CULTURAL HERITAGE

Asian Millenarianism:
An Interdisciplinary Study of the Taiping and Tonghak Rebellions in a Global Context
The foreword is by eminent Asian Studies scholar, F. Hilary Conroy.
“Korean Created China and Japan"
Filed under: Ethnocentrism, Korea, Suprematism “Asian Millenarianism”
According to the article, Contrasted with the common historical knowledge, which “Korean were uncivilized and Korea used to be a vassal state of China and a colony of Japan”, “it was Korean created Japan and China, and ancient Korean civilization was the origin of Asian civilizations”.

“韓国人は未開で古代には中国の属国で近代には日本の植民地になった”という一般的な歴史認識を破って “日本と中国を作った民族はまさに韓国人であり, 古代韓国文明がアジア文明の母体となった”

What are the World heritages of Korea well-known to the world?

1. Kojoson(Gojoseon, 古朝鮮, 10th Century BC- 108 BC)
  Dolemen (古人): Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites
2. Koguryo (Goguryeo, 高句麗, 277 BC-AD 668)
  The Complex of Koguryo(Goguryeo) Tombs(高句麗王國 墳墓 地域)
3. Silla (新羅) Kingdom(57 BC-AD 935)
    Bulguksa Temple(佛國寺)
    Seokguram Grotto (石窟庵)
    Tombs of Silla Kingdom (新羅王國 墳墓)
    The Gyeongju Historic Area (慶州歷史 地域)
4. Palhae(Balhae Kingdom, 698A.D.-926A.D(海東盛國)
5. Koryeo(Goryeo,高麗) Dynasty (918 AD-1392)
    Haeinsa Temple Janggyeongpanjeon,(藏經版殿)
    The Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks (八萬大藏經)
6. Joseon (朝鮮) Dynasty (1392-1910)
   Changdeokgung Palace (昌德宮)
    Jongmyo, the Royal Ancestral Shrine (宗廟)
    Hwaseong Fortress (和成城壁)

From time immemorial the Korean people developed the Eastern culture and left behind cultural heritages conducive to the treasure house of human culture.

Korea is a culturally advanced country in terms of those included by UNESCO in the international registry of World Heritage, Memory of the World, and intangible heritage. Given the size of its territory and population, the nation compares favorably with any other nation in the world as regards its registered cultural heritage. However, it is regrettable that such a fact is not well registered even among Koreans themselves, let alone foreigners.

So far, including "the Complex of Koguryo(Goguryeo) Tombs", a total of 812 items in 137 countries have been registered as part of the World Heritage by UNESCO. In terms of the number of cultural heritage items thus registered, Korea (which accounts for eight registered items) is surpassed only by twenty-two other countries.

As for Memory of the World, a total of 129 items in 59 countries have been registered. With four such cultural items registered -the Hunminjeongeum (original name of the Korean alphabet), the annals of the Joseon(Choson) Dynasty, the Diary of the Royal Secretariat, and the Jikjisimcheyojeol (the world oldest text printed with metal type), Korea is surpassed only by seven other countries.

Korea also occupies an outstanding position in the number of intangible heritage items registered by UNESCO. With its Pansori (a genre of Korean traditional music), the Royal Ancestral Rite and Ritual Music in Jongmyo Shrine, and the Gangneung Danoje (village community festival held in Gangneung) registered as intangible heritage items, Korea tops the list of countries that have registered their intangible heritage items (57 items registered by 47 countries).

It is only natural that nations in possession of such a fine heritage, recognized by UNESCO as worth preserving for all humanity, should feel a sense of pride and responsibility. Such nations, including Korea, should do their best to help people all over the world recognize the existence and value of these cultural heritage items and make joint efforts to preserve them.

Kojoson(古朝鮮) Heritage registered on the World Heritage List

In the period of Kojoson (Gojoseon, 10th Century BC-108 BC), the first class state, which was established in the 10th century B.C. Our ancestors developed the productive forces and improved metal processing techniques with bronze and iron as the chief materials. This is clearly proved by the Pipa-shaped daggers, bronze mirrors with designs of fine lines, bronze axes and other bronze ware. Especially the copper thread used in bronze ware is as thin as 0.25 millimeters in diameter. This shows that the artisanship at the time was considerably developed Kojoson was the first in Asia to produce steel which was used in making axes and other implements.

