An Jung-geun
Encyclopedia
An Jung-geun or Ahn Jung-geun (September 2, 1879 – March 26, 1910) (안중근; 安重根; Baptismal name: Thomas) was a Korean independence activist
, nationalist
, and pan-Asianist
.
On October 26, 1909, he assassinated Itō Hirobumi
(伊藤博文), the first Prime Minister of Japan
and then-Japanese Resident-General of Korea
, following the signing of the Eulsa Treaty
, with Korea on the verge of annexation by Japan
.
, Hwanghae
-do, the first son of An Tae-hun (안태훈; 安泰勳) and Baek Cheon-jo (백천조; 白川趙), of the family of the Sunheung An (순흥안씨; 順興安氏) lineage. His childhood name was An Eung-chil (안응칠; 安應七). As a boy, he learned Chinese literature and Western sciences, but was more interested in martial arts and marksmanship. Kim Gu
(김구; 金九), future leader of the Korean independence movement
who had taken refuge in An Tae-hun's house at the time, wrote that young An Jun-geun was an excellent marksman, liked to read books, and had strong charisma.
At the age of 25, he started a coal business, but devoted himself to education of Korean people after the Eulsa Treaty
by establishing private schools in northwestern regions of Korea. In 1907 he exiled himself to Vladivostok
to join in with the armed resistance against the Japanese colonial rulers. He was appointed a lieutenant general
of an armed Korean resistance group and led several attacks against Japanese forces before his eventual defeat.
Church with his father, where he received his baptismal name "Thomas" (多默; 도마), and learned French. While fleeing from the Japanese, An took refuge with a French priest of the Catholic Church in Korea named Wilhelm (Korean name, Hong Seok-ku; 홍석구; 洪錫九) who baptized him and hid in his church for several months. The priest encouraged An to read the Bible and had a series of discussions with An. He maintained his belief in Catholicism until his death, even asking his that his son become a priest in his last letter to his wife.
. Ito was to come to Harbin
, Manchuria
for a meeting with the Finance Minister of the Russian Emprire. On October 26, 1909, An passed the Japanese guards at the train station, hiding a gun in his lunchbox.
Ito Hirobumi had come back from negotiating with the Russian representative on the train. An shot Ito three times with an FN M1900
pistol on the railway platform. He also shot Kawagami Toshihiko (川上俊彦), the Japanese Consul General, Morita Jiro (森泰二郞), a Secretary of Imperial Household Agency
, and Tanaka Seitaro (田中淸太郞), an executive of South Manchuria Railway
, who were seriously injured. After the shooting, An yelled out for Korean independence in Russian
, stating "Корея! Ура!", and waving the Korean flag.
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 Ito 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." Despite the orders from the Bishop of Korea not to administer the Sacraments to An, Fr. Wilhelm disobeyed and went to An to give An the Last Sacraments. An insisted that the captors call him by his baptismal name, Thomas.
In the court, An insisted that he be treated as a prisoner of war, as the lieutenant general of Korea resistance army, instead of a criminal, and listed 15 crimes Ito had committed which convinced him to kill Ito.
delicacies and his calligraphy
was highly admired and requested.
After six trials, An was sentenced to death
by the Japanese colonial court in Ryojun China. An was angered at the sentence, though he expected it. He had hoped to be viewed as a prisoner of war
instead of an assassin
. On the same day of sentencing at two o'clock in the afternoon, his two brothers Jeong-Geun and Gong-Geun met with him to deliver their mother's message, "Your death is for the sake of your country, and don't ask for your life cowardly. Your brave death for justice is a final filial regards to your mother."
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 Tokyo
ordered prompt action. Prior to his execution, An made two final requests; that the wardens help him finish his essay, "On Peace in East Asia", and for a set of white silk Korean clothes to die in. The warden was able to grant the second request and resigned shortly afterwards. An requested to be executed as a prisoner of war, by firing squad. But instead it was ordered that he should be hanged as a common criminal would be. The execution took place in Port Arthur
, then also known as Ryojun on March 26, 1910. There has been an argument that Itō's death resulted in the acceleration of the final stage of the colonization process, but the claim has been long disputed among historians.
