An Jung-geun
Execution by hanging | |
---|---|
Known for | Assassinating Itō Hirobumi in 1909 |
Parents |
|
Awards | Order of Merit for National Foundation (Posthumously) |
Korean name | |
Hangul | 안중근 |
Hanja | 安重根 |
Revised Romanization | An Jung-geun |
McCune–Reischauer | An Chunggŭn |
An Jung-geun (
He is remembered as a martyr in both South and North Korea for his 1909 assassination of the Japanese politician Itō Hirobumi, who had previously served as the Resident-General of Korea and first Prime Minister of Japan. An was imprisoned and later executed by Japanese authorities on 26 March 1910.
He was posthumously awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 1962 by the South Korean government, the most prestigious civil decoration in the Republic of Korea, for his efforts for Korean independence.[4]
Biography
Early accounts
An was born on 2 September 1879, in Haeju, Hwanghae Province, Joseon. He was the first son of An Taehun and Jo Maria , of the Sunheung An clan (순흥 안씨; 順興 安氏). Ahn is the 26th great-grandson of Ahn Hyang. His childhood name was An Eungchil (안응칠; 安應七; [ɐn ɯŋtɕʰiɭ]). The name originated from seven dots on the chest and stomach, meaning that it was born in accordance with the energy of the Big Dipper.[5] As a boy, he learned Chinese literature and Western sciences, but was more interested in martial arts and marksmanship. Kim Ku, a future leader of the Korean independence movement who had taken refuge in An Tae-hun's house at the time, wrote that young An Jung-geun was an excellent marksman, liked to read books, and had strong charisma.[6]
At the age of 16, An entered the
At the age of 25, he started a coal business, but devoted himself to the education of Korean people after the
Assassination of Itō Hirobumi
In October 1909, An passed the Imperial Japanese guards at the
Afterwards, An was arrested by Russian guards who held him for two days before turning him over to Japanese colonial authorities. When he heard the news that Itō had died, he made the sign of the cross in gratitude. An was quoted as saying, "I have ventured to commit a serious crime, offering my life for my country. This is the behavior of a noble-minded patriot."[7] Wilhelm gave last rites to An, ignoring the bishop of Korea's order not to. An insisted that the captors call him by his baptismal name, Thomas.[citation needed]
In court, An claimed to be a lieutenant general of the
"15 reasons why Itō Hirobumi should be killed.
- Assassinating the Korean Empress Myeongseong
- Dethroning the
Emperor Gojong- Forcing 14 unequal treaties on Korea
- Massacring innocent Koreans
- Usurping the authority of the Korean government by force
- Plundering Korean railroads, mines, forests, and rivers
- Forcing the use of Japanese banknotes
- Disbanding the Korean armed forces
- Obstructing the education of Koreans
- Banning Koreans from studying abroad
- Confiscating and burning Korean textbooks
- Spreading a rumor around the world that Koreans wanted Japanese protection
- Deceiving the Japanese Emperor by saying that the relationship between Korea and Japan was peaceful when in truth it was full of hostility and conflicts
- Breaking the peace of Asia
- Assassinating the Emperor Kōmei.[12][10]
I, as a lieutenant general of the Korean resistance army, killed the criminal Itō Hirobumi because he disturbed the peace of the Orient and estranged the relationship between Korea and Japan. I hoped that if Korea and Japan be friendlier and are ruled peacefully, they would be a model all throughout the five continents. I did not kill Itō misunderstanding his intentions."