The Gochang, Hwasun, and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000, additional Korean treasures were added to the list: the dolmen sites of Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwado (Ganghwa Province) where innumerable cultural treasures and historic sites are carefully preserved.

The Gochang, Hwasun, and Ganghwa sites contain the highest density and greatest variety of dolmens in Korea, and indeed of any country and have a unique characteristic incomparable with the dolmens of Europe, China and Japan. In these sites, we can research the formation and development of dolmens. Dolmens are of great protective value for the information that they provide about the prehistoric peoples who built them and their social and political systems, beliefs and rituals, arts and ceremonies, etc.

[Antiquity-Bronze Age, Early Iron Age:Gojoseon(Old Joseon)] Gochang dolmen	[Antiquity-Bronze Age, Early Iron Age:Gojoseon(Old Joseon)] Ganghwa dolmen	[Antiquity-Bronze Age, Early Iron Age:Gojoseon(Old Joseon)] Bronze implement with farming scene
Bronze Age, Early Iron Age:Gojoseon(Old Joseon)] Dolmen in Gwansan-ri	Bronze Age, Early Iron Age:Gojoseon(Old Joseon)] Tomb in Loushang, Liaoning, China	Bronze Age, Early Iron Age:Gojoseon(Old Joseon)] Excavation site in Gwansan-ri

Koguryo (高句麗) Heritages registered on the World Heritage List

The 28th Session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) was held in Suzhou, China, from June 28 to July 7, 2004. At the session, the "Koguryo's cultural Heritages" was officially registered on the world heritage list as the Complex of Koguryo(Goguryeo) Tombs'. There are composed of 63 tombs (including 16 mural tombs) in five areas: fifteen tombs in Jinpa-ri, including King Dongmyeong's tomb in Peongyang; thirty-four tombs in the area of surrounding Pyeongyang, including the Honam-ri Tomb of 4 deities and Honam-ri tomb No's 1-16 in Pyongyang; three in Deokhwa-ri, Daedonggang-gun. Gangseosammyo tomb, Gangseo-gun. Pyeongannam-do: eight including those in Deokheung-ri, Yaksu-ri and Susan-ri, and the Yonggang-Daecheong tomb and Ssangyeong-chong tomb in Anak-gun; and the Anak tomb No's 1-3 in Anak-gun, Hwanghaenam-do. It was the first time that heritages in the DPRK were registered on the world heritage list.

Complex of Koguryo Tombs in Jijen, China

Complex of Koguryo near PyongYang, Nothkorea

[Antiquity-Three Kingdoms Period(Goguryeo)] Mural of a hunting scene from Muyongchong (Muyong Tomb)
Three Kingdoms Period(Goguryeo)] Janggunchong (assumed to be the royal tomb of King Jangsu)	Three Kingdoms Period(Goguryeo)] Panoramic view of Sanseongha Gobungun (tomb complex)	Three Kingdoms Period(Goguryeo)] Jungwon Goguryeo stone stele

Phoenix (Three leged crow)

Phoenix (Three leged crow) from Mural Painting

monument of GwangGeto-the-Great in 1904

At the moment when the registration of "Koguryo Heritages" on the world heritage lists was announced, thunderous applause arose from the audience. A representative of Israel who gave a speech for recommendation as a representative of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), she was saying, "Koguryo(Goguryeo) is just Korea!" Representatives of India, Canada, Russia and the USA also congratulated to the representative of DPRK and US representative in charge of culture at the Bangkok Secretariat of the UN UNESCO, said, "The registration of Koguryo heritages on the world heritages list is a present to the DPRK for its enthusiasm." The representatives of South Korea were pleased more than anybody to hear the decision on the registration of Koguryo Heritages on the world heritages list.  The chief representative said "Koguryo culture is the Korean nation's blood vessels," The cultural representative of the "UNESCO Committee of South Korea said that North and South Koreans should highly estimate the position of their history in the current atmosphere for reunification and reconciliation in Korea. and make it a spiritual and cultural basis of the reunification. Ambassador of UNESCO Japan said "Koguryo culture had a great influence on ancient Japanese culture in all respects including Buddhism."

