Abstract
A study on Local identity of Baekje in 4th ~5th Century
Name : Lee HyunSook
Department : Interdisciplinary Program in Cultural Heritage Studies
Thesis Advisor : Lee HongJong
Regarding the history of Baekje, various fields ranging from the...
Abstract
A study on Local identity of Baekje in 4th ~5th Century
Name : Lee HyunSook
Department : Interdisciplinary Program in Cultural Heritage Studies
Thesis Advisor : Lee HongJong
Regarding the history of Baekje, various fields ranging from the establishment process of the ancient Baekje to local reign policies have been intensively studied. However most of the studies tended to focus on the central power of Baekje, which was followed by a serious limitation into the determination of local cultural identity. Thus, it is expected multiple efforts to identify local powers, and the subjects of Baekje, along with the study on local reign systems of the central ruling group, will be the bases for determining how a local society was in the Hanseong period.
This paper is related to the identity of Baekje local regions in the 4th ~ 5th century. An analysis on the local characteristics were focused on the settlement and tomb relics of 4th ~ 5th century in the Midwest regions that are presumed to be the former land of Mahan. The overall summary of this paper is suggested as follows in a discussion order:
In Chapter II, prior to determining the local identity of Baekje, the meaning of local society existence in the Korean ancient history was all examined along with the literary and archeological study results of local cultures and reign systems of Baekje in Hanseong period. These examinations were tried to obtain directions of which view to be adopted to approach to, and how to interpret in recognizing local society, which is contrasted with the central region of Baekje and understanding local powers.
The previous Baekje History studies have been conducted on various fields such as the territorial extension and re-establishment of local reign systems according to the development of Baekje, despite a fundamental limitation of insufficient historical materials. However, in spite of these intensive studies on local reigns of Baekje, there are still lots of limitations in clearly substantiating local society forms from a view point centering around the central region.
Thus it is needed to look at the local identity of Baekje of Hanseong Period based on archeological materials related to 4th ~ 5th century of Midwest regions, which correspond to Mahan's Former Territory, from the view point that the growth of ancient country, Baekje, might be possible not only by the influence of central political powers, but also by the engagement policy for wide local societies and the systematic ruling. Through this study, important basic materials for understanding the local powers of Baekje in Hanseong Period will be obtained by recognizing and appropriately substantiating the aspects of various communities that are presumed to have been included in a local society. In Chapter III, it was found that tomb relics are useful for surveying the local identity because they enable the examining of settlement and tomb materials of such Baekje. Accordingly in Chapter IV, the cultural aspects of 31 local regions were analyzed after the relics of the Midwest regions from under Hanriver to Geumriver valley were surveyed mainly based on tomb materials, and in Chapter V, case studies were conducted centering around the remains of Yongwon-ri in Cheonan that is kept in the best condition among archeological materials of 31 local units, and through these case studies, the transition process of local society and relationship between local society and central region were determined. In Chapter VI, the stone-lined tomb and stone-chamber tomb, the remarkable innovation of tombs culture, were analyzed, through which it was found these tomb cultures was very positively accepted by local societies. Further, it was found the relationship between local society and central region through a medium of prestige goods was simply not a relationship between the ruler and the subjugated, but a relationship based on active roles and involvements of local regions.
There is limitation in examining the local identity of Baekje of 4th ~ 5th century through the location analysis and patternization of tomb distribution areas, where the analysis and patternization are conducted based on material relics found in the limited regions. Nevertheless, this paper tried to understand even part of identity of local societies that remain unclear today, based on an idea that the growth of ancient country, Baekje, was be enabled not only by the central political power but also by the efforts of local societies to establish the relationship actively and the engagement policy and effective ruling of central force of Baekje.
There is limitation that the case study object of this study was limited to the remains of Yongwon-ri among 31 regions recognized as local societies of Baekje of Hanseong Period. As discussed in the regional aspect study focused on the tomb styles, from the face that each regional group showed various cultural types, the case study on the unit of local region should continue further. If the case studies of local societies centering around small local unit polities are accumulated, it will be possible to substantiate the forms of independent and pluralistic local societies of Baekje in Hanseong Period. This task will be supplemented by further continued studies.