Imprisonment and death
An's Japanese captors showed sympathy to him. He recorded in his autobiography that the public prosecutor, Mizobuchi Takao, exclaimed "From what you have told me, it is clear that you are a righteous man of East Asia. I can't believe a sentence of death will be imposed on a righteous man. There's nothing to worry about." He was also given
Judge Hirashi, who presided over An's trial, had promised An that a stay of execution for at least a few months would be granted, but
During his imprisonment, An was excommunicated by the Catholic church for Ito's assassination, viewed negatively by the church. This excommunication was lifted posthumously in 1993.[15]
An dictated in his will that his body be buried in Harbin Park in China and then relocated to his homeland if Korea achieved independence but his request was not honoured.[16] According to records, he was buried near the prison; the Korean government has not received cooperation from the Japanese government regarding the location of his burial.[17] Hyochang Park in Seoul contains a grassy mound that serves as an honorary grave for An.[18]
Views
Some historians hold that Itō's death resulted in the acceleration of the final stage of the colonization process,[7] but the claim has been disputed by some.[19]
Pan-Asianism
An strongly believed in the union of the three great countries in East Asia, China, Korea, and Japan in order to counter and fight off Western imperialism, namely, Western countries that controlled parts of Asia, and restore East Asian independence. He followed the progress of Japan during the Russo-Japanese War and claimed that he and his compatriots were delighted at hearing of the defeat of one of the agents of western imperialism, but were disappointed that the war ended before Russia was totally subjugated.[citation needed]
According to Donald Keene, author of Emperor of Japan: Meiji and His World, 1852–1912, An Jung-Geun was an admirer of Emperor Meiji of Imperial Japan.[7] One of the 15 charges An leveled against Itō was that he had deceived the Emperor of Japan, whom An felt desired peace in East Asia and Korean independence. An requested that Meiji be informed of his reasons for his execution of Itō in the hopes that if Meiji understood his reasons, the emperor would realize how mistaken Itō's policies were and would rejoice. An also felt sure that most Japanese felt similar hatred for Itō, an opinion he formed from talking with Japanese prisoners in Korea.[7] During An's prison sentence and trial, many Japanese prison guards, lawyers, and even prosecutors were inspired by him.[20]
An felt that with the death of Itō, Japan and Korea could become friends because of the many traditions that they shared. He hoped that this friendship, along with China, would become a model for the world to follow. His thoughts on Pan-Asianism were stated in his essay, "On Peace in East Asia" (東洋平和論; 동양평화론) that he worked on and left unfinished before his execution.[7][21] In this work, An recommends the organization of combined armed forces and the issue of joint banknotes among Korea, Japan, and China. Sasagawa Norikatsu (笹川紀勝), a Professor of Law at Meiji University, highly praises An's idea as an equivalent of the European Union and a concept that preceded the concept of the League of Nations by 10 years.[22]
Legacy
The assassination of Itō by An was praised by Koreans and many Chinese as well, who were struggling against Japanese invasion at the time. Well-known Chinese political leaders such as Yuan Shikai, Sun Yat-sen, and Liang Qichao wrote poems acclaiming An.[23]
In the 2010 An Jung-Geun Symposium in Korea, Wada Haruki (和田春樹), an activist who once worked at
On 26 March 2010, a nationwide centenary tribute to An was held in South Korea, including a ceremony led by the Prime Minister
Ancestry
An's family produced many other Korean independence activists. An's cousin An Myeong-Geun (안명근; 安明根) attempted to assassinate
Meanwhile, An Jung-Geun's youngest son,
This section needs additional citations for verification. (October 2022) |
- Grandfather
- An In-su (안인수; 安仁壽)
- Father
- An Tae-hun (안태훈; 安泰勳)
- Mother
- Jo Maria (趙瑪利亞, 조마리아) of the Baecheon Jo clan (배천 조씨; 6 May 1862 – 25 July 1927)
- Sister[citation needed]
- Younger sister: An Seong-nyeo (안성녀; 1881–1954)
- Brother
- Younger brother: An Jeong-geun (안정근; 安定根; 17 January 1887 – 17 March 1949)
- Sister-in-law: Yi Jeong-seo (이정서)
- Nephew: An Won-saeng (안원생)
- Niece: An Mi-saeng (안미생)
- Nephew: An Jin-saeng (안진생; 28 January 1916 – 24 December 1988)
- Niece-in-law: Park Tae-jeong (박태정)
- Grandniece: An Gi-su (안기수)
- Grandniece: An Gi-ryeo (안기려)
- Niece-in-law: Park Tae-jeong (박태정)
- Sister-in-law: Yi Jeong-seo (이정서)
- Younger brother: An Gong-geun (안공근; 安恭根; 11 July 1889 – 30 May 1939)
- Nephew: An Woo-saeng (안우생; 安偶生; 1907–1997)
- Nephew: An Nak-saeng (안낙생; 安樂生; 22 June 1913 – 1950)
- Niece: Lady An
- Nephew-in-law: Han Ji-seong (한지성; 韓志成)
- Niece: Lady An
- Younger brother: An Jeong-geun (안정근; 安定根; 17 January 1887 – 17 March 1949)
- Wife
- Kim Ah-ryeo (김아려; 金亞麗)
- Children
- Son: An Mun-saeng (안문생; 安文生)
- Daughter: An Hyeon-saeng (안현생; 1902–1959)
- Son-in-law: Hwang Il-cheong (황일청)
- Granddaughter: Hwang Eun-ju (황은주)
- Granddaughter: Hwang Eun-sil (황은실)
- Son-in-law: Hwang Il-cheong (황일청)
- Son: An Jun-saeng (안준생; 安俊生; 1907 – November 1951)
- Daughter-in-law: Jeong Ok-nyeo (정옥녀; 鄭玉女; 1905–?)
