Roots of the March First Movement As Non-Violent, Ordinary People's Search for Justice of the March First Movement As Non-Viol
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Vo,7 No.1 March 30, 2017 Roots of the March First Movement as Non-Violent, Ordinary People’s Search for Justice of the March First Movement as Non-violent, Ordinary People’s Search for Justice Yung Chul Lee (Ph.D. Political Science, Dept of Public Administration, Chonnam National University) Abstract Roots of the March First Movement as Non-violent, Ordinary People’s Search for Justice The March First Movement of 1919 in Korea, widely accepted as a new type of movement based on the non- violence and engagement of ordinary people, has attracted many scholars to study its historical character. Yet, there are few studies on the roots of the Movement spirit. This paper introduces a unique approach, offered by Moon-Young Lee. Lee traced the roots of the Movement in four moments in a Korean history: first, ideals of ancient Koreans; Pungryu-do in Silla dynasty; Donghak and Christian movement at the end of Joseon dynasty. Lee examined the character of the agent, goal to be achieved and the means to achieve the goal in each of four moments. Comparing the four, Lee found out that there are continuity and evolution in the four moments, which explain the extraordinary feat by ordinary people in the non-violent peaceful demand of independence. Key words : Non-violence, Moon-Young Lee, March First Movement, Pungryudo, Donghak, Christianity in Korea 25 WEIS (World Environment and Island Studies) Introduction of Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Lee shows how those four ideals are translated into the spirits of The March First Movement of 1919 has been March First Movement. recognized as ‘the’ most significant moment in the This paper is composed of four sections. Following modern history of Korea. The historical significance introduction, it outlines major features of 3-1 of 3-1 Movement was widely recognized at the Movement in the second section; in the third, it time of its occurrence. McKenzie, well-known for discusses major characteristics of four moments; his book, “The Tragedy of Korea (1908), stated and, finally, it places Lee’s view in his time. already in 1920 as follows (1920, 5-6): The peaceful uprising of the people of Korea The March First Movement of 1919 and its against Japan in the spring of 1919 came as a world Spirits surprise. Here was a nation that had been ticketed and docketed by world statesmen as degenerate The March First Movement broke out in March and cowardly, revealing heroism of a very high order 1, 1919. Nine years after the Japanese formal ……. The Koreans took their stand - their women colonization of Korea in 1910, Koreans proclaimed and children by their side - without weapons independence. The Movement came as “a world and without means of defense. They pledged surprise” (McKenzie, op. cit.). Korean people themselves ahead to show no violence….. It seems endured under the cruel Japanese rule and, at last, evident that either the world made a mistake in its took their stand against the brutality of Japanese first estimate of Korean character, or these people rule with bare hands, shouted ‘man-se’ and have experienced a new birth. Which is the right demonstrated to the world that Koreans were under explanation? Maybe both. severe colonial repression. They took the Japanese gendarmerie and military by surprise as well. The McKenzie’s assessment of Korean people’s Japanese government did not know, for a while, struggle towards liberty was broadly accepted by how to respond to unarmed ordinary Koreans, most at the time. The evaluation of the Movement who just shouted ‘Korea’s Independence Manse.’ as a watershed is widely shared in the current The Movement lasted two months and remained literature as well (e.g., J.B. Kim, 2000). peaceful till April 30 despite the cruel treatment of Despite the general consensus on the character demonstrators. and historical significance of the Movement, there is The 3-1 Movement was organized and led by not much discussion on the roots of the Movement a group of religious leaders - mostly Chondo- spirit. It is not easy to pinpoint contributing ideas of gyo and Christianity - and students (Kim, J.B. social movements, especially when the country, on 2000; Shin, Y.H. 2001). Yet, all Koreans involved in the brink of collapse, was fraught with conflicting demonstration: old and young; low and high in social ideas - old and new, Eastern and Western, religious status; men and women, Chondo-gyo believers, and secular, with different degrees of formalization. Christians and Buddhists; residents in cities and Without a proper theoretical perspective, it is not countryside across the country, etc. The number of easy to fill the lacunae; some are short-sighted demonstrations, reported by the Japanese police, while others look too far back in