Ladies in Mural Painting

Reproduction from Mural Painting

Modern Korean Clothes

The decision to register the Koguryo heritages on the world heritages list means that international society has recognized the worldwide value of the Koguryo heritages. The decision encourages us who are in charge of the activities for the preservation and administration of the Koguryo heritages.

As pointed out in the course of discussions, the Koguryo heritages are the historical and cultural heritages which show the level of cultural development in the ancient north-east Asian region. At the same time, the Koguryo heritages are a pride of Korea as well as a precious common asset of humankind. The DPRK government have been focused on the activities to preserve and maintain this precious culture in good condition and have been increasing a budget for this systematically.

We will endeavor to preserve and administer the Koguryo heritages better from now on. We will also strengthen exchange and cooperation with he international organizations concerned such as UNESCO and especially with China in our activities.

Korean Nation's Pride Become Common Asset of Humankind

The DPRK ratified the treaty of world heritages in July 1998 and joined the ICOMOS in October in 1998. In the DPRK, the administration work on cultural heritages had been entrusted to the preservations and administration Bureau of Culture under the Ministry of Culture, but in February 2002, the bureau reorganized into the Preservation and Guidance Bureau of Culture, an independence organization. Therefore, the DPRK became able to focus on the work for registration of historical heritages of the DPRK on the world heritages list.

The DPRK prepared a formal document and applied to the World Heritages Committee for registration of Koguryo heritages on world heritages list in January  2002, and the problem of registering Koguryo heritages on the list was discussed at the 27th Session of the World Heritages Committee, which was held in June 2003. However, the registration of Koguryo heritages on the World Heritages List was deferred because of damage done to the tombs, various problems, when China obstructed a North Korean effort to put Goguryeo tombs on the list of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s World Cultural Heritage, the Chinese government expressed its scheme to uproot the existence of Korean history within its current borders in July 2003.

After that, the DPRK submitted additional documents to the ICOMOS and a specialist meeting of World Cultural Heritage of the ICOMOS, which was held in Paris, France, on January 2004. The meeting decided to recommend the registration of Koguryo heritages on the world heritages list.

During this period, the problem of registering the Koguryo heritages on the World Heritages List was also a matter of concern to South Korean people. In particular, after the registration of Koguryo heritages on the world heritages list was deferred last year. South Korean people thought that China was scheming to put Koguryo history into China's history, and mainly South Korean citizen groups and academic circles struggled to oppose the Chinese moves. Then, the "Northeast Asian History Foundation" was established.

Other Ruins to be Recommended

The Korean nation has been proud of its history of 5,000 years and of its brilliant national culture.  Koguryo heritages have got out of the frame of the Korean nation and have been officially recognized as a common asset of humankind, which would brighten the history of world culture as a whole.

Since some years ago, Japan has been actively cooperating with the DPRK in the work of registration of Koguryo heritages on the world heritages list. Hirayama Ikuo, a prominent Japanese painter and a good-will ambassador of UNESCO, played a central role in this work. The DPRK was willingness to conduct excavation work jointly with Japan even before the normalization of diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Japan.

Officials of the Bureau of Preservation and Administration of Culture of the DPRK had once indicated that the DPRK planned to recommend the registration of ruins in Kaesong(Gaeseong) city and Mt. Kumgang(Geumgang) on the world heritages list within 10 years, and a part of the project is now under way.

The DPRK will endeavor to preserve and manage the Koguryo heritages as a national project and promote actively the work for the registration of other ruins on the world heritages list.

China’s Northeast Project and the Problems It Poses

China’s involvement in “stealing Korean history,” which refers to the histories of ancient kingdoms including Goguryeo(Koguryo) and Balhae, is in full swing thanks to the launch of its Northeast Project and the designation of the Goguryeo(Koguryo) relics in China as UNESCO World Heritage. After vehement protests from academia, the media, the government and the Korean public, the Chinese government sent a flurry of high-ranking diplomats including Wu Dawei and Jia Qinglin to Korea in August 2004, trying to sweep the problem under the rug with temporary fixes and diplomatic rhetoric. Korea’s protest, however, has deterred China’s move to rewrite history, at least for the moment.