- Grandson: An Ung-ho (안웅호; 雄浩)
- Granddaughter: An Yeon-ho (안연호; 1938 – 6 February 2011)
- Granddaughter: An Seon-ho (안선호; ? – 2003)
- Daughter-in-law: Jeong Ok-nyeo (정옥녀; 鄭玉女; 1905–?)
- Cousins[citation needed]
- An Myeong-geun (안명근,安明根; 1879–1927)
- An Hong-geun (안홍근)
- An Bong-geun (안봉근; 安奉根)
- Grandnephew: An Chun-saeng (안춘생; 安椿生; 12 August 1912 – 26 January 2011)
Calligraphic works
An is highly renowned for calligraphy works. While he was in prison, many prison guards such as Chiba Toshichi (千葉十七) who respected him, made requests to An for calligraphy works.[20] He left many calligraphy works which were written in the jail of
Memorial Halls
Memorial halls for An were erected in
According to local sources in China dated on 22 March 2017, the An Jung-geun Memorial Hall located at Harbin Railway Station was recently relocated to a Korean art museum in Harbin City amid China's retaliation over South Korea's deployment of the U.S. THAAD antimissile system.[30] The Memorial Hall has since been reopened in the Harbin Railway Station after renovation work.[31]
Controversies
Historically, the Japanese government has generally deemed An Jung-geun as a terrorist and criminal, while South Korea has upheld An as a national hero. In January 2014, Yoshihide Suga, then a Japanese government spokesperson and former Japanese Prime Minister, described the Harbin memorial hall honoring An in China as "not conducive to building peace and stability" between East Asian countries. China, on the other hand has declared that An was a "famous anti-Japanese high-minded person" while South Korea's foreign ministry stated An was a "highly respected figure."[32]
In February 2017, South Korean police were criticized for using a picture of An in posters put up in the city of Incheon.[33] The poster warned of terrorism, and many South Korean citizens online criticized the police, asking "if it was meant to imply if An was a terrorist". A police officer in the Korea Times apologized and clarified that there was no intention to associate An with terrorism, and all posters were taken down.[34]
In popular culture
In 1959, South Korean film King Gojong and martyr An Jung-Geun was the first movie about An Jung-geun, and is a dramatized story about the event.[35] The 1979 North Korean film An Jung Gun Shoots Itō Hirobumi is another dramatized story of the event.[36] The 2004 South Korean film Thomas An Jung-geun (토마스 안중근) is another dramatized story of the event.[37] Released on September 10, 2004, it is directed by Seo Se-won. An Jung-Geun is played by actor Yu Oh-seong and Itō Hirobumi is played by Yoon Joo-sang.
A Chinese-South Korean co-production, The Age of Heroes, is being planned as a Korean drama for 2019. The Age of Heroes is planned to be 24 episodes long and entirely pre-produced with a budget of 30 billion won. Filming will begin by the end of 2018 with locations in South Korea, China, and North Korea.[38]
A fictionalized explanation of the events is presented in an episode of the fifteenth season of The Murdoch Mysteries, a Canadian murder mystery show. In the episode, entitled Patriot Games, a dead body in a Toronto cellar leads to an explanation of An Jung-geun's assassination plot wherein rogue Russian agents play a part, requiring swift action to prevent the outbreak of a potential world war.[39]
See also
References
- Chung, K. (1910/2004). 대한계년사 9 [History of Korean Empire Vol. 9]. Seoul, South Korea: Somyung. ISBN 89-5626-094-X
- Itō, Y. (2009). 伊藤博文 近代日本を創った男 [Itō Hirobumi – A man who modernized Japan]. Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-215909-0.
- Jansen, M. B. (1961). Sakamoto Ryoma and the Meiji Restoration. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-0785-5
- Kang, J. (2007). 한국근대사산책 5 [Modern history of Korea Vol.5]. Seoul, South Korea: Inmulgwa Sasang. ISBN 978-89-5906-075-7
- Kim, G. (1928/1997). 백범일지 [Baekbeomilji]. Seoul, Korea: Hakminsa. ISBN 89-7193-086-1
- Nam, K. (1999). 종횡무진 동양사 [History of Eastern Asia] Seoul, South Korea: Greenbee. ISBN 89-7682-051-7
- Ravina, M. (2004). The last samurai: The life and battles of Saigo Takamori. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-08970-2
Notes
- ^ ""Peace of East Asia" Thesis written by An Jung-geun in 1910". Archived from the original on 2013-02-13. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
- ISBN 0-8047-5408-X.