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 Japan. One of the 15 'charges' An leveled against Ito 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 assassination of Ito in the hopes that if Meiji understood his reasons, the emperor would realize how mistaken Ito's policies were and would rejoice. An also felt sure that most Japanese felt similar hatred for Ito, an opinion he formed from talking with Japanese prisoners in Korea. While An was staying in the prison and on the trial, many Japanese prison guards, lawyers and even prosecutors were inspired by An's great spirit, righteousness, and humanity.
(袁世凱), Sun Yat-sen
(孫逸仙; 孫文), and Liang Qichao
(梁啟超) wrote poems acclaiming An.
An was posthumously awarded the Republic of Korea Medal of Order of Merit for National Foundation
(건국훈장 대한민국장; 建國勳章 大韓民國章) in 1962 by Korean Government, the most prestigious civil decoration in the Republic of Korea, for his efforts for Korean independence.
Memorial halls for An were erected in Seoul
in 1970 by South Korean government and in Harbin by Chinese government in 2006.
In 2010 An Jung Geun Symposium in Korea, Wada Haruki (和田春樹), a prominent history scholar in Tokyo University, evaluated An by quoting Ito Yukio (伊藤之雄), a fellow history schoar in Kyoto University
. In his text published in 2009, Ito Yukio claims that the reign by Ito Hirobumi resulted in strong resistance from Koreans as it was considered the first step for annexation of Korea due to the cultural differences, and that An is not to be blamed even if he assassinated Ito without understanding Ito's ideology (2009, Ito).
On March 26, 2010, a nation-wide centenary tribute to An was held in South Korea, including a ceremony led by the Prime Minister Chung Un-Chan
and tribute concerts.
(寺内正毅), the first Japanese Governor-General
of Korea (조선총독; 朝鮮總督) who executed the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty
in 1910. But failed, imprisoned for 15 years, and died in 1926. An's brothers An Jeong Geun (안정근; 安定根) and An Gong Geun (안공근; 安恭根) as well as An's cousin An Kyung Geun (안경근; 安敬根) and nephew An Woo Saeng (안우생; 安偶生) joined the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
in Shanghai
, China led by Kim Gu
and fought against Japan. An Chun Saeng (안춘생; 安春生), another nephew of An's, joined the National Revolutionary Army
of China, participated in battles against Japanese forces at Shanghai, and joined Korean Liberation Army
in 1940. Later he became a lieutenant general of Republic of Korea Army
and a member of the National Assembly of South Korea.
, Korea
, and Japan
in order to counter and fight off the "White Peril", being the European countries engaged in colonialism, restoring peace to East Asia. 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 the White Peril, but was disappointed that the war ended before Russia
was totally subjugated.
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" (東洋平化論; 동양평화론) that he worked on and left unfinished before his execution. 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 United Nations
by 10 years.
works. An's calligraphy works have been respected not only for his artistic skills but also honourable spirit, which is reflected on his works. While he was in prison, many prison guards such as Chiba Toshichi (千葉十七) who respected him, requested An for calligraphy works.
He left many calligraphy works which were written in the jail of Yeosun (Lushun) although he hadn't studied calligraphy formally. He would leave on his calligraphy works a signature of "大韓國人" (Great Korean) and a handprint of his left hand that was missing the last joint of ring finger, which he cut off with his comrades in 1909 as a pledge to kill Ito. Some of the works were designated to Treasures No. 569 of Korea republic in 1972. One of his famous works is "一日不讀書口中生荊棘"(일일부독서 구중생형극; Unless reading everyday, thorns grow in the mouth.) Quoted from Analects of Confucius
(論語), this sentence has been widely quoted by people who wanted to give emphasis to reading and studying.
with the Joon Gun pattern being dedicated to him.
Novelist Bok Geo-il
's 1987 novel Looking for an Epitaph (碑銘 (비명)을 찾아서) is an alternate history story, which is set in the 1980s of Korea that remained a permanent colony of Japan, as a cascade effect of An's failure to assassinate Ito. The Korean movie 2009 Lost Memories
is very loosely based on the novel but tells a completely different story. In the Korean film, An Jung-geun is spotted and killed by Japanese soldiers before he is able to shoot Ito Hirobumi.