However, following extensive research carried out as part of the Northeast Project, reports have begun to appear in the form of various publications in China and are now in wide distribution. At sites of Goguryeo relics and museums in China’s Huanren County and Jian County, signs and displays still present false information to tourists, while the Jian County’s local government even published Shiminshouce (A Booklet for Public Information) to promote the Chinese government’s skewed view of the past. China, it seems, has not changed its stance that Goguryeo’s history is part of Chinese history.

The Northeast Project is short for the “Studies of History and Geography of Northeast Borderland and a Series of Phenomena.” It is headed by the Center for Border Region History Research at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, with many scholars from the social science academies, universities and research centers of the three northeast provinces, as well as high-ranking party officials of the central government participating. The Center has a ridiculously large budget that covers costs for preserving relics and relocating residents, and the project is being pursued purely for political purposes.

We have seen similarly controversial attempts to distort history by Japan, but that effort is being spearheaded only by right-wing organizations, whereas in the case of China, the central and local governments are at the helm of this much more serious movement, which includes the Northeast Project. The agenda behind China’s activities, the distortion of Goguryeo history for example, is to plan ahead for possible border conflicts with a reunified Korea and for the management of ethnic Koreans in China in the future. The goal of the Northeast Project is not just “stealing Goguryeo history.” Goguryeo is only part of a larger project: Most of the project’s research is focused on current and future problems such as territorial rights, residents and border issues throughout the northeast region. This is why we must pay attention to the Northeast Project and why it should be stopped.

Until the early 1980s, most Chinese history books and textbooks documented Goguryeo(Koguryo) as part of Korea’s history. In the 1990s, however, the claim that “Goguryeo is part of Chinese history” began to gain strong momentum when a new doctrine was applied to history interpretation that all history which occurred within the current Chinese territory should be considered part of Chinese history.

Silla Heritages registered on the World Heritage List

The majestic entrance to Bulguksa Temple: UNESCO has recognized the unique value and the distinct character of Korean culture by placing a number of Korean treasures on the World Heritage List. In 1995, UNESCO added to its list Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, both in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Gyeongsang Province).

[Middle Ages-Unified Silla: Southern and Northern Kingdoms Period(Unified Silla)] Blue-and-white cloud staircases in Bulguksa Temple (this temple represents nirvana on earth)

[Middle Ages-Unified Silla: Southern and Northern Kingdoms Period(Unified Silla)] Anapji: Artificial pond inside Silla’s royal palace

Built on a series of stone terraces, Bulguksa blends into what appears as an organic whole with the rocky terrain of the wooded foothills of Tohamsan. The temple houses the Seokgatap (Pagoda of the Historic Buddha) and Dabotap (Pagoda of Many Treasures) as well as Cheongungyo (Blue Cloud Bridge), Baegungyo (White Cloud Bridge) and Chilbogyo (Bridge of Seven Treasures) ― the three staircases are called bridges because symbolically they lead from the secular world to the spiritual one of Buddha. There are many other outstanding treasures within and outside the temple grounds, including gilt bronze Buddha statues.

The main rotunda of the Seokguram Grotto : Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto were constructed over a 23-year period beginning in 751 during the Silla Kingdom by Chief Minister Kim Dae-seong (701-774). It is recorded that Kim was reincarnated as the son of a chief minister because he had been the virtuous son of a poor widow in a previous life.

He himself became chief minister and resigned in 750 to supervise the construction of Bulguksa to honor the parents of his present life and Seokguram to honor the parents of his previous life. Bulguksa was for public worship and Seokguram for the private worship of the king. And Bulguksa temple is the representative temple architecture which embodies the Buddhist doctrine and shows the quintessence of Korean architecture. Bulguksa Temple embodies the unique aesthetics of architecture which is unprecedented in Asia as well as in the world