the past. What reached over 1,200 and demonstrators, over one is required is to have a historical understanding million.3 Yet, demonstrators did not use violence, no and a proper theoretical framework. Only when fire on Japanese houses or stores. As aptly put, “it we meet the requirements, we may understand, was a demonstration, not a riot” (McKenzie 1920, to paraphrase McKenzie, both constant Korean 252). character and its new birth in the Movement. It is not accidental that the Movement was In this paper, I examine Moon-Young Lee’s view peaceful. The leaders tried to ensure the of 3-1 Movement, which, I believe, captures what movement was peaceful. The Proclamation of the is constant and new in the 3-1 Movement. Lee Independence asked people to be non-violent and traces the ideational roots of the 3-1 Movement show a moral superiority. Three Action Pledges of in the four moments of Korean history, i.e., a the Proclamation summarized its action principles foundation story of Korean tribe before the state in a following manner: First, justice, humanity, formation, Pungryu1 during Silla Kingdom (B.C. 57 survival, and prosperity; so we act solely in the - A.D. 935), Innaechon2 and Christianity at the end spirit of liberty, never in the spirit of enmity; Second, we express the will of the Korean people 1) Pungryu (풍류 風流) literally means ‘streams of wind.’ 2) Innaechon (인내천 人乃天) literally means ‘people are sky.’ This 3) E.S Park reported that there were over 1,500 demonstrations is a key to the Donghak (Eastern Learning). and over two million people participated. 26 Vo,7 No.1 March 30, 2017 to the last person and to the last moment; Third, The spirit of 3-1 Movement affected later we will respect order in all our actions, ensuring our democratic movements, including April Student demeanor and claims honorable and upright. Movement of 1960, democratization movements Koreans’ non-violence and Japanese cruelty were from the mid-1970s to mid-1980s and a recent represented succinctly by numbers. Japanese candlelight vigil in 2016-2017. It is common and casualties, according to the Japanese documents, plausible to connect the 3-1 Movement with later were 8 deaths (6 gendarmerie members; 2 democratic movements, for the 3-1 spirit was policemen) and 158 injuries (91 gendarmerie invoked frequently by major actors in the later members, 61 policemen, 4 soldiers, 2 civil movements and they were non-violent protests. servants). It is evident that demonstrators fought What about its precursors? Is there a Korean (or were forced to fight) against the police and the character which explains the Movement spirit? Are military, not against any civilian Japanese. E. S. there distinct streams of thoughts which flowed Park, prominent historian and independence fighter, into the spirits? Can we find a Korean character and reported the number of the Korean casualties and a new birth in the march first movement? damages during the period of March 1 - May 31 as follows: 7,509 deaths, 15,961 injuries, 46,948 arrested. Damaged Korean buildings included Search for the Roots of the March First 47 churches, 2 schools and 715 houses (cited in Movement Spirit Shin 2001, 215). Koreans were exposed to brutal Japanese attacks and still they resisted peacefully. There were many conflicting and competing ideas The historic significance of the Movement before the 3-1 Movement, making it difficult to is immediate and profound. It was a historical pinpoint the roots of the Movement. The Korean moment, a watershed. As J.B. Kim put it (2000, society before the Movement was in extreme 1-2), turmoil for the fifty years. It underwent internal rebellion; failed reform movements; forced opening The March First Movement is likened to be the of the country to foreign powers; imperialist highest peak in the rugged range of mountains wars, shaping the destiny of declining Korea, first of modern Korean history and also likened to be between China and Japan (1894-95), then between the greatest lake into which all the streams of Russia and Japan (1904-1905); eventual collapse of independence movements flowed and from which Joseon Dynasty (1910); Japanese colonial rule; and the end of the First World War(1918). In addition, all the later streams flowed down……. It provided Korea had more than two thousand years of rich and new awakening and courage to our national long traditions of adopting foreign ideas and making consciousness and national spirit. original thoughts. To winnow out the implausible from the plausible roots of the Movement, we need Awakening the national consciousness, the 3-1 a theoretical framework and a historical perspective. Movement gave impetus to overseas Koreans’ efforts to establish their own government. In Moon-Young Lee (1927-2014) and the 3-1 September 1919, those efforts resulted in the Movement establishment of Provisional Government of Korea in This paper presents and discusses Moon-Young Shanghai, China.