한 ‧ 중 항일기념관의 전시 내러티브와 동아시아 역사인식 ‒ 독립기념관·중국인민항일전쟁기념관을 중심으로 ‒

Abstract

This study compared and reviewed the representative anti-Japanese memorials of South Korea and China, namely Independence Hall of Korea (獨立紀念館) and Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (中國人民抗日戰爭紀念館), in the establishment process and exhibition narrative and examined East Asia’s perceptions of history reproduced in their exhibitions. The two memorials were founded in 1987 after the history textbook issue in Japan in 1982 and organized their exhibition narratives on the theme of anti-Japanese struggle history. They share common features of reporting on the invasion barbarities of Japanese imperialism and emphasizing the integrated value of national solidarity. The study reviewed East Asia’s perceptions of history and found that both the memorials reported on the invasion barbarities of Japanese imperialism, but there were differences in the perceptions of Japan today between them. While the Independence Hall of Korea condemned the history distortion and territory disputes of Japan, Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression put an emphasis on friendly relationships between China and Japan. There was no enough mutual perception between Korea and China and no enough awareness of joint anti-Japanese struggle between Korea and China. The two memorials shared certain exhibition themes such as Northeast Anti-Japanese Allies(東北抗日聯軍), Korea Volunteers Army(朝鮮義勇隊), and “comfort women” for the Japanese military, but those themes had a very small percentage of the entire exhibitions at the two memorials and were subject to differences in historical interpretations. The more specifically the two memorials were compared in exhibition narrative, the bigger differences were found in historical perceptions between the two countries. It was because both the memorials took the collective memory officially shared among people in their respective nations as exhibition narrative. Since the subjects and goals of historical perceptions were different, it was only natural that the content of exhibition became different, which did not agree with the prediction that there would be no big differences in historical perceptions between Korea and China since both the countries shared similar historical experiences such as suffering the damage by Japanese imperialism and engaging in anti-Japanese struggle. Considering the status of the two memorials in Korea and China, respectively, the differences in historical perceptions and narratives confirmed at the two memorials seem to represent the perceptions of early modern and modern history in the two nations. As Japan is expanding and reinforcing its actions for historical distortions, the roles of Independence Hall of Korea and Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression grow bigger and bigger. They need to focus on reputing the historical distortions of Japan through thorough historical research and build a foundation for historical cooperation between Korea and China by sharing the historical interpretations and broadening mutual perceptions between the two countries through ongoing exchanges. It is expected that the two memorials will contribute to the joint historical perceptions in East Asia and the transmission of anti-invasion pacifism to later generations through their activities.