[Middle Ages-Unified Silla: Southern and Northern Kingdoms Period(Unified Silla)] Stone sculpture of Inwang (Guardian of Dharma) in Seokguram Grotto [Middle Ages-Unified Silla: Southern and Northern Kingdoms Period(Unified Silla)] Stone sculpture of Gwaneumbosals (Buddhist Goddess of Mercy) in Seokguram Grotto [Middle Ages-Unified Silla: Southern and Northern Kingdoms Period(Unified Silla)] Stone Buddha statue inside Seokguram Grotto [Middle Ages-Unified Silla: Southern and Northern Kingdoms Period(Unified Silla)] Main chamber of Seokguram Grotto [Middle Ages-Unified Silla: Southern and Northern Kingdoms Period(Unified Silla)] Seongdeok Daewang Sinjong (Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok): Largest and most beautiful bell in Korea [Middle Ages-Unified Silla: Southern and Northern Kingdoms Period(Unified Silla)] 3-story stone pagoda on Gameun Temple site [Middle Ages-Unified Silla: Southern and Northern Kingdoms Period(Unified Silla)] 3-story stone pagoda of Yongjang Temple site on Namsan in Gyeongju [Middle Ages-Unified Silla: Southern and Northern Kingdoms Period(Unified Silla)] Dabotap (Pagoda of Prabhutaratna) in Bulguksa Temple [Middle Ages-Unified Silla: Southern and Northern Kingdoms Period(Unified Silla)] 3-story stone pagoda in Bulguksa Temple: Dharani sutra was found inside h

Seokguram Grotto has undergone renovation several times over the years. It is an artificially created stone cavern featuring a large seated Buddha surrounded by 38 Bodhisattvas. The grotto, like the structures in the vicinity of Bulguksa, is made from granite. Seokguram was inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage List with Bulguksa temple in December 1995. Seokguram comprises a rectangular antechamber and a round interior chamber with a domed ceiling connected by a passageway. Chiseled out of a single block of granite, the 3.5-meter-high main Buddha is seated cross-legged on a lotus throne facing the east, with eyes closed in quiet meditation, and a serene, all-knowing expression on its face. Seokguram is the best masterpiece of the heyday of Silla Dynasty. It exquisitely combines Silla's knowledge of architecture, math, geometry, physics, religion and art into an organic whole and is one of Korea's greatest Buddhist masterpieces.

Gyeongju Historic Areas

In 2000, additional Korean treasures were added to the list: the Gyeongju Historic Area, the capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom (57 BC- AD 935), where innumerable cultural treasures and historic sites are carefully preserved.

The Gyeongju was the capital of the Silla Kingdom for a thousand years and the area is called a “Museum Without Walls” because of the wealth of historical properties there.              

The Gyeongju Historic Areas inscribed on the World Heritage List is the complex historic area where diverse properties are found here and there, so we can see the history and culture of Silla at a glance. It is divided into 5 belts on the basis of the characteristics, namely, the Mount Namsan belt which is the treasury of Buddhist art, the Wolsong(Moon Palace) belt which is the site of the millenary dynasty's palace, the Daereungwon Tumuli Park belt where many tumulus including the tumulus of the King of Silla has been found, the Hwangnyongsa belt which is the representative of the Silla Buddhism, and the Sanseong(mountain fortress wall) belt which is the core defense establishment of the capital of the kingdom. This World Heritage area contains 52 designated cultural properties. 

[Antiquity-Three Kingdoms Period(Silla)] Stele of King Jinheung on Mt. Bukhan	[Antiquity-Three Kingdoms Period(Silla)] Cheomseongdae (astronomical observation tower)	[Antiquity-Three Kingdoms Period(Silla)] Stone pagoda at Bunhwang temple site, built to look like bricks
[Antiquity-Three Kingdoms Period(Silla)] Poseokjeong (Poseok pavilion site) in Gyeongju	[Antiquity-Three Kingdoms Period(Silla)] Najeong (Na Well): Silla’s founder was born nearby	[Antiquity-Three Kingdoms Period(Silla)] Tomb of general Kim Yu-sin: Famous commander during unification Three Kingdoms
[Antiquity-Three Kingdoms Period(Silla)] King Muyeol royal tomb	[Antiquity-Three Kingdoms Period(Silla)] Tomb complex in Hwangnam-ri, Gyeongju

Seokgatap, 8.3-meter-high, is characterized by masculine simplicity and princely dignity and represents spiritual ascent via the teachings of Sakyamuni whereas the highly decorative Dabotap, 10.5-meter-high, is more feminine and symbolizes the complexity of the world. Seokgatap and the Dabotap were both built around 756.

