성주 사도실마을의 창씨 실태와 유림 김창숙의 반대 논리

The Forced Changxi to Sadoshil Village Residents and Confucian Kim Chang-suk s Response

Korea had been the colony of Japan for 35 years since 1910. Especially, when Korea was under the Total Mobilization System in 1940 s, Korean were considered as tools of war. They had to have serviced as the loyal retainers for the Japanese king, and even had to be proud of dying for him in war. Many unreasonable policies were enforced to Korean in 1940 s. The Goseon Government General prevented Korean using their own letters and language at formal meetings. And, let them change their family name in Japanese style. That was called Changxi (創氏 : Family Name Change) at that time. We have a Korea s confucian who resisted the Changxi Policy. His name is Kim Chang-suk (金昌淑, 1879-1962), one of Korea s famous patriots. He was also the succeeding grandson of Uiseong-Kim s family (義城 金氏) in Sadoshil (思道室) Village, his home town. He had been being in prison long time for the independence movement, and returned to his home town over 21 years going through the medical treatment and the restricted movement. Right at the year he returned, 1940, Sadoshil Village was in the spiral of Changxi. Japanese policemen often harassed him for not changing his family name, but he kept rejecting Changxi. He not only resisted Changxi throughout his life, but called his friends dog if they changed the family name. His attitude on changxi, like this, was almost to obsession. What makes him obsessive-compulsive? First, it was the strong pressure from above, the colonial authority. It was governor of Seongju county under the control of the governor-general representing pro-Japanese Korean and putting to gain the higher positions ahead of everything who directed such a pressure. By the decision of governor of Seongju, the huge administrative power and the police force of Seongju were totally mobilized in making the portion of Changxi higher. The portion of Changxi of Uiseong-Kim s family in Sadoshil Village was reached to 85 percents, stronger than other provinces and over the national average, in spite of the long history and the confucian tradition of the village. Second, it was the collaboration from below, for example, by pro-Japanese collaborators. Kim, as a confucian and the succeeding grandson, couldn t stand the abnormal situation he didn t stop the policy. And, he strongly criticized Changxi Policy in the Chinese view of civilization and hoped his friends would support him.