‘인종’ 규정 논리와 제국주의 ·탈제국주의 사이에서 -도리이 류조(鳥居龍蔵)와 최남선을 중심으로-

Abstract

The racial theory by Torii Ryuzo and Nam-sun Choi, who are Japanese anthropologists, was reviewed. Bipartite division of Japanese=Torii, Ryuzo=ruler, Choson people=Choi Nam-sun=ruled was not done. The analysis was attempted from the meaning of internal creation of self formation of a nation-state. In other words, as Japan colonialized Choson, it can be supposed that the generational situation is that Choson already became a part of Japan. Along the same vein, the theory of Torii, a Japanese, gave academic influence to Nam-sun Choi who is Japanese (a Choson person), and he shared the view. Looking at the case of Torii based on this, Torii concentrated his efforts on analyzing the concept of megalithic culture which came from the West. Of course, as he was analyzing it, he was linking it with racial analysis. It’s that as a methodology of analyzing Japan’s ancient times, the megalithic culture was utilized. After confirming that the wall painting found in Liaoning province is the same as that in Assyria, they proposed migration of races. On one hand, stone statues, a kind of megalithic culture, are interpreted. The stone statues on Easter Island and those in Taiwan were seen the same as “megaliths”, but they argued their qualities were different. That is, they verified that the stone statues on Easter Island are remnants from inferior races, while those in Taiwan are remnants from evolved races closely related to Japan. Related to this, they confirmed Dolmens of Choson and insisted that the people who made Dolmens migrated to Japan. They advocated that the Japanese race was formed by migration of superior races from the south, and migration of superior races from the north. They insisted that ancient tombs are that, ancient tombs are a symbol of greatness, and the tomb of the Emperor of Japan means that symbolically. Besides, in the situation of colonial rule, in Choson, the choson government general led investigation of historical landmarks which made good progress. Surrounding excavated items from the old tomb in Pyoung-yang at that time, a conflict arose because there were two interpretations. The first was the dispute of whether they were relics from Goguryeo, or relics from Han dynasty’s Nakrang. Torii insisted that the relics were from Nakrang. Nam-sun Choi also deemed that they were relics from Nakrang, agreeing with Torii’s argument. But it was for trying to prove the argument that superior races migrated, taking “exquisiteness” of Nakrang relics as an example. At the same time, the interpretation of megalithic culture proposed by Torii was taken as an example, and the superiority of Choson’s megalithic culture was discussed. As the megalithic culture with the meaning of Choson in East Asia was interpreted, Choson’s Tangun megalith’s significance was insisted. By claiming the logic that megalithic culture symbolizes greatness and is divine, the significance of Tangun was insisted. In conclusion, the ‘outside’ that proposes differences compared to the Japanese community was recognized, from how Choson’s Tangun was advocated despite living in Japan. It on one hand advanced as creation of a new self concept.