계봉우의 민족운동과 한국학

Abstract

Nationalist activist Kye Pong-woo, whose pen-name was Pukwoo, achieved many meritorious works as a Korean language scholar and concentrated on Korean history research as well. He wrote several history textbooks in order to encourage national thoughts against Japanese colonial historiography and assimilation policy while he exiled to Jiandao and stayed there. Among them, the Sinchan chusinsa [Newly published history of Chusin] is remarkable since it argued that the name Chusin is older than Chosun and it was written based upon a materialistic view of history. He systemized Korean history based upon historical materialism in the Chosŏnsa [History of Korea], in which he defined Tonghak peasant’s revolutionary movement as ‘peasant war’ and raised anti-American imperialism in relation to the Korean War. In the Man'go ŭisa An Chung-gŭnjŏn [A writing on the immortal patriotic martyr An Chung-gŭn], it is noteworthy that Kye made clear An Chung-gŭn’s entrance operation to Korea among his patriotic activities, noted some aspects of An’s Catholic belief, highly evaluated An’s poetic sense, and verified the Tanji tongmaeng [League of Finger Cutting] etc. Kye’s writings on Korean migration to other countries and national movements were completed in the 1920s, when he did not absorb communism or join the movements though he watched over the communistic activities around the Korean Socialist Party.