In the PC game Civilization IV
expansion pack
, Beyond the Sword, An Jung-geun is a Great Spy. The story is summarized in the song 1909 by the band Scrabbel
. In honor of him, ROKS An Jung-geun (SS 075), the third ship of Son Wonil class submarines
, was commissioned in 2009.
Korean independence movement
The Korean independence movement grew out of the Japanese colonial rule of the Korean peninsula from 1910 to 1945. After the Japanese surrendered, Korea became independent; that day is now an annual holiday called Gwangbokjeol in South Korea, and Chogukhaebangŭi nal in North Korea.-Background:In...
, nationalist
Korean nationalism
Korean nationalism refers to nationalism among the Korean people. In the Korean context, this encompasses various of movements throughout history to maintain the Korean cultural identity, history, and ethnicity.-History:...
, and pan-Asianist
Pan-Asianism
Pan-Asianism is an ideology or a movement that Asian nations unite and solidify and create a continental identity to defeat the designs of the Western nations to perpetuate hegemony.-Japanese Asianism:...
.
On October 26, 1909, he assassinated Itō Hirobumi
Ito Hirobumi
Prince was a samurai of Chōshū domain, Japanese statesman, four time Prime Minister of Japan , genrō and Resident-General of Korea. Itō was assassinated by An Jung-geun, a Korean nationalist who was against the annexation of Korea by the Japanese Empire...
(伊藤博文), the first Prime Minister of Japan
Prime Minister of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
and then-Japanese Resident-General of Korea
Resident-General of Korea
When Korea was a protectorate of Japan, Japan was represented by the Resident-General.- List of Japanese Residents-General :#Itō Hirobumi#Sone Arasuke#Terauchi Masatake...
, following the signing of the Eulsa Treaty
Eulsa Treaty
The Japan–Korea Treaty of 1905, also known as the Eulsa Treaty or Japan–Korea Protectorate Treaty, was made between the Empire of Japan and the Korean Empire in 1905. Negotiations were concluded on November 17, 1905....
, with Korea on the verge of annexation by Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Early Accounts
An was born on September 2, 1879, in HaejuHaeju
Haeju is a city located in South Hwanghae Province near Haeju Bay in North Korea. It is the administrative centre of South Hwanghae Province. As of 2000, the population of the city is estimated to be 236,000. At the beginning of 20th century, it became a strategic port in Sino-Korean trade...
, Hwanghae
Hwanghae
Hwanghae was one of the Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Hwanghae was located in the northwest of Korea. The provincial capital was Haeju.The regional name for the province was Haesŏ .-History:...
-do, the first son of An Tae-hun (안태훈; 安泰勳) and Baek Cheon-jo (백천조; 白川趙), of the family of the Sunheung An (순흥안씨; 順興安氏) lineage. His childhood name was An Eung-chil (안응칠; 安應七). As a boy, he learned Chinese literature and Western sciences, but was more interested in martial arts and marksmanship. Kim Gu
Kim Gu
Kim Gu , the sixth and later the last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, was a Korean politician, educator, leader of Korean independence movement against the Japanese occupation of Korea that lasted from 1910 to 1945, and reunification activist who had struggled for...
(김구; 金九), future leader of the Korean independence movement
Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was the partially recognised government in exile of Korea, based in Shanghai, China, and later in Chongqing, during the Colonial Korea.-History:...
who had taken refuge in An Tae-hun's house at the time, wrote that young An Jun-geun was an excellent marksman, liked to read books, and had strong charisma.
At the age of 25, he started a coal business, but devoted himself to education of Korean people after the Eulsa Treaty
Eulsa Treaty
The Japan–Korea Treaty of 1905, also known as the Eulsa Treaty or Japan–Korea Protectorate Treaty, was made between the Empire of Japan and the Korean Empire in 1905. Negotiations were concluded on November 17, 1905....
by establishing private schools in northwestern regions of Korea. In 1907 he exiled himself to Vladivostok
Vladivostok
The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
to join in with the armed resistance against the Japanese colonial rulers. He was appointed a lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
of an armed Korean resistance group and led several attacks against Japanese forces before his eventual defeat.
