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Excavation scene of 'Wanfabozi Relic'

On the left lower is Goguryeo Fangtanshikuangjishimu

(source : Jilin Provincial Archives Research Institute(2008))

Large relic to reveal the direction of Gojoseon residents and the origin of Goguryeo culture

'Wanfabozi(萬發撥子) Relic' in Tonghua is a large relic with a complex stack of dolmen culture known as the material culture of Gojoseon, slender bronze dagger culture, materialc culture elements of the Early Goguryeo such as Fangtanjisimu. Until the 1990s, it was known under the name Wangbabozi(王八脖子). Within the excavation area of ​​more than 6,400 square meters, residential areas and tombs from the end of the Neolithic era to the Goguryeo period were found. For this reason, Korean academia has been paying attention to this relic in relation to cultural changes after the fall of Gojoseon, the establishment of Goguryeo, and the origin of Goguryeo culture.

Since the relic was first discovered in 1956, investigations and excavations have been conducted several times in the 1980s and 1990s. However, no specific information on the excavation situation was disclosed. It was selected as the top 10 excavations in China in 1999, and in 2001 it was designated as a national cultural protection unit. However, the excavation report was not published, and there is nothing except a brief report released in 1988. In the meantime, research by a Chinese scholar on individual topics related to Wanfabozi(萬發撥子) Relic has been published intermittently.

China emphasize Han and Tang Dynasty on behalf of Gojoseon and Goguryeo

In 2016, the Changbaisan Folk Museum opened in front of the relic. There are the culture and customs of Manchu people, ethnic Korean living in China, and Mongolian race in Changbaisan area. In 2017, the Tonghua City Museum opened, exhibiting artifacts from prehistoric to Qing Dynasty excavated from the Tonghua area. However, the explanation of the exhibition hall shows that Gija(箕子) is depicted as the founder of Yemaek(濊貊), and the distortion of history is considerable. In 2018, a folk park was built where the relic is located. The park is decorated with only Manchu culture. They promote that 'Wanfabozi Relic' is a representative remains of the upper middle of the Yalu River. And they do not mention Gojoseon or Goguryeo who have been active in this area, but only Manchu people.

In conclusion, the Chinese government established museums and parks to promote the so-called 'unified multi-ethnic state' of the minority in the northeastern part of China and to realize 'popularization of history' in earnest. In fact, it suggests that ‘the Post Northeast Borderland History and the Chain of Events Research Project’ is taking steps to delete the history of Gojoseon and Goguryeo.

Relics of Gojoseon, Buyeo and Goguryeo excavated from 'Wanfabozi Relic'

(source : Jilin Provincial Archives Research Institute(2008))

They organize and promote data from a Chinese historical perspective

In the meantime, Korean academia has not been able to know specific information and circumstances about the relic except for articles published in Chinese academia and media reports. All data relied on individual exploration. For this reason, Korean academia has not made any progress in related studies. Under these circumstances, a comprehensive report was published in September 2019 by the Institute for the Cultural Heritage in Jilin Province and the Office for the Management of the Cultural Heritage in Tonghua city. According to the report, the Yu Jing(余靜) of the Northeast Normal University summarized the data that was conducted from November 2012 to December 2017 after the excavation was completed. The report was published in the following name: 「Jilin Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute·Tonghua Cultural Relics Management Office, 2019, "Archaeological Excavation Report of Wanfa Bozi Site in Tonghua", Science Press」. However, it was well over 60 years after the first discovery in 1956, and over 20 years after the excavation, some of the records were lost. Some of the relics were corrupted or lost. So it was not forever known about the second detailed survey conducted in 1985 and the excavation survey conducted in 1987.

Since the publication of the comprehensive report, its outline and the importance of relic have been introduced to Korea. The Institute on Pre-modern Korean History at NAHF published a trend report and conducted joint research with academia to hold academic conferences. Relic has already been interpreted from the Chinese historical perspective, and the contents of the report are mainly composed of Chinese history. It was a situation where we could not see relics and artifacts. However, this is why comprehensive analysis of Wanfabozi Relic is needed in Korean academia.

The need for reading history for coexistence and peace in East Asia

China seems to have begun erasing the history of Gojoseon and Goguryeo. Goguryeo history has disappeared in the recently revised history textbooks in China. The explanatory edition of the museum visited by the public is written as follows. Gojoseon or Buyeo are written as Han, and Goguryeo is written as Sui or Tang. The wrong border on the history map, we can correct it by judging what is right and what is wrong. The confusion of facts can be corrected through academic discussions. It will take time, but it is worth a try. But what should we do about it that is not even mentioned? How will we stop their intention to forget?

China is reorganizing history of East Asia, focusing on its own history. It doesn't put China at the forefront like the way it was in the past. Now they claim the unified multi-ethnic Chinese nation with 'multi-ethnic'. They abandoned the former Chinese discourse that advanced China civilized the surrounding countries. Instead, they began to claim the 'Neo-Sinocentrism' that multi-ethnic cultures converged to become China and that China spread to the surroundings. This framework of historical description for East Asia seems to have the effect of gathering China composed of multi-ethnic people.

But this threatens coexistence and peace in East Asia. The current patriotism in China is not irrelevant. The violence of Chinese people at the 2008 Beijing Olympic torch relay ceremony and the collective action of Chinese students at the University of Toronto can be examples.

History is a record of interaction between human beings, humans and nature. Culture is the totality of this interaction. History and culture cannot be established alone. As a result of the interaction between East Asia and China, it can overcome the narrow and anachronistic history description. Research is needed for this.