Review: Invincible and Righteous Outlaw: The Korean Hero Hong Gildong in Literature, History, and Culture

Invincible and Righteous Outlaw: The Korean Hero Hong Gildong in Literature, History, and Culture by Minsoo Kang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At this point the story, author and meaning behind Hong Gildong are so accepted that the author finds himself in the situation of having to basically prove a negative. He has to prove that Heo Gyun did not - and could not - write the story, and has to go into detail as to all the reasons why, as well as how the story fits the literature and society of 19th century Korea so much more than 16th century Korea.

Still, I loved the deep dive in the story of this Korean Robin Hood. I'd say this is THE definitive work on research into the origins and effects of the Hong Gildong story.




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Review: Transactions of the Korea Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, Volume 1

Transactions of the Korea Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, Volume 1 by Royal Asiatic Society
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a gem! A reprinting of the first-ever issue of Transactions. I got this at the RASK offices in Seoul. The first two essays concern the Chinese influence (one emphasizing that it is large, and the other rebutting saying it isn't so), and then there is some commentary, and an essay on the Buddha of Eun-jin. 

What is fascinating is that these discussions are taking place during the Chosun dynasty, so we get to see a foreigners' (quite well-informed, imho) view of Korea prior to any Japanese colonization, North-South division, etc.. 

An oddity: This claims King Se-jo (not Sejong) had metal types cast and developed a new alphabet (Hangul), and that it happened in 1406, so before Sejong's reign. This can't be right, can it? 

Some of my notes:

The author says he met people who still cut off their fingers (and fed the blood to their parents??) to show their filial piety. 

The Qing dynasty apparently wasn't respected in Korea during the Chosun dynasty, since they were Manchus. 

Korean native histories are almost impossible to find at this time. Almost all history in school and elsewhere deals solely with China (sort of like Taiwan now maybe??)

There is still native contempt for Hangul script. I guess it really was revived only after the Japanese occupation. 

A list of the most important Korean holidays are Samyungil, Hansik, Tano, and Chinese Harvest Home festival (Chuseok??)

文獻通考 is almost the only Chinese authority on Korea from back then. 

This claims King Sejo (世祖， not Sejong) had metal types cast and developed a new alphabet (Hangul), and that it happened in 1406, so before Sejong's reign. This can't be right, can it?

It says "The green cloak worn by women as a veil over their heads" is not Chinese but Korean. What is this??

 

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Review: The Catholic Church in Korea: Its Origins, 1566-1784

The Catholic Church in Korea: Its Origins, 1566-1784 by Juan Ruiz de Medina
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A rather fascinating look into the origins of the Korean Catholic Church. Of course, pretty much zero percent of the book actually deals with Korea. It discusses how the first Korean converts were Koreans in exile in Japan (several thousand of them apparently), and how they brought the religion back to Korea. And then, several monks in China were trying to go to Korea to convert people, but apparently never made it. From then on, any information re: actual Catholic converts in Korea is pure conjecture. It seems like they existed, and even now several Catholic families date themselves back to the early 1600's apparently. But still, unfortunately we don't really have any concete information about the start of the Catholic church within Korea. 

Also, the fact that the author doesn't seem to speak/read Chinese or Korean seems like a weakness. I can't help wondering if he's missing anything. 

Having said all that, I did find the book to be a very interesting look, and I was rather amazed at how much documentation we have about these monks and priests around East Asia in the 1500s and 1600s. 

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Review: Naval Surgeon In Yi Korea: The Journal Of George W. Woods

Naval Surgeon In Yi Korea: The Journal Of George W. Woods by Fred C. Bohm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love these types of books, and for his time Woods seems to be pretty reliable and kept a very detailed journal. He seems to be quite enthralled with Korea and its people (again, given the times). 

Some of my highlights:

"I have never been so surprised at any sight as I was at the beauty, symmetry, and one might say grandeur, of this gateway, as well as with the artistic construction of both gateway and wall" (p.36, in reference to Namdaemun (South gate)? 

"She (Mrs. Foote) and Mrs. Mohlendorff are the only European ladies who have ever been in Seoul, and yet they have never met" (p. 43. Apparently there was some feud between their husbands?)

