Jung-rae’s The Taebaek Mountains. The house, with its clear Japanese influences (such as the pavilion above the entrance) is a perfect representation of colonial Korea’s collaborating landed elite. In fact, from the pavilion (into which you can climb and sit) you are afforded an outstanding view of the reclaimed lands around which much of Beolgyo’s post-Liberation conflicts revolved.

The photo was taken in March. To learn more about Beolgyo’s history, see this post from October 2006.

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A Korean blogger has set up a beautiful site introducing Korea’s early modern architecture through period post cards.

It’s an absolute MUST SEE. Seriously. Who needs online porn when you have stuff like this?

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For those of you who don’t know, yes there were in fact Korean Kamikaze pilots during WWII. There were in fact 18 confirmed and probably more.

The actress Fukumi Kuroda is leading the charge (and footing most of the bill) to set-up a monument to Kamikaze pilot Tak Kyung-hyun in his hometown of Sacheon. It’s actually been built, it has been covered in tarp, and is waiting to be unveiled, but other residents have blocked it.

Per the article:

“He was a kamikaze, an aggressor,” said Lee Sun-bok, head of a group opposed to the memorial…

But Hong Jong-pil, a South Korean historian working on the memorial project, said the pilots should be seen as victims of the colonial period. He cited recent studies finding they did not volunteer for their suicide missions but were pressured or forced.

Interestingly, Kuroda (who speaks fluent Korean) said she pushed for the memorial for the following reason:

The project’s driving force is a Japanese actress who has long sought to foster friendship between Korea and her country.

“I’m not beautifying kamikazes. I’m doing this for war victims,” said Kuroda, who flew to Sacheon Thursday to meet city officials and the activists. “I’m confident I can persuade them.”

It’s an AP article, which you can read here or here.

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The National Archive has created an online 3-D model of Keijo Imperial University (now Seoul National University) as it was during the Japanese imperial period.

The archive has also posted the floor plans of colonial-era schools, and plans to create eventually an online archive of colonial-era architecture.

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Upcoming Royal Asiatic Society–Korea activities of interest to M-Holers:

Tuesday, April 8th: RAS-K Lecture-Meeting, featuring Dr. Andrei Lankov (well-known researcher on social and cultural aspects of 20th-Cen Korean modernization, including the DPRK, a Professor at Seoul’s Kookmin University and a Visiting Fellow at Australian National U, columnist for several publications, PhD from Leningrad State University) speaking on “Transformation of Seoul Traffic in the 1940s and 1950s.” He will focus on fascinating details of how Seoul has evolved one of the world’s exemplary public transportation systems. 7:30 pm in the 2nd-floor Resident’s Lounge of the Somerset Palace, Anguk-dong (just north of Jogye-sa), Seoul. Free for RAS Members, w5000 donation requested from others.

Sat-Sun April 12-13th: Tongdo-sa and Haein-sa Temples Tour
Visit two of Korea’s three “treasure temples”. Tongdo-sa, the “bul” (Buddha) temple, is one of the few temples in Korea where actual remains of the Buddha are believed to reside. Haein-sa is the “Beob” (Law) temple, holding the Tripitaka Koreana, the world-famous set of wood printing blocks for the Buddhist canon. Led by longtime-expat-in-Korea and religious-expert Dr. Daniel Adams.

Central Honshu Island of JAPAN Tour This trip to Japan’s main island focuses on the industrial and historical Kansai region. The tour begins in Osaka, moves on to Asuka and Nara the 8th-cen Japanese capital, and continues to Kyoto, the capital up until 1868. Castles, shrines, temples and museums insure a varied experience of Japan.

Sat-Sun April 19-20: Gyeryong-san Mountain-spirit Ceremonies Festival Tour
On this trip to the famously-beautiful “Rooster Dragon Mountain” National Park, one of the holiest set of peaks and gorges in Korea (highly sacred to all religious traditions), we will enjoy short hikes through the springtime slopes to interesting shrines and attending the annual Festival that honors this mountain’s powerful spirit. We will watch several rituals of Buddhist, Shamanic and Confucian styles, with everything explained by our expert guide Professor David Mason.

Sat April 19th: Gyeonggi-do Cherry Blossom Tour Enjoy the beauty and fragrance of the springtime cherry blossoms, set against some of Gyeonggi-do’s most beautiful backdrops.

