화교의 생활사와 정체성의 변화과정-군산 여씨가를 중심으로-

Abstract

This paper explores the history of Chinese who migrated to Korea as laborers one hundred years ago and have lived for the 4th generation in the area of Gunsan. The contents of this paper consist of the migration process, job, marriage, family, childhood and funeral rites. It delineates the Chinese identity, its generational differences, and the reasons of changes. First, I study the history of Chinese immigrants in Gunsan and describe how flourishing Chinese merchant class were working in the foreign settlements at the turn of the century. The Japanese colonialism did not much affect their business activities. Second, I explore the lives of Chinese immigrants by collecting life histories of Yeo family. My study of Yeo family focuses on the subject matter how they have lived in Gunsan and witnesses the intensive interactions with the local people and their histories. It furthers the concrete and actual family history on the basis of individuals’memories, photos, and documents. Third, I analyze the Korean government policy on foreign immigrants. The Korean government has long either ignored or strictly controlled over them. It has forced Chinese people to become naturalized as Korean citizens. Nevertheless, it turned out to be ineffective. However, as times went by, the inter-cultural marriage between the third and fourth generation Chinese and Korean has increased. Also, the young Chinese actively become participated in the Korean society after the graduation from Korean schools. It has been done through a difficult but natural process of the history of immigration. This paper stresses the fact that the first and second generations of Chinese immigrants have long lived with Koreans, not being as aliens living in an island. Their living space and time have been overlapped those of Koreans. Futhermore, the third and fourth generations are changing in their identities and values. The fact gives us to rethink the direction of multi-ethnic society and multi-culturalism.