Religion
At the age of 16, An entered the CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Church with his father, where he received his baptismal name "Thomas" (多默; 도마), and learned French. While fleeing from the Japanese, An took refuge with a French priest of the Catholic Church in Korea named Wilhelm (Korean name, Hong Seok-ku; 홍석구; 洪錫九) who baptized him and hid in his church for several months. The priest encouraged An to read the Bible and had a series of discussions with An. He maintained his belief in Catholicism until his death, even asking his that his son become a priest in his last letter to his wife.
Assassination of Ito Hirobumi
In 1909, An decided to assassinate Ito Hirobumi, who led the colonization of Korea as the Resident-General of KoreaResident-General of Korea
When Korea was a protectorate of Japan, Japan was represented by the Resident-General.- List of Japanese Residents-General :#Itō Hirobumi#Sone Arasuke#Terauchi Masatake...
. Ito was to come to Harbin
Harbin
Harbin ; Manchu language: , Harbin; Russian: Харби́н Kharbin ), is the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China, lying on the southern bank of the Songhua River...
, Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
for a meeting with the Finance Minister of the Russian Emprire. On October 26, 1909, An passed the Japanese guards at the train station, hiding a gun in his lunchbox.
Ito Hirobumi had come back from negotiating with the Russian representative on the train. An shot Ito three times with an FN M1900
FN M1900
The FN Browning M1900 is a single action, semi-automatic pistol designed ca. 1896 by John Browning for Fabrique Nationale de Herstal and produced in Belgium at the turn of the century...
pistol on the railway platform. He also shot Kawagami Toshihiko (川上俊彦), the Japanese Consul General, Morita Jiro (森泰二郞), a Secretary of Imperial Household Agency
Imperial Household Agency
The is a government agency of Japan in charge of the state matters concerning Japan's imperial family and also keeping the Privy Seal and the State Seal...
, and Tanaka Seitaro (田中淸太郞), an executive of South Manchuria Railway
South Manchuria Railway
The , and operated within China in the Japanese-controlled South Manchuria Railway Zone. The railway itself ran from Lüshun Port at the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula to Harbin, where it connected to the Chinese Eastern Railway.-History:...
, who were seriously injured. After the shooting, An yelled out for Korean independence in Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, stating "Корея! Ура!", and waving the Korean flag.
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 Ito had died, he made the sign of the cross
Sign of the cross
The Sign of the Cross , or crossing oneself, is a ritual hand motion made by members of many branches of Christianity, often accompanied by spoken or mental recitation of a trinitarian formula....
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." Despite the orders from the Bishop of Korea not to administer the Sacraments to An, Fr. Wilhelm disobeyed and went to An to give An the Last Sacraments. An insisted that the captors call him by his baptismal name, Thomas.
In the court, An insisted that he be treated as a prisoner of war, as the lieutenant general of Korea resistance army, instead of a criminal, and listed 15 crimes Ito had committed which convinced him to kill Ito.
| 1. | Assassinating the Korean Empress Myeongseong Empress Myeongseong Empress Myeongseong , also known as Queen Min, was the first official wife of King Gojong, the twenty-sixth king of the Joseon dynasty of Korea... |
2. | Dethroning the Emperor Gojong. |
| 3. | Forcing 14 unequal treaties on Korea. | 4. | Massacring innocent Koreans. |
| 5. | Taking the power of Korean government by force. | 6. | Plundering Korean railroads, mines, forests, and rivers. |
| 7. | Forcing the use of Japanese banknotes. | 8. | Disbanding Korean armed forces. |
| 9. | Obstructing education of Koreans. | 10. | Banning Koreans from studying abroad. |
| 11. | Confiscating and burning Korean textbooks. | 12. | Spreading a rumor to the world that Koreans wanted Japanese protection. |
| 13. | 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. | 14. | Breaking the peace of Asia. |
| 15. | Assassinating the Emperor Komei Emperor Komei was the 121st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Kōmei's reign spanned the years from 1846 through 1867.-Genealogy:Before Kōmei's accession to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was ;, his title was .... . |
||
Imprisonment and Death
An's Japanese captors showed sympathy to An. 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 New Year'sJapanese New Year
The is one of the most important annual festivals, with its own unique customs, and has been celebrated for centuries. Due to the importance of the holiday and the preparations required, the preceding days are quite busy, particularly the day before, known as Ōmisoka.The Japanese New Year has been...
delicacies and his calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
was highly admired and requested.
