Newsletter

Professor Bang Hak-bong and I

The Relationship between Bang Hak-bong and I

Bang Hak-bong, who was a professor at Yanbian University, died on March 23 this year. He is an ethnic Korean living in China and has spent his entire life studying the history of Balhae. It was around 1992 that I first met Professor Bang. He was a tall, sturdy, but soft-looking scholar. Since then, I have met him several times in academia. In 2018, NAHF and the Research Institute of Ethnical Issue of Yanbian University have worked together on a project to organize the oral state of the elder ethnic Koreans. So I interviewed him at Professor Bang's house with the research team at Yanbian University. Even then, his health was not good, but he sat upright until the interview was over. And he spoke in a soft, calm tone. I could hear about Professor Bang's life and why he came to study the history of Balhae. In memory of the deceased, I would like to introduce Professor Bang Hak-bong.

After meeting Princess Jeong-Hye, he began studying the history of Balhae

Professor Bang was born on November 6, 1930(the lunar calendar) in Hapsin Village, Hwaryong County, Jilin Province, China. His Origin is Gapsan, North Hamgyong Province. His father moved to Hwaryong County and built a house with logs, farmed and lived. He entered the Department of History at Yanbian University in March 1949 and is the first graduate of the department. In his first year of college, he involved excavations and investigations of the Liudingshan tomb complex in Donhwa. That has become a turning point in his life. At that time, Dean of a faulty Choi Moon-ho and his academic adviser Oh Bong-hyup organized 30 students as excavation team. They ate and slept in the Gangdong Village, a community of ethnic Korean located below Liudingshan. They climbed the mountain, crossed the hills and excavated the tombs. Then one day, two stone lions and a monument were excavated from a tomb. It was the tomb of Princess Jeong-Hye.

The experience became a great stimulus to Professor Bang, and he decided to study the history of Balhae. Professor Bang said: “I have felt something when I encountered the artifacts of Balhae. The types of history learned in the history department of universities are Northeast History, Chinese History, Korean History, and World History. So what part should I study in the future? World History? The history of the provinces? Naturally I came to think of this. I didn’t want to study other subjects. After agonizing, I concluded that I should study the history of Balhae. The reason is that the history of Balhae is ancient history and it is a history that has not been solved. If I reveal an unresolved history, there may be something I can contribute to. Other history has already passed, and I just convey what others have done. These thoughts came to me at some point. So I decided to study the history of Balhae, and I have struggled with that until now.”

The Study of Professor Bang on the History of Balhae

Professor Bang most actively published his thesis in the 1980s and 1990s, and in the 2000s he focused on writing books. So far, among the researchers on the history of Balhae in Korea, China and Japan, he has published the greatest amount of achievements. He has published more than 40 books including studies on the history of Balhae, the history of the people of Northeast China, studies on the culture of Balhae, studies on Buddhism in Balhae, studies on the architecture of Balhae, the castle of Balhae, studies on major transportation routes in Balhae, and studies on the administration of Balhae. In Korea, he also published about seven books, including translated and compiled books. About 113 papers related to Balhae were published. The amount is amazing, but the field also spans the entire area of ​​Ballhae. He was born and lived in the land where Balhae was located, and was able to conduct related research. Such advantages made him a pioneer and a master of studying Balhae.

I asked Mr. Bang where he was most impressed with the remains of Balhae, and if there were any remains of Balhae unknown to academia. He replied that the tomb of Princess Jeong-Hye, which made him decide to study the history of Balhae for a lifetime, was the most impressive. And there is one place where the historical traces remain between the tombs of King Mu and Princess Jeong-Hye, and it has not yet been reported to academia. There were traces of pillar and ondol there, so he thought of it as a house of grave keeper. Unfortunately, a piece of mural was excavated on the east side of Princess Jeong-Hye's tomb, and Professor Bang said he could not study it because he did not see it.

Professor Bang thought that the place where Balhae was founded was Donhwa. The most important thing for Balhae was to defeat the Tang army and find a safe place. So they settled in Donhwa, where the land was flat, the local products were abundant, and the proper landform was equipped, and the conditions were good. And Da-Zuo-Rong secretly resided in Tomu Mountain, setting it as a Fortress and Capital. Da-Zuo-Rong went down to the flat when things got better, and Professor Bang said he once thought of the place as Aodong City. However, when He discussed this issue several times in academia, he thought Yongsheng Site was more likely than Aodong City. Because Aodong City is too small for the palace. However, Yongsheng Site is relatively large, has a lot of artifacts, and there is a Liudingshan with a tomb complex of Balhae in the north. He said that this issue is still being discussed, so we have to think more. He seemed to have in mind that the Chinese academics presented an opinion that 'Mopan Village Fortress is an early palace'.

A Scholar Who Has Not Lost His Way In The Whirlwind of History

He graduated from college in October 1952, and was in Kaiyuan City(Liaoning Province), Sanjiazi(Hunchun City) and Yanbian. And he became a professor at Yanbian University in 1957. From 1958, China entered the period of Great Leap Forward. However, he was not interested in organizational activities, so he devoted himself to academic studies. He thought: ‘I couldn't read all the inscriptions on Princess Jeong-Hye's tombstone, but what else would I do?’ So he studied The Four Books and The Five Classics and read Zhouyi. However, Zhouyi was difficult and could not master it alone.

He focused on studying and joined the right-wing media, so he suffered from the Cultural Revolution. So in 1970, he was decentralized to Antu with his family. However, his wife could not go with her family and suffered a lot in Hunchun. Four years later, Professor Bang moved to textile factory of Antu and taught for four years in junior high school. He set an example there in a sincere manner. China has rewarded him five times. Professor Bang has suffered these difficulties for eight years in the whirlwind of history. He was able to return to Yanbian University in 1978 and re-dedicate himself to research and education.

Professor Bang spent his poor childhood and youth during the Japanese colonial period and Manchukuo period. Still, he did his best to do what was given. He experienced an unbearable situation in the strong waves of Chinese modern history. However, he devoted his life to research, pioneering the unknown field of 'history of Balhae'. He emphasized that Balhae was an independent country. He also said that it is most important to concentrate on the investigation and research of the remains of Balhae and to identify the history and culture of Balhae. I hope that the study of the history of Balhae will be more active with the will of Professor Bang who has been active in China and Korea. Once again, I pray for the soul of Professor Bang Hak-bong.