The Effection Of Christianity Of Chosun Nation Society In The Early 20th Century China Yanbian Area

At the beginning of the 20th century chosun people in Yanbian district in China played the most superior role among the whole chosun nationals' anti-Japanese independent movements, chosun nation who had already inhabited in the Yanbian district in China prepared the struggle against Japanese Imperialism in every aspect through religious, diplomatic, cultural enlightenment, demonstration and armed campaigns.This thesis regards the religious activity as the most important reason why the independent movement in Yanbain area rose first and developed more than those of other regions. Religious organizations had a big effect on the early anti-Japanese movements, and that was due to the peculiar social environment and living conditions of the time. Starting from Christianity(the end of 19c.), Catholicism(beginning of 20c.), and "The Great Religion," many religions were brought in to Yanbian from chosun peninsula. The religions organized the poor people and educated them maintaining somewhat lawfulness. Then the anti-Japanese patriots used religious organizations to cultivate the ethnic culture and to propagate the anti-Japanese independent ideology among the chosun people. Before long this kind of awareness became the effective tool of fighting against Japanese Imperialism.The time line of this thesis paper is from the beginning of 19th century, when Catholicism entered Yanbian area, to before the "Manchuria Nation" was established in the early 20th century. The thesis searches the condition of chosun society and religions at that time, the background and process of how religions were transmitted into Yanbian chosun people's society, and the distinctive mark of Yanbian chosun people's religion which was shown while they used religions to.struggle toward Japanese Imperialism.This thesis consists of the introduction, body, and conclusion, and the body has 4 parts.The introduction narrates the purpose and significance of this research, the researching trend of Korea and overseas, the present chosun problems, the researching methods and the use of research materials, and the main topics of the research.The first chapter deals with the overall condition of Christianity and other religion in'chosun and Yanbian, China from the end of 19th century to 1909. First it looks into the outlook of chosun's religions, the disseminating process of western religion at the time of losing national rights, and the birth of new national religion. Further researches were done on the conditions and limits of the traditional and modern national religions, the characteristics of Christianity newly introduced to chosun society and the role the Christianity played in the patriotic enlightenment campaigns and the anti-Japanese independent movement of modern chosun society.Then it discusses spreading process of religions in Yanbian and the formation of Yanbian chosun society. The characteristics found in Yanbian chosun people's acceptance of Christianity can be explained by the fact that the early migrators in Yanbian area were mostly paupers from HamGyeng-do.Nest the paper surveys Christianity's distinguishing function in Yanbian, the acceptance of Christianity in HamGyeong-do, the Yanbian migrators' home town, and Yanbian. Now in Yanbian the new culture was replacing the old one, so there existed a sharp conflict between the modern and the feudalistic idea. As "Ganmin," who moved to a new area and inhabited themselves in there, chosun people in Yanbian area were anxious for a new culture and thoughts so they could accept Christianity with comparative ease.Chapter 2 is about the Characteristics of anti-Japanese enlightenment movement in chosun(1910～1918) and its effect on Yanbian chosun people's society. It further discusses religion's function in those enlightenment movements, the national educational movement and the self-governing bodies in Yanbian like "The Society of Ganmin Education" and "The Society of Ganmin." In those times Koreans(chosun people) launched an army in the cause of justice and organized anti-Japanese enlightenment movements to get independence from Japan. Soon they realized the limitation of national rights recovery campaign, however, and then initiated oversea independent movements. From 1905, when Korea was deprived of its diplomatic power by Japanese Imperialism, the army in the cause of justice and anti-Japan enlightenment activists migrated to Yanbian area. The army raised campaigns along Tuman river and Yalu river valleys, while the activists set up many anti-Japan nationalistic schools, starting from Seojunseosuk, a modern private school built in 1906. After chosun lost its sovereignty over to Japanese Imperialism, the anti-Japan enlightenment activists came to Yanbian area in a body. Led by Donghwi Lee, an anti-Japanese activist who was also engaged in propagating Christianity, the enlightenment activists founded new-style Christian schools, actively Preparing the national liberation campaign.Poor Koreans of this time established many Christian churches. The anti-Japanese national spirit of the Christian leaders and the modernity of schools set up by them contributed to the fast growth of Christianity. Along with the quick development of Christianity, the spread of new culture in Yanbian chosun society and the expansion of anti-Japanese enlightenment movement founded the base of anti-Japanese campaign, which is discussed in the next chapter.In chapter 3, the author looks into the overall condition of Yanbian chosun society's anti-Japanese campaigns, putting 3.13 movement in 1919 as a core. The chapter also deals with the actions of "The Society of Nation," the noted anti-Japanese organization in Yanbian area of this time and spotlights the Christianity's role and influence on the movement. The anti-Japanese patriots used legal religious organizations as Christianity to disseminate scientific technology and modern ideas such as liberty, equality, democracy and civil rights. The patriots established Sinhyung School to'improve the crowds' national consciousness and further united the Joseon people against the Japanese Imperialism. These actions served as a momentum of the 3.13 movement in 1919. After 3.13 the anti-Japanese figures of religious groups contributed much to the independent movement by setting up various anti-Japanese organizations like "The Society of Nation" and by raising armed forces against Japan. In this chapter it mentions the unity issue of the anti-Japanese organizations, especially pointing out the relationship between "The Society of Nation" and "Bukro-Gunjungseo."Chapter 4 looks into the cause and process of differentiation and hanging of religions, including Christianity, in Yanbian area of 1922～1931. Because of Japan's cruel oppression in 1920 the bourgeois' anti-Japanese movements became inactive, while the expansion of socialism caused many religious bodies to go under internal differentiation and changes. The disagreement of opinions between the Socialist and the bourgeois camp on the anti-Japanese struggle policy led to the sharp and complicated struggle between classes. Even "The Society of Nation" was absorbed into the Socialist camp due to the Christian national leaders' conflicts. The paper specially looks into how the Christian organization divided into three factions; the Socialist, pure religion, and the pro-Japanese group, with the Christian nationalists like Donghwi Lee, Yakyeon Kim, and Chunseon Gu as the central figures. The author lays an emphasis on that it is Yanbian Christian groups' active function in the past anti-Japanese struggle which made the "anti-Christianity" movement in Yanbian not as fierce as those in chosun and China.The conclusion summarizes what was discussed in the body. It also highlights that the hostility between the Christianity and Socialism that has been held on so far should be wiped out, and that they can coexist if the Christianity increases its role in society.