Sun April 20th: Magnolia Tour: Chollipo Arboretum
A relaxing and educational weekend spent in Asia’s largest and most extensive private arboretum. A way to lose oneself in a sprawling botanical paradise next to Chollipo Beach.

For more information including prices, call 763-9483 in Seoul during business hours, write to raskb@kornet.net or visit our website http://www.raskb.com/

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I did the introduction to my American government class yesterday.  As part of it, I was talking about hegemony.  I asked the students something like “was there any country that was politically and culturally dominant in East Asia 500 years ago?”

….. (cricket chirping)

I tried rephrasing the question a few times, but still got nothing.  I did a quick check after the class, to make sure I did not make a mistake:  Yep 1508 was right in the middle of the Ming Dynasty, a time when China was certainly a hegemonic power in Asia.

I would like to think that I didn’t explain the concept properly or that it was just a language problem, but they seemed to get most of the other things I talked about.

Now I am wondering what they are teaching in history classes in Korean high schools.  Perhaps it is no better than what we get back in the States.

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Ganghwa Onsuri Anglican Church.

Jeondeungsa Temple.

Ganghwa Anglican Church.

On Sunday, this humble blogger — having recently picked himself up a Nikon 55-200mm VR lens — found himself on Ganghwa Island. As it would turn out, I had very little cause to actually use the lens, but I did get to stop by two very beautiful old churches (one I’ve been to, and photographed, several times before) and Jeondeungsa Temple, a place so beautiful there’s always an excuse to go.

This is a LONG photo essay. As always, you’re encouraged to check out the Flickr slideshow, where you can see the photos in near-original size.

Ganghwa Onsuri Anglican Church

Thanks to the efforts of British missionaries who came to Ganghwa Island in the late 19th century, the island became an Anglican stronghold. Early Anglican missionaries put a great deal of effort into “indigenizing” the faith, the fruits of which can be seen clearly in both Ganghwa Onsuri Anglican Church and Ganghwa Anglican Church (see below).

The current Ganghwa Onsuri Anglican Church — also called St. Andrew’s Anglican Church — dates back to 1906, when it was constructed under the supervision of Rev. (later Bishop) Mark N. Trollope (who is buried in the crypt of Seoul Anglican Cathedral). Here’s what Trollope had to say in 1915 about the Ganghwa Anglican community:

Kanghwa (opened 1893), our oldest and most flourishing country station, about thirty-five miles north-west of Seoul, started with two Christians in 1897, and has now nearly 1,700, of whom close on 1,000 are communicants. [Of these one died not long after his Baptism, the other, after seventeen years' faithful service as a catechist, was ordained to the diaconate, at the first ordination of native clergy, on Trinity Sunday, 1914.] It boasts two handsome churches, both built in Corean style, one in Kanghwa City (SS. Peter and Paul), the other (S. Andrew) in the village of On Su Tong, some ten miles distant, besides ten or twelve outlying chapelries, which have to be served by the priest-in-charge, Mr. Gurney. There are small but good schools for boys and girls at On Su Tong, and a house accommodating two or three lady workers in the city. In 1914 there was started in temporary buildings in Kanghwa City our college for training native clergy and catechists, under the care of Mr. Hodges, assisted by Mr. Smith, who give the otherwise single-handed priest-in-charge what help they can in his district work.

Unlike the larger Ganghwa Anglican Cathedral, which was designed by a royal woodcutter, Ganghwa Onsuri Anglican Church was built by local woodcutters, and as a result is simpler and truer to a Korean hanok home. As you can see from the interior, however, a number of Western elements have been adopted, most notably, its use of space — there’s a long nave running down the center, flanked by two aisles. The windows are obviously Western, too. Please note the use of the lotus flower for the cross on the front facade — how’s that for indigenizing religious symbolism!

When the weather warms up, the hanok church is used for masses. In winter, however, masses are held in a large and newly built church modeled a good deal on Seoul Anglican Cathedral.

Sunday morning saw a good deal of snow on Ganghwa Island, although by the afternoon it had melted, turning everything from pretty to muddy.