"After curfew, no man must go into the street, but women are allowed to wander until 1 a.m." (p. 52)

"The Colonel informed me - a Corean compliment - that I looked much older than 46" (P. 58)

"tea houses do not exist, because the people do not drink tea, as a rule" (p. 67)

"This is the sort of pageantry I like to see, something that in a few years will belong to the past, when the King will move like other civilised potentates and perhaps forget his ancestors, as our sceptical sovereigns have forgotten their religious duties" (p. 97, regarding a royal procession)

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Review: Genesis of East Asia, 221 B.C.-A.D. 907

Genesis of East Asia, 221 B.C.-A.D. 907 by Charles Holcombe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This had been on my wishlist forever, and I'm glad I read it. If you've read a smattering of the history of East Asian countries, this is a good book to bring it all together and see how they all relate. The section on Vietnam, especially, was all new to me (as well as the Southern Chinese "Yue" culture). 

I could have done without the final chapter on evolution, Darwinism, etc. 

Some of my notes:

"This was especially true in a China where it is doubtful that anyone ever normally spoke the classical written language aloud in ordinary conversation. In traditional China, the written language - "the only real language in the minds of many" - had not the slightest things to do with the modern vernacular". (p. 65)

From the beginning of the (Tang) dynasty... an "unbelievably high proportion" of those who were registered turned out to be women, who were conveniently largely tax exempt. (p. 83)

An instructive recent parallel may be found in the creation of the "Manchu" ethnic identity at the time of the establishment of the Qing dynasty in China in the seventeenth century. "There was, in fact, no traditional 'Manchu' culture or identity." There had been no previous Manchu "nation". Instead, there had been only a scattering of relatively small Tungusics-speaking bands. (p. 113)

...in the early seventh century, it was possible to observe of Paekche that their "current language and ceremonial apparel are roughly the same as in Koguryo". (p. 175)

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Review: A Slow Walk through Jeong-dong

A Slow Walk through Jeong-dong by Michael Gibb
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another book I'm reading during COVID so I can vicariously travel, using it and google streetview (or Kakaomaps) as a guide. 

This is excellent. I wish more travel books were written in this manner. I took copious notes on the locations and their history. Some of the coffee shops and restaurants seem to be gone, but otherwise I can't wait until I'm back in Seoul and can take an afternoon to follow this itinerary. 

I keep hoping the author will do the same for other parts of Seoul, but I guess that is too much to ask. 

Some random notes I took:

Jeongno gil used to be called Legation Street, when Western countries first set up their embassies

Horace G. Underwood founded Chosun Christian College (which joined another school to become Yonsei)

Mary F. Scranton founded Ewha girls' school

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Review: Early Korean Literature: Selections and Introductions

Early Korean Literature: Selections and Introductions by David R. McCann
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The first part of this book was excellent. I appreciated the journey through the different types of Korean Literature over time, with an introduction explaining each one followed by some examples. 

One of my favorites:

Jade Green Stream, don't boast so proud

of your easy passing through these blue hills.

Once you have reached the broad sea

to return again will be hard. 

While the bright Moon fills these empty hills,

why not pause? Then go on, if you will.

-Hwang Chin-i (#2056)

The last part, however, (Negotiations in Korean Literary Culture) was way over my head. The analyses seem to be aimed at experts in the field, and I think I absorbed very little of it all. 

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Review: Korean Travel Literature

Korean Travel Literature by Tae Joon Kim
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I confess I found this book useful mostly as a list of other books I'd like to find and read. It discusses Korean authors who have had something to do with travel over the centuries and dynasties. So, people who were exiled, who got lost abroad, who went on pilgrimages, who traveled within Korea and who were captured. It doesn't really go enough into detail for any of them to really get a sense of what they said or what they wrote about. So basically I am using it as a reference for finding whatever books I can in translation, at least until my Korean gets good enough to read them in Korean (or Chinese characters, as the case may be).


