The study is on colonial cultural properties readjustment policy (investigation, reorganization, exhibition, preservation) by Chosun-Governor office, mainly focusing on research on the historic remains by analyzing laws related to the cultural propert...
The study is on colonial cultural properties readjustment policy (investigation, reorganization, exhibition, preservation) by Chosun-Governor office, mainly focusing on research on the historic remains by analyzing laws related to the cultural properties enforced by the imperialism Japan, documents related to Chosun-Governor office and research report on the Chosun historic remains framed by the office etc.
In general, Chosun cultural properties readjustment policy by the Chosun-Governoroffice during the imperialism Japan specifically developed from plunder (Resident-General period) ->investigation (1910s)->reorganization (1920s)->preservation (1930s)->war mobilization (after 1930s). That is, while Chosun-Governoroffice established a modernized preservation system for historic remains by enacting various laws enough to take control of Chosun properties directly, it pursued a policy to deprive Chosun of traditional respect and formal ceremony on their cultural properties. Even though it helped modernization on the preservation for historic remains, it definitely showed dual face of the colonial cultural properties policy by destroying traditional authority of the historic remains,
To take a close look at, at first the resident-general period was at a time when the Chosun cultural properties was both deprived and investigated. That is, in 1880s, Japan tried to establish Japan-centered order in East Asia for the purpose of taking precautions against the West aggression on Asia and rejected Asia solidarity and the former China-centered order. Yet during that time, there was no legitimate and systematic investigation on the historic remains, so the Chosun and Chinese cultural properties have been deprived forcefully. Then, for Japan had already adopted capitalism and currency concept was strong and they regarded cultural properties as precious value or symbol of wealth. Therefore they loot Chosun of the cultural properties publicly and privately. Partly because then Chosun had let it go because of the ceremonial custom of respect for ancestors on tombs or properties buried in the tombs. And those loot documents were used for Japan to make a theory for justification of the colonial rule
Because not only Chosun had little interests on Buddhism or its tools such as Buddha statues, stone pagodas, but also it regarded them as only religious means, as a custom, Chosun let them be untouched. In result, loot on Buddhist arts like Buddha statues, Buddhist pagodas, and Buddhist pictures had widely been perpetrated.
Since the annexation in 1910, as the Japan realized that the plunder of only cultural properties was not enough to establish its colonial rule, by thorough research, encoding and marking the cultural properties having used to be ceremonial means, it tried to change Chosun traditional culture and cultural mind which had been stumbling block in building up its colonial rule system. Thus, Japan emphasized modernized reorganization of Chosun cultural properties through research on historic remains and strengthened its rule on the key cultural properties. Especially, 「HangGyo properties maintenance provisions」aimed to oppress local Confucian scholars, put them under control and make them cooperated groups to reject Chosun traditional order in a sense. In the other hand, there was hidden reason that, by providing Confucian ruling groups with stable material foundations, Japan tried to convert them to support its colonial rule. And Temple provisions aimed to prevent Buddhist groups from being the members of national movements by reducing monks' complaints on anti-Buddhism as well as controlling Chosun cultural properties systematically. Finally, 「Preservation provisions for historic remains」is a law for Chosun cultural properties research policy originated from anti-traditional viewpoint caused by its forceful colonial rule. Most policies by these laws were quite different from the laws in the mainland Japan. The research on historic remains was implemented by these laws.
Meanwhile, since the beginning of 1920s, as Japan's colonial rule system was transformed toward Chosun, Chosun historic remains research policy became changed. That is, direction of its cultural policy reached to systematic readjustment phase. At this time, as cultural way of modernized order sprayed on a full scale in Japan influenced by Daishou Democracy, modernized restructure of traditional culture was emphasized. At the same time, with the breakup of March 1 movement, national movement groups which had put their efforts on their skill up developed cultural movements based on poor traditionalism. And as a solution of reviving Japan economy, the Japan tightened landlord plan through rice boost plan. This made farmers become poorer and created more complaints from them, making the colonial rule unstable situation.
Therefore, while the imperialism Japan solving these issues and building up its colonial rule tougher, it temporized autonomy to get rid of Chosun's complaints and there was intention of calming down instability of the colonial rule by supporting the skill up and spraying cultural superiority of Chosun. Chosun cultural properties needed reallocation to restraint the national movement side nationalism cultural people who tended to have traditionalism such as NangGa ideology, Chosun Eul, HonBaek ideology, JoGook ideology, Chosun Sim. Due to these factors, the modernized exhibition in the museum of Chosun-Governor office was expanded into local areas where the local annex buildings were opened with various exhibitions. The imperialism Japan chose to assimilate Chosun into the colonial policy through this exhibition in the museum. This made the Chosun cultural properties become marking and encoding in the museum as antiques.
In 1930s with Chosun-Governoroffice having financial crisis, though the historic remains research policy was fading, systematic preservation policy on Chosun cultural properties expanded in this periods when the continental invasion was in earnest performed and it became militaristic trend. Therefore while Japan insisted Japan-Chosun-a-single-body as propaganda means for Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, they did make every effort for the preservation and praise on Chosun traditional culture. On the background, Preservation law for Chosun treasure, properties and natural monument was established, and the various preservation movements were encouraged. This law selected rather properties which were able to prove the relation to Japan as a position of colonial concept or properties adaptable to Japanese cultural style than cultural properties to show Chosun history and culture better. And preservation organization supposed to be independent authority was composed of an official from the Governor office in most cases and depended on their political reason. At the time, Japan implemented to damage the Korean cultural properties when its preservation was against its colonial ideology. In 1943, the Chief of the Educational Bureau in Chosun Governor Office has led to destroy HwangSan Daechup. Because the stone monument was built to memorize the defeat against Japan forces by Tae-Jo Lee, Sung Gye. Through this research analysis, the cultural readjustment policy by the Korean Governor office was a dual-faced policy in which on the one hand it strengthened the cultural assimilation by stuffing Chosun traditional culture, on the other hand, it castrated the cultural individuality. The dual-faced policy was appeared in politics, economy and social sectors as well. The cultural policy by the Chosun-Governoroffice coupled with modernization and anti-traditionalism was not simply concluded as the destruction of the national culture.
Rather the readjustment and preservation policy of the Chosun culture in the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere raised by Japan has caused Chosun to realize its cultural superiority. Then, while it caused Chosun to make a cultural cooperation for Japan under the Japanese colonial era, in the long term, it helped causing Chosun to have self-understanding on their culture and cultural realization. That is, even though the colonial cultural policy was initially planned to transform Chosun culture into the 2nd Japanese or sub-Japanese imperialism culture, it has rather resulted in deeper consideration by Chosun on their cultural individuality except partially expanded pro-Japanese culturism as a result of positive consideration. Chosun made for themselves the unintended result of cultural properties policy by the imperialism Japan, it is considerable perception that this has something to do with the current HanRyu culture.