After six trials, An was sentenced to death
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
by the Japanese colonial court in Ryojun China. An was angered at the sentence, though he expected it. He had hoped to be viewed as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
instead of an assassin
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
. On the same day of sentencing at two o'clock in the afternoon, his two brothers Jeong-Geun and Gong-Geun met with him to deliver their mother's message, "Your death is for the sake of your country, and don't ask for your life cowardly. Your brave death for justice is a final filial regards to your mother."
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 Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
ordered prompt action. Prior to his execution, An made two final requests; that the wardens help him finish his essay, "On Peace in East Asia", and for a set of white silk Korean clothes to die in. The warden was able to grant the second request and resigned shortly afterwards. An requested to be executed as a prisoner of war, by firing squad. But instead it was ordered that he should be hanged as a common criminal would be. The execution took place in Port Arthur
Lüshunkou
Lüshunkou is a district in the municipality of Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Also called Lüshun City or Lüshun Port, it was formerly known as both Port Arthur and Ryojun....
, then also known as Ryojun on March 26, 1910. There has been an argument that Itō's death resulted in the acceleration of the final stage of the colonization process, but the claim has been long disputed among historians.
According to Donald Keene
Donald Keene
Donald Lawrence Keene is a Japanologist, scholar, teacher, writer, translator and interpreter of Japanese literature and culture. Keene was University Professor Emeritus and Shincho Professor Emeritus of Japanese Literature at Columbia University, where he taught for over fifty years...
, author of "Emperor of Japan: Meiji and His World, 1852-1912", An Jung-geun was an admirer of Emperor Meiji
Emperor Meiji
The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...
of Japan. One of the 15 'charges' An leveled against Ito was that he had deceived the Emperor of Japan
Emperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
, whom An felt desired peace in East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
and Korean independence. An requested that Meiji be informed of his reasons for his assassination of Ito in the hopes that if Meiji understood his reasons, the emperor would realize how mistaken Ito's policies were and would rejoice. An also felt sure that most Japanese felt similar hatred for Ito, an opinion he formed from talking with Japanese prisoners in Korea. While An was staying in the prison and on the trial, many Japanese prison guards, lawyers and even prosecutors were inspired by An's great spirit, righteousness, and humanity.
Legacy
The assassination of Ito 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 ShikaiYuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai was an important Chinese general and politician famous for his influence during the late Qing Dynasty, his role in the events leading up to the abdication of the last Qing Emperor of China, his autocratic rule as the second President of the Republic of China , and his short-lived...
(袁世凱), Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
(孫逸仙; 孫文), and Liang Qichao
Liang Qichao
Liang Qichao |Styled]] Zhuoru, ; Pseudonym: Rengong) was a Chinese scholar, journalist, philosopher and reformist during the Qing Dynasty , who inspired Chinese scholars with his writings and reform movements...
(梁啟超) wrote poems acclaiming An.
An was posthumously awarded the Republic of Korea Medal of Order of Merit for National Foundation
Order of Merit for National Foundation
The Order of Merit for National Foundation is an Order of South Korea. It is typically reserved for those who contributed to the founding of the modern Republic of Korea.It is awarded in five grades:...
(건국훈장 대한민국장; 建國勳章 大韓民國章) in 1962 by Korean Government, the most prestigious civil decoration in the Republic of Korea, for his efforts for Korean independence.
Memorial halls for An were erected in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
in 1970 by South Korean government and in Harbin by Chinese government in 2006.
In 2010 An Jung Geun Symposium in Korea, Wada Haruki (和田春樹), a prominent history scholar in Tokyo University, evaluated An by quoting Ito Yukio (伊藤之雄), a fellow history schoar in Kyoto University
Kyoto University
, or is a national university located in Kyoto, Japan. It is the second oldest Japanese university, and formerly one of Japan's Imperial Universities.- History :...
. In his text published in 2009, Ito Yukio claims that the reign by Ito Hirobumi resulted in strong resistance from Koreans as it was considered the first step for annexation of Korea due to the cultural differences, and that An is not to be blamed even if he assassinated Ito without understanding Ito's ideology (2009, Ito).
