근현대 한국 지식인들의 바이칼 인식 - 한민족의 기원문제와 관련하여 -

Abstract

This paper examines how modern Korean intellectuals perceive Baikal in relation to the origin of the Korean race and culture. Baikal is always included when discussing where the Korean race came from and which region is related to a certain part of the Korean culture. Although Central Asia, Altai or Siberia are included and commonly called the northern region according to the writer, in many cases, Baikal is mentioned as the center. It is difficult to specify since when the Korean intellectuals had this notion but it can at least be confirmed that the so-called Baikal theory appeared in the early 20th century. During the 20th century and even at present, Baikal is discussed as the land from which the Korean race or culture originated. Although some of these such arguments are acceptable, there are many that are hard to agree with. There are many cases in which the external argument looks to be acceptable but the contents are severely lacking in academic basis. This is caused by the prejudice of the writers, though it is also related to the characteristic of the topic of a race’s origin. With this in mind, the Baikal theory that has been discussed until the present was reexamined to analyze the validity of the argument and the reasons for its emergence. First, the perception of Baikal of the Korean intellectuals who visited Baikal in the early 20th century, which was when the Baikal theory first appeared, and those who visited the region in the modern age was reviewed, and based on this, it was verified whether Baikal was where the Korean race and culture originated. As a result, the following conclusion was reached. The Baikal theory, in which the Korean race and culture are said to have originated from Baikal, basically has its roots in the northen region theory, where the Korean race and culture are said to have originated from the northern region. Intellectuals have been explaining the Korean race and culture in relation to the northern region since the start of the 20th century. Nevertheless, the northern region perceived by our past intellectuals is ambiguous. North and south Manchuria, inner and outer Mongolia, far east Maritime Province, Siberia and the Altaic region were all commonly called the northern region. Baikal is located within this united group of the northern region, and modern scholars and writers also include Manchuria, Siberia and even Mongolia when discussing Baikal. The conclusion is that the northern region, which was perceived as the origin of the Korean race and culture for more than a century and the scope of which was ambiguously defined, changed to Baikal after the 1990s and Baikal is currently understood as the region from which the Korean race and culture originated.