Koryo (Goryeo,高麗) Heritages registered on the World Heritage List

In 1995, UNESCO added to its list Haeinsa Temple, Janggyeongpanjeon, the depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks in Gyeongsangnam-do (South Gyeongsang Province).       

Janggyeongpanjeon, two storage halls at Haeinsa Temple, are the repositories for the Tripitaka Koreana (the Goryeo Daejanggyeong, Goryeo Dynasty Tripitaka), consisting of some 81,258 wood printing blocks, the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) version of the Buddhist canon. With more than 52 million Chinese characters precisely rendered, it is the oldest and most comprehensive Buddhist canon existing in the world today. It is currently stored at Haeinsa Temple in Gyeongsangnam-do.

Tripitaka Koreana woodblocks

The Tripitaka Koreana was inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage List in December 1995. And it is the most complete and important scripture among the world Buddhist scriptures, which is the long-standing heritage and suggests the correct historical facts, and shows the culmination of the very sophisticated typography. The buildings of Janggyeong Panjeon, which date from the 15th century, were constructed to house the woodblocks, which are also revered as exceptional works of art. As the oldest depository of the Tripitaka, they reveal an astonishing mastery of the invention and implementation of the conservation techniques used to preserve these woodblocks.

Joseon (朝鮮王朝) Heritages registered on the World Heritage List

In 1995, UNESCO added to its list Jongmyo, the Royal Ancestral Shrine in Seoul.

Changdeokgung Palace (昌德宮) in Seoul and Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon were entered on the list in 1997.

1. Jongmyo Shrine Jongmyo, the Royal Ancestral Shrine, was dedicated in 1395, three years after the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) was established. It enshrines the spirit tablets of its kings and queens. The elaborate memorial rites and the music, which accompanies them called Jongmyojeryeak, were designated as Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Ceremonial reenactments of the Joseon ancestral memorial rites are conducted on the first Sunday of every May at Jongmyo.

Korean Jongmyo has a unique structure consisting of 19 partitions(kan), and its main hall had the longest floor space of any contemporary wooden building in the world. Its wide front and the horizontality of its building's figure give it a distinct appearance. Its architectural style is different from the architectural style of China where the Royal Ancestors' Shrine originated from, and is the rare architectural style which has no parallel in the West.

Jongmyo was inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage List in December, 1995, has been preserved as the 125th historic relics.                 

2. Changdeokgung Palace Complex

Changdeokgung Palace was first built in 1405 and was reconstructed after being burnt down in 1592 during the Japanese invasion. The palace itself is a masterful work but particularly noteworthy is the back garden (Huwon), also called the Secret garden (Biwon), which is widely acclaimed for its beautifully landscaped and creative gardens. The garden comprises almost three-fourths of the 405,636-square-meter palace grounds and is tastefully laid out with all the essential elements of a traditional Korean garden: picturesque pavilions and halls, lotus ponds, uniquely shaped rocks, stone bridges, stairways, water troughs and springs scattered among dense woods.

3. Changdeokgung Palace(昌德宮): The Changdeokgung Palace was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in December, 1997. It is an outstanding example of Far Eastern palace architecture and garden design, exceptional for the way in which the buildings are integrated into and harmonized with the natural setting, adapting to the uneven topography and retaining indigenous tree cover.

[Middle Ages-Joseon] Juhapnu (Juhap Pavilion) in Changdeokgung (Changdeok Royal Palace)		[Middle Ages-Joseon] Injeongjeon (Royal Official Hall) in Changdeokgung (Changdeok Royal Palace)

4. Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do

Hwaseong Fortress was constructed over 34 months in Suwon, south of Seoul, in 1796. The fortress incorporated the very latest construction technology, theories of military defense and aesthetic principles to create the most advanced military stronghold Korea had ever known. It stretched over mountainous terrain, around an urban center and through flatland and included four major and several minor gates, command posts, observation towers, battlements, guard posts and bunkers. Most of the 5,743 meter exterior fortress wall still remains.