On March 26, 2010, a nation-wide centenary tribute to An was held in South Korea, including a ceremony led by the Prime Minister Chung Un-Chan
Chung Un-Chan
Chung Un-chan was the Prime Minister of South Korea . He was a professor of Seoul National University from 1978 to 2009, serving as the president of the university from July 2002 to July 2006 until he was designated to the Prime Minister. He acquired his Ph.D...
and tribute concerts.
Ancestry
An's family produced many other Korean independence activists. An's cousin An Myung Geun (안명근; 安明根) attempted to assassinate Terauchi MasatakeTerauchi Masatake
, GCB was a Japanese military officer and politician. He was a Field Marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army and the 18th Prime Minister of Japan from 9 October 1916 to 29 September 1918.-Early period:...
(寺内正毅), the first Japanese Governor-General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
of Korea (조선총독; 朝鮮總督) who executed the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty
Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty
The Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910, also known as the Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty, was made by representatives of the Empire of Japan and the Korean Empire in 1910. Negotiations were concluded on August 20, 1910...
in 1910. But failed, imprisoned for 15 years, and died in 1926. An's brothers An Jeong Geun (안정근; 安定根) and An Gong Geun (안공근; 安恭根) as well as An's cousin An Kyung Geun (안경근; 安敬根) and nephew An Woo Saeng (안우생; 安偶生) joined the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was the partially recognised government in exile of Korea, based in Shanghai, China, and later in Chongqing, during the Colonial Korea.-History:...
in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, China led by Kim Gu
Kim Gu
Kim Gu , the sixth and later the last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, was a Korean politician, educator, leader of Korean independence movement against the Japanese occupation of Korea that lasted from 1910 to 1945, and reunification activist who had struggled for...
and fought against Japan. An Chun Saeng (안춘생; 安春生), another nephew of An's, joined the National Revolutionary Army
National Revolutionary Army
The National Revolutionary Army , pre-1928 sometimes shortened to 革命軍 or Revolutionary Army and between 1928-1947 as 國軍 or National Army was the Military Arm of the Kuomintang from 1925 until 1947, as well as the national army of the Republic of China during the KMT's period of party rule...
of China, participated in battles against Japanese forces at Shanghai, and joined Korean Liberation Army
Korean Liberation Army
The Korean Liberation Army, established on September 17, 1941 in Chongqing, China, was the armed force of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea...
in 1940. Later he became a lieutenant general of Republic of Korea Army
Republic of Korea Army
The Republic of Korea Army is the largest of the military branches of the South Korean armed forces with 520,000 members as of 2010...
and a member of the National Assembly of South Korea.
Pan-Asianism
An strongly believed in a union of the three great countries in East Asia, ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in order to counter and fight off the "White Peril", being the European countries engaged in colonialism, restoring peace to East Asia. He followed the progress of Japan during the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
and claimed that he and his compatriots were delighted at hearing of the defeat of one of the agents of the White Peril, but was disappointed that the war ended before Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
was totally subjugated.
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" (東洋平化論; 동양평화론) that he worked on and left unfinished before his execution. 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
Meiji University
is a private university in Tokyo and Kawasaki, founded in 1881 by three lawyers of the Meiji era, Kishimoto Tatsuo, Miyagi Kōzō, and Yashiro Misao. It is one of the largest and most prestigious Japanese universities in Tokyo, Japan....
, highly praises An's idea as an equivalent of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and a concept that preceded the concept of United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
by 10 years.
Calligraphic works
An is highly renowned for calligraphyEast Asian calligraphy
East Asian calligraphy is a form of calligraphy widely practised and revered in the Sinosphere. This most often includes China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. The East Asian calligraphic tradition originated and developed from China. There is a general standardization of the various styles of...
works. An's calligraphy works have been respected not only for his artistic skills but also honourable spirit, which is reflected on his works. While he was in prison, many prison guards such as Chiba Toshichi (千葉十七) who respected him, requested An for calligraphy works.