- ^ "安重根外三名ニ対スル判決 - Wikisource". ja.wikisource.org (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-11-09.
- ^ "안중근". terms.naver.com.
- ^ "안중근". terms.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-04-03.
- ^ Kim, G. (1928/1997, p.48)
- ^ ISBN 0-231-12340-X.
- ISBN 0824820800. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- ^ Kang.(2007, p.131)
- ^ a b Franklin, Rausch (1 December 2013). "The Harbin An Jung-Geun Statue: A Korea/China-Japan Historical Memory Controversy". The Asia-Pacific Journal. 11 (48).
- ^ Kim Jin (6 October 2009). "[Viewpoint] Japan's shameful failure to apologize". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- Bakufuclique. See for example Chung (1910/2004, p.61), Jansen (1961, p.282), Nam (1999, p.111), and Ravina (2004, p.135).
- ^ An Jung-Geun, The Great Patriot Martyr of Korea, Patriot An Memorial Hall, November 1995, p. 5
- ^ "naver007". naver007.
- ^ Franklin Rausch, Religion, Nationalism, and Historiography: Remembering An Chunggǔn, G-SEC Working Paper, Keio University Global Security Research Institute
- ^ "Prison where Ahn was killed to open". Korea JoongAng Daily. 25 March 2009. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ "Ahn Jung-geun's granddaughter still hopeful his remains will be found". The Korea Herald. 29 March 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ Lee, Suh-yoon (20 February 2019). "Marking independence fighters - either leaders or grassroots". The Korea Times. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ "[Why뉴스] 왜 안중근 의사를 되돌아보는가? - 노컷뉴스". 25 March 2010.
- ^ a b "Research notes of Ippei Wakabayashi" "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-13. Retrieved 2011-03-31.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "안중근 의사의 <동양평화론>". Archived from the original on April 18, 2014.
- ^ "[안중근 의사 순국 100주년] "동양평화론 공동체구상 유엔보다 앞서"". Segye Ilbo. March 26, 2010.
- ^ "Special Knowledge 4개의 키워드로 본 안중근 의사 면". JoongAng Ilbo. September 24, 2009.
- ^ "[와다 하루키 칼럼]안중근과 이토 히로부미". Kyunghyang Shinmun. May 3, 2010.
- ^ "안중근 가문 40여명 독립운동, 아들". Hankroyeh. March 26, 2010.
- ^ "An Jung Geun calligraphy, Treasure No. 569". Archived from the original on 2011-10-04. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
- ^ "아주경제". Aju Business Daily.
- ^ "Memorial hall for Korean nationalist Ahn Jung Geun opens in China | GlobalPost". Archived from the original on 2014-02-02.
- ^ "韩官方时隔两年到旅顺祭奠安重根" (in Chinese). Yonhap News Agency. 26 March 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
- ^ "China Relocates An Jung-geun Memorial Hall". KBS World Radio. March 22, 2017.
- ^ "China to reopen An Jung-geun memorial hall at Harbin Station: source". The Korea Herald. March 25, 2019.
- ^ "Japan protest over Korean assassin An Jung-geun memorial in China". BBC News. 2014-01-20. Retrieved 2017-03-09.
- ^ "South Korean police in terrorism poster gaffe". BBC News. 2017-02-13. Retrieved 2017-03-09.
- ^ "Incheon police under fire for using patriotism symbol on anti-terrorism posters". The Korea Times. 2017-02-13. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
- ^ "King Gojong and Martyr an Jung-Geun". IMDb.
- ^ "DVD in North Korea Books". Archived from the original on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
- ^ "Thomas An Jung-geun". Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ^ "Chinese-Korean Joint Drama Announced: "The Age of Heroes" - DramaCurrent". DramaCurrent. 2018-08-21. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
- ^ "Murdoch Mysteries: Patriot Games". IMDb. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
External links
- Media related to An Jung-geun at Wikimedia Commons
- An Jung Geun Memorial Hall
- 2009 Lost Memories at IMDb
- "Catholic Church in Korea and the Nationalist Movement". Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea. Archived from the original on March 22, 2005. Retrieved December 15, 2005.
- Scholarly introduction to An Jung-geun's Treatise on Peace in the East
- An Jung-geun's Treatise on Peace in the East (1910)
- Hero: the Musical, Lincoln Center, New York, 2011