These authors/works have now been added to my wishlist:
Hye Cho's "memoir of a pilgrimage",
The women traveler/writers: Kim Geum-won and Lady Nam,
Yu Kil-chun,
Kim chun tae,
jeong yak yong and jeon yak-jeon (two exiled brothers),
Choe ik-hyeon,
Kim Ryeo,
Choe Bu's "Record of Drifting across the sea",
Kang Hang's "Memorials of a loyal subject" (experiences of a captive in Japan during the Hideyoshi invasion),
Shenyang Reports,
Nogajae's journal,
Damheon's Yanjing memoir,
Jehol diary (already on my list),
Shin Yu-han's "Journal of travel to Japan",
You Hong-june's "My exploration of cultural heritage"

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Review: The Korean Way

The Korean Way by Edward B. Adams
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It is interesting to read books like this so as to see how Korea was perceived by outsiders back in the 70s. I doubt this book is still in print, and there's no real reason for it to be, but it was good to read in a short session. The most interesting chapter was probably the one by Alice Rhee, returning to Korea after having grown up in the U.S., and her impressions of the school system during the late 70s.

Also, this book claims that Ewha University was the "largest women's college in the world". I wonder if that was really the case. It also included a nice brief summary of all Chosun dynasty kings (which they call the Yi dynasty).

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Review: Goguryeo: In Search of Its Culture and History

Goguryeo: In Search of Its Culture and History by Ho-T'Ae Chon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this, although it gave me the impression of a collection of writings next to museum exhibits (it isn't). The best part was probably the paintings, and it is beyond me how they could decipher some of them, seeing how faded they are. Also, it is a pity that so many of the sites are in North Korea, since we probably could have much more details about this kingdom otherwise.

I found it odd that they left a history of the kingdom to the end, rather than start with it at the beginning.

Also odd that there wasn't a section on their language. This was one of the points I'm was most curious about. Was it closer to Korean or Manchurian? A mixture? Neither of the two? I don't know. It isn't even mentioned.



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Review: The Story of Hong Gildong

The Story of Hong Gildong by Unknown
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

A fun story. Sort of a cross between Robin hood and Water Margin (水滸傳), with a Journey to the West feel to it.
While it's fun and quick, there isn't all that much more going for it. But it seems to be part of the canon of Korean literature, so still worth getting to know.

Also, I was kind of annoyed at how the whole premise of the story was that he, as the son of a concubine, couldn't "call his father his father and call his brother his brother", but then once he becomes ruler over his kingdom, he still gets concubines and treats their sons as lesser sons.

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Review: Ginseng and Borderland: Territorial Boundaries and Political Relations Between Qing China and Choson Korea, 1636-1912

Ginseng and Borderland: Territorial Boundaries and Political Relations Between Qing China and Choson Korea, 1636-1912 by Seonmin Kim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I found myself wondering if this book was written as part of the whole fight over the border between Korea and China, which I seem to remember was in the news a few years ago. Regardless, it deals almost entirely with that, and it changes nothing regarding the fact that it was pretty much the Yalu and Tumen rivers.

However, the book itself is very interesting. Obviously the border was never an issue before the Qing dynasty, since that area was Manchuria. Also, it seems like Ginseng was the main reason anyone had any interest in that area. Apparently some of the best Ginseng in the world grew there (but was over farmed, so you probably won't find any there now).

Interesting how the Chosun court gave Mu-ke-deng a faulty map, which placed the border somewhat more North than what it should have been, but this never got corrected nor was cared about too much. In fact, the Chosun court worried about it more and then found it a burden to try to send people to that area.
The more secure the Qing government was in its control over China, the more leeway they gave the Chosun government as regards the border, since they didn't feel any threat.

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Review: The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyŏng: The Autobiographical Writings of a Crown Princess of Eighteenth-Century Korea

The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyŏng: The Autobiographical Writings of a Crown Princess of Eighteenth-Century Korea by Lady Hyegyeong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's interesting how she, as the wife of a prince and mother of the king, hoped future generations of her family would not serve in court, since she saw it as fraught with trouble and badmouthing and backstabbing, and would rather they just live and work away from the royal palace.

Also, understanding these are personal memoirs, and that, as a woman, she was kept apart from the governing issues of the royal family, it still struck me how her whole life revolved around palace intrigue and politics. She claims multiple times that no one suffers as she does, not really taking into account everything going on outside the palace walls.

Regardless, an interesting read. The last book is definitely the most interesting, since it tells the story of Prince Sado's descent into madness and imprisonment in the rice chest. I'm guessing he was a paranoid-schizophrenic, although I'm not sure. Wikipedia didn't help much.

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