earticle

영어

This work represents an analysis of Korean and Chinese history books using country names, such as Han(韓) and Joseon, Wae(倭) and Japan. An ancient history, for example, has been constructed on a basis of perception of “Han=Joseon=People living on the Korean Peninsula” and “Wae=Japanese=People living on the Japanese islands”. This aims to identify what problems lie on such perception and clarify how borders of ancient kingdoms are “created” in the world views of different texts. First, it was observed that “Wae” and “Japan” were differently perceived according to the background of the times and world view which a text was written. The reason why “Wae≠Japan” was theorized in the Book of Tang and “Wae=Japan” theorized in the New Book of Tang was found from the background of the times. Second, it was observed that “Joseon” and “Han” were also differently perceived in “Samguk Sagi” and “Samguk Yusa.” In “Samguk Sagi”, “Joseon” is just Gija Joseon(箕子朝鮮) and its refugees are merely members of Jinhan(辰韓). On the other hand, in “Samguk Yusa”, it emphasized on the legitimacy of the kingdom by creating a myth of a homogeneous country as “Samhan (Three Han; Mahan, Jinhan, Byeonhan)” from Dangun Joseon. And, in “Samguk Sagi” and “Samguk Yusa”, “Wae” was believed to exist in Gaya, southern part of Silla. As shown above, different country names and borders in texts were examined. By examining such records, it shall help figure out borders are created by world views in the texts and re-organized.