Rectory of Ganghwa Onsuri Anglican Church

Like the church itself, the rectory was built in 1906, and was built under the supervision of Rev. Frederick Richard Hilary. In terms of layout, the rectory is a typical hanok, although the interior mixes both Korean and Western elements. It’s another example of how early Anglican missionaries tried to indigenize their faith and adjust to local customs. OK, how some Anglican missionaries tried to adjust to local customs — others, like naval chaplain and first Anglican bishop to Korea Charles John Corfe, apparently had a tad of difficultly adapting to local conditions:

“Being weak in colloquial Corean (more than weak–they say his pronunciation was “abominable”) he naturally had great trouble with his servants, who imposed upon him knowing his kindness. Stories were told about the attempts he made to get fresh toast, and his failures to get it. Allusion also has been made already to his hatred of ostentation. In consequence of this he specially dreaded the Chinese New Year, when it is customary for Coreans to come and make obeisance to their superiors. Corfe did all he could to avoid such scenes–not always with success. On one occasion a servant pursued him into a lady’s house, found him in the drawing-room, begged him to be seated and proceeded to knock his (the servant’s) head on the floor before him.”

One wonders what he did for mushy peas.

Anyway, there’s currently only one priest at the church, a nice young gentleman who’s into photography, although he shoots film rather than digital.

Jeondeungsa Temple

Well, if you’re in Onsuri, you might as well pop by Jeondeungsa, one of Korea’s most beautiful Buddhist temples. You’ve probably seen earlier photos of Jeondeungsa, but here are some more anyway.

As you can see above, Jeondeungsa is surrounded by a fortress wall, Samnangseong Fortress. The current walls probably date back to the Joseon era, and it was here on Nov 11, 1866 that 500 Korean archers ambushed a force of 160 French marines. After losing six men with 30 wounded, the French retreated, and soon after left the island for good.

The temple itself has a number of lovely buildings, including the beautiful Daeungjeon Hall, Treasure No. 178. At the corners of the hall, you can find carvings of grotesque, naked women holding up the roof. According to legend, the head woodcutter in charge of constructing the temple was swindled out of his money by the hostess of a local inn. This was his revenge.

Ganghwa Anglican Church

Ganghwa Anglican Church — again, you’ve seen it before — is one of my favorite pieces of Korean religious architecture.

Also known as Saints Peter and Paul Anglican Church, Ganghwa Anglican Church first opened in 1893. The current church, the construction of which was overseen by Rev. Mark Trollope, was consecrated by Bishop Charles “Where the bloody hell can I get decent piece of toast?” Corfe (see above) in 1900. King Gojong — looking to score points with the British, I’m told — lent the missionaries a palace woodcutter who had participated in the 1867 reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung Palace. The result was a splendid church marrying royal palace, Buddhist and Western architectural elements. The layout of the church ground, with its gates and bell pavilion, is quite similar to the layout of a Korean Buddhist temple. The dancheong, roof spines and gargoyles recall Korean official buildings such as one might see at one of Seoul’s royal palaces. The interior, meanwhile, is a hanok interpretation of the Western basilica. The church is only open for mass — I’ve been to it three times, and I’ve gotten in only once. If you’d like to see photos of the basilica interior, check out this photo taken last year.

Like Ganghwa Onsuri Anglican Church, Ganghwa Anglican Church has a beautiful hanok-style rectory located behind the church itself.

Ganghwa Anglican Church is a very charming place to visit — it sits atop a hill with a fine view of Ganghwa-eup and the surrounding mountains.

END NOTE: There is another hanok church in Ganghwa that I was hoping to visit, Seodo Central Methodist Church (built in 1923). Unfortunately, it’s located on Jumun Island, a small island an hour-and-a-half off Ganghwa’s west coast, and there are only two boats going there daily — 9:00am and 4:00pm.

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Today Samil-jeol, marking the start of the March 1 Independence Day.

Here are some photos I shot a couple of weeks ago at Seodaemun Prison History Museum for SEOUL magazine. Enjoy.

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The NY Times blog has a little video of an empty North Korean Banquet hall, from a VBS documentary called, “The Vice Guide to North Korea”.

There is more on the VBS documentary here.

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An interesting editorial in the IHT, regarding Russia’s hoarding of 10–15 billion dollars worth of art, taken from the Nazis during WWII, reminds one of other situations, such taken from Korea, by Japan, now a part of China and Russia. If one craves legitimacy, pass a law (Russia) or create a “NorthEast Project“.

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