The Hwaseong Fortress was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in December 1997. Though it has a short history since it was completed in 18th century, Hwaseong Fortress is a strong defensive works, incorporating the most highly developed features of that science from both east and west. Its massive walls, extending for nearly 6㎞, are pierced by four gates and each structure has the peculiar pattern and design respectively.

What are the other cultural heritages of Korea well-known to the world?

Koryo Insam (高麗 人蔘)

The roots of Insam are thick and branch out straight into the earth. Not stem but roots are used as medicinal herb. Roots of Insam are white and those of Sansam yellowish brown.  Roots are dug as medicinal herb after 6 years of growth for Insam and 10 years for Sansam.  Insam is grouped into Susam (not dried), Baeksam(dried in the sun), Hongsam (steamed and dried), Dangsam(boiled Susam down in sugar water) and Misam(rootlets dried in the sun)

The Korean people have traditionally treated Koea Insam(ginseng) as medicine as well as a health food supplement. In fact, a study on ginseng's efficacy conducted by the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that subjects taking Korea Insam(ginseng) extract suffered fewer cold symptoms. It is used as a tonic in vigorating, recovering, physical and mental fatigue relieving. It stimulates the functions of brains, recovers memory and prevents early aging.

More than 180 kinds of products including various medicines, foodstuffs, drinks and cosmetics can be made with Insam(Ginseng or 人蔘).

Medicines:  Koreyo Insam Tonic, Koryo Insam Tablets, Insam Taebohwan(tonic pill),
             Insam Tinc,  Insam Injection, Koryo Insamtang, Insam Extract, Insam
             Nutrition Tabloid.
Cosmetics: Insam Toothpaste, Insam face and hand Cream, Insam soap.

Food Stuff and Drinks: Insam Jelly, Insam Jonggwa(Insam in honey), Insam liquor, Insam Tea.

Of all the varieties of Korea Insam(ginseng) classified GRAS (generally recognized as safe) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, only Goryeo Insam has been listed in the European Union's pharmacopoeia.

Turtle Ship(Keobukseon)

Our ancestors built and used turtle ship (Keobukseon), the world's first iron-clad battleships. The first attempt to build these boats was made in the 15th century In the 16th century their making was resumed and completed based on the previous achievements. In the Imjin patriotic War(1592-98)the distinguished commander Admiral Yi(Lee) Sun Sin performed great feats in the battles to defeat the Japanese invaders by commanding the fleet of turtle ships.

Geobukseon is a battleship engineered by a scientist at the order of Admiral Yi Sun-sin of the Joseon Dynasty, Korea's most-revered hero. "Turtle" is "geobuk" in Korean, and the similarity in appearance between these two hard-shelled creatures explains the name. The upper deck was covered with a rounded wooden roof that itself was studded with pointed iron spikes to repel enemies trying to board.

During the war, Admiral Yi Sun-sin won every one of at least 23 naval battles he fought, boasting an unprecedented record of victories. Admiral Yi has often been compared with Lord Nelson, the British hero who triumphed over the French-Spanish fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar. Both admirals fought for the destiny of their countries and saved their countrymen from foreign invasion by securing key naval victories.

Recognized as a breakthrough in military technology, Geobukseon replicas are on exhibit in a number of national museums, including the War Memorial of Korea, the War Memorial Museum in the U.S., the National Maritime Museum in England and historical museums in China, Germany and other countries.

Origin of Japanese culture

While most mainstream anthropologists and historians would probably readily acknowledge that the Japanese and Korean peoples share closely-linked ethnic, cultural and anthropological histories, a point of contention between nationalist scholars in Japan and Korea rests on which culture came first, and can thus be considered the fore bearer of the other. In brief, the Korean assertion is that through a long history of contact, several important Korean innovations in culture and technology were transferred to Japan. Several linguistic theories also make claims based upon the similarities between the languages of the respective cultures. Koreans feel there was a plagiarism of their culture in Buddhism, grammar, iron processing for swords, rice cultivation, rituals or customs, and pottery and that Japanese seems to cover up cultural and familial transfers from Korea to Japan. For example the New York times writes when looking at Japan's national treasures like the Miroku and Koryuji sculptures; "It is also a symbol of Japan itself and an embodiment of qualities often used to define Japanese-ness in art: formal simplicity and emotional serenity. To see it was to have an instant Japanese experience. I had mine. As it turns out, though, the Koryuji sculpture isn't Japanese at all. Based on Korean prototypes, it was almost certainly carved in Korea" and "The obvious upshot of the show's detective work is to establish that certain classic "Japanese" pieces are actually "Korean." in 1976 Japan stopped all foreign archeologist from studying the Gosashi tomb which is suppose to be the resting place of Emperor Jingu.

