뉴스레터

"Aloha," greeted Professor Richard D. McBride at Honolulu airport welcoming us. Our visit was to attend the workshop titled "State and Society in the Mature Silla Period" hosted by University of Hawaii at Manoa from June 22 to 26. One of the organizers was Professor McBride, a Silla Buddhism expert, at Brigham Young University, Hawaii.

First we headed for the USS Arizona Memorial where the remains of the battleship, submerged during the attack on Pearl Harbor, was reconstructed and exhibited. The site reminded me of the phrase "Laying the cornerstones of peace upon the war remains." The scar left by the war was in a great contrast with the tranquil and calm scenery of Pearl Harbor, accentuating the importance of peace.

Once arriving at University of Hawaii at Manoa for the workshop, even more impressive than beautiful acacias in full blossom all across the campus was the Center for Korean Studies (picture) with blue giwa (tiles) atop of it, reminiscent of Taewonjeon Shrine in Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul. Inside the 3-decades-old building, Professor Jeon Deog-jae (Gyeongju University) opened the workshop with the presentation of his paper entitled "What Was the Nature of the Ruling Elite in the Eighth and Ninth Centuries?"

Based on his analysis of historical materials and epigraphy, the professor asserted that people with the family name, Kim, usually dominated the high-level officials that came with privileges, as well as low-ranking positions. Professor Yoon Seon-tae (Dongguk University) shed light on the way the central government used the family registration system to grab the control over the rest of regional areas, and compared the system found in Korea, China, and Japan to provide a viable East Asian model.

Center for Korean Studies at University of Hawaii, reminiscent of Taewonjeon in Gyeongbok Palace

The afternoon session highlighted the implication of Silla history in the entire history of ancient Korea. Introducing results of stratigraphy analysis, Professor Ha Il-sik (Yonsei University) asserted that droughts undermined the living conditions of the rural class and led to social turmoil, hastening the demise of autocratic royal power in Unified Silla. Professor Kim Sang-hyun (Dongguk University) observed that the Buddhist group was in fact subordinate to the royal power of Silla, rather than enjoying an equal standing. The last presenter was Professor Lee Ki-dong of Dongguk University who covered a range of research findings with the presentation titled "What Were the Social and Political Causes of the Decline of Silla?"

After the workshop, we visited the Korean gallery at Honolulu Museum, the biggest in Hawaii. Together with some exclusive items, a wide collection of ceramics, paintings (portraits, Buddhism and fork art), folding screens and furniture pieces, representing Gaya, Silla, Goryeo, until the late Joseon period, was in exhibition. In addition to curator's explanation, a detailed written description about Korea's ancient history was provided. We were told that Professor McBride spent 3 months putting together such comprehensive information. I felt deeply grateful for his warm-hearted kindness for his colleagues from Korea.

This experience compelled me to look into our commitment to promoting Korea's culture and history to the world. Korean scholars striving to better understand Korean history, overseas researchers equipped with a good command of Korean as well as intelligence, Korea research centers that nurture such outstanding talents, the Foundation that serves as a bridge between Korean and overseas academia, TV dramas that help viewers easily understand Korean history and culture, and various museums… All of the elements should work in unison in order for our endeavors to pay off and bear fruitful results. I'd like to extend my appreciation to everyone who worked for this workshop. Mahalo!