Korean Studies Internet Discussion List KOREAN STUDIES REVIEW
Min Yông-hwan: A Political Biography, by Michael Finch. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2002. xii + 256 pages. (ISBN 0-8248-2520-9 cloth)
reviewed by Anders Karlsson
SOAS, University of London
[This review first appeared in Acta Koreana, 6.1 (2003): 14-20. Acta Koreana is published by Academia Koreana of Keimyung University.]
Historical narratives of 19th century Korea are still to some extent in the grip of the odd couple of Social Darwinism and Confucian historiography. Writing on a transitional period, from traditional society to modern, from an independent and proud kingdom to a protectorate and colony, it is easy to fall into teleological reasoning and judgmental descriptions. Studies dealing with this period frequently seek the causes for the weak state of the dynasty, why it wasn't able to adapt to the new geopolitical situation of late 19th century East Asia. This is projected back into earlier parts of the century, tracing what went wrong, instead of trying to get a comprehensive view of the socio-political situation at the time. The Confucian legacy can be seen in efforts to find the morally culpable; in the cyclical view of Confucian historiography dynasties come to an end because they are morally corrupt, the Chosôn dynasty came to an end, therefore it must have been corrupt. From both a Social Darwinian and a Confucian point of view attention is naturally directed to the politically most influential group of the time, the royal in-law families. Portrayed as morally corrupt, they are thus blamed for the weak state of the dynasty and also for contributing to the demise of Korea as an independent country by stubbornly sticking to the old order to defend their own interests.
The late 19th century is accordingly depicted as a period when progressive forces, realising that Korea had to change to survive, fought with conservatives, among whom the royal in-laws played a prominent role, defending their own interests at the expense of the survival of the country. This is the context in which Michael Finch's study Min Yông-hwan: A Political Biography