He left many calligraphy works which were written in the jail of Yeosun (Lushun) although he hadn't studied calligraphy formally. He would leave on his calligraphy works a signature of "大韓國人" (Great Korean) and a handprint of his left hand that was missing the last joint of ring finger, which he cut off with his comrades in 1909 as a pledge to kill Ito. Some of the works were designated to Treasures No. 569 of Korea republic in 1972. One of his famous works is "一日不讀書口中生荊棘"(일일부독서 구중생형극; Unless reading everyday, thorns grow in the mouth.) Quoted from Analects of Confucius
Analects of Confucius
The Analects, or Lunyu , also known as the Analects of Confucius, are considered a record of the words and acts of the central Chinese thinker and philosopher Confucius and his disciples, as well as the discussions they held....
(論語), this sentence has been widely quoted by people who wanted to give emphasis to reading and studying.
In popular culture
North-Korean film An Jung Gun Shoots Ito Hirobumi is a dramatized story of the event. He is commemorated in the martial art TaekwondoTaekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
with the Joon Gun pattern being dedicated to him.
Novelist Bok Geo-il
Bok Geo-il
Bok Geo-il is a South Korean novelist whose novels deal with Korean nationalism and science. He was born in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, in 1946. Later he attended the College of Commerce at Seoul National University, and held a variety of jobs in business. He quit his job when he was 38 years old...
's 1987 novel Looking for an Epitaph (碑銘 (비명)을 찾아서) is an alternate history story, which is set in the 1980s of Korea that remained a permanent colony of Japan, as a cascade effect of An's failure to assassinate Ito. The Korean movie 2009 Lost Memories
2009 Lost Memories
2009 Lost Memories is a 2002 South Korean science fiction action thriller film directed by Lee Si-myung. It was distributed by CJ Entertainment and was released on February 1, 2002.-Plot:...
is very loosely based on the novel but tells a completely different story. In the Korean film, An Jung-geun is spotted and killed by Japanese soldiers before he is able to shoot Ito Hirobumi.
In the PC game Civilization IV
Civilization IV
Sid Meier's Civilization IV is a turn-based strategy, 4X computer game released in 2005 and developed by lead designer Soren Johnson under the direction of Sid Meier and Meier's studio Firaxis Games. It is the fourth installment of the Civilization series...
expansion pack
Expansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, and/or an extended storyline to a complete and already released game...
, Beyond the Sword, An Jung-geun is a Great Spy. The story is summarized in the song 1909 by the band Scrabbel
Scrabbel
Scrabbel was formed in 1999 by two old high school friends Dan Lee and Becky Barron. On the strength of their debut show in 2000 at a sold out event for the San Francisco Intl' Asian American Film Festival, they were approached by a label to record a record. They released their first full length in...
. In honor of him, ROKS An Jung-geun (SS 075), the third ship of Son Wonil class submarines
Type 214 submarine
The Type 214 is a diesel-electric submarine developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH . It features diesel propulsion with an air-independent propulsion system using Siemens polymer electrolyte membrane hydrogen fuel cells...
, was commissioned in 2009.
See also
- Korean independence movementKorean independence movementThe Korean independence movement grew out of the Japanese colonial rule of the Korean peninsula from 1910 to 1945. After the Japanese surrendered, Korea became independent; that day is now an annual holiday called Gwangbokjeol in South Korea, and Chogukhaebangŭi nal in North Korea.-Background:In...
- Korean nationalismKorean nationalismKorean nationalism refers to nationalism among the Korean people. In the Korean context, this encompasses various of movements throughout history to maintain the Korean cultural identity, history, and ethnicity.-History:...
- Lee Bong-changLee Bong-changLee Bong-chang was a Korean independence activist during the Japanese occupation of Korea. In 1932, he attempted unsuccessfully to assassinate Japanese emperor Hirohito with a hand grenade, which became known as the Sakuradamon Incident.- Biography :Born in Hanseongbu to Lee Jin-gyu , Lee...
- Yun Bong-gil
- Ito HirobumiIto HirobumiPrince was a samurai of Chōshū domain, Japanese statesman, four time Prime Minister of Japan , genrō and Resident-General of Korea. Itō was assassinated by An Jung-geun, a Korean nationalist who was against the annexation of Korea by the Japanese Empire...