Archaeologists have been requesting access to Gosashi tomb and other imperial sites since 1976, in part because the tombs date to the founding of a central Japanese state under imperial rule. But the agency has kept access to the tombs restricted, prompting rumors that officials fear excavation would reveal bloodline links between the "pure" imperial family and Korea—or that some tombs hold no royal remains at all.

A rare visit in February, 2008 by a group of 16 experts (archaeologists) led by the Japanese Archaeological Association to a fifth-century imperial Gosashi tomb offers hope that other closely guarded graves in Japan might soon be open to independent study. Although the team's visit didn't lay any of those issues to rest, experts celebrated it as a first step toward expanded access to the mysterious tombs.

In February, 2008, Japan has allowed to Scholars for first time, controlled limited access to foreign archaeologists, but the international community still has many unanswered questions. National geographics wrote Japan "has kept access to the tombs restricted, prompting rumors that officials fear excavation would reveal bloodline links between the "pure" imperial family and Korea"　Experts still hope Japan will be more forthright in the future and see this limited access as the first step in the right direction.

"Keyhole" Tombs

Gosashi tomb in western Japan's Nara Prefecture is revered as the resting place of Empress Jingu, the semi-legendary wife of the country's 14th emperor.

Jingu is thought to have ruled as regent for her son starting around A.D. 200.

During their two-and-a-half-hour visit, the team was allowed to explore the lower part of the 886-foot-long (270-meter-long) burial mound.

The archaeologists weren't allowed to excavate, but they did find previously unknown terra cotta haniwa figures on the tomb's eastern side. These funerary statues were believed to help tend to the elite after death.

In addition to overseeing Jingu's tomb, the Imperial Household Agency looks after some 896 sites said to contain the remains of imperial family members.

Of those, around 70 are kofun tombs dating to before the seventh century. These keyhole-shaped mounds surrounded by moats are some of the largest and most historically important burial sites in Japan.

"It was during the Kofun period(in the third to seventh centuries A.D.) that the Japanese nation was established on the Japanese archipelago," Takahashi said.

"The tombs hold the key to unlocking details of the Kofun period."

Of the oldest, most significant tombs under the agency's jurisdiction, very few can realistically be proven to contain the remains of imperial family members, he said.

Nevertheless, the status of the tombs is all but set in stone. The last time that the agency changed an imperial tomb's designation was in 1881.

Korean Bones

Other experts have suggested that the hesitation is because courtiers and conservatives fear excavation will uncover blood ties between the supposedly pure Japanese imperial line and the Asian mainland, specifically Korea.

But Walter Edwards, professor of Japanese studies at Tenri University in Nara, argues that the "Korean bones" issue is a red herring.

"Blood links between Korea and the Japanese imperial family are documented from the eighth century," he said.

"Even the current emperor [Akihito] has said that he has Korean ancestry." Edwards suggests that the agency's attitude has more to do with trying to maintain the imperial family's dignity. But faced with the costs of keeping up hundreds of sites, the reputedly cash-strapped Imperial Household Agency may eventually allow more access as a way to get more public funds, he suggested.

The agency may now try to handle the tombs as both national heritage sites and as private graves of the imperial family.

"The problem is how to strike a balance between the two," Edwards said.

In the meantime, high on archaeologists' wish list for access is the fifth-century tomb of Emperor Nintoku in Osaka Prefecture.

In the past the agency has refused access to the tomb on the grounds that the boat to cross its moat is too old and unsafe. At 1,594 feet (486 meters) long, the mausoleum is the largest in Japan. "It is almost as large as the biggest of the Great Pyramids of Egypt in volume," Edwards said, "and like the latter it is a truly monumental work from the ancient period."