A Criticism of Edwin O. Reischauer’s Pronouncements on Ancient Korea-Japan Relations
Journal Title: International Journal of Korean History - Year 2011, Vol 16, Issue 1
Abstract
This paper aims to examine the ancient Korea-Japan relations as mentioned in the book entitled The Japanese, (Tokyo: Charles E. Tuttle, 1977). The book was written by Edwin O. Reischauer, University Professor at Harvard, who was United States Ambassador to Japan from 1961 to 1966. The book reflects the distorted view of Japanese historians who misrepresent the history of ancient Korea-Japan relations. He insists that there were semi-autonomous tribal units of natural growth in Japan and the ancient burial mounds belonged to privileged Japanese aristocracy. But they were proven to be the tombs of the influential immigrants from the Korean Peninsula to Japanese islands. Notwithstanding that Prince Shotoku was a fictitious figure, Reischauer maintains that he was a historical person who founded the Horyuji Temple. Also he declares that the Japanese absorbed Tang culture and civilization extensively and single-mindedly. But from before the sixth century until the end of the eighth century, Japan was under the dominion of Korea-Baekje (Paekche) in pre-668 years and Unified Silla after that. And it is now an open secret that massive influxes of immigrants with highly advanced civilization and culture from Korea settled in the Japanese islands among unlettered natives living off fish and marine products. They can be proven to the accounts in the Nihonshoki on Korean immigrants settling in the Japanese islands to found a new state. And ancient place-names of Japan were named after Korean kingdoms, most of which were renamed in recent ages, only a few still remaining.
Authors and Affiliations
Jae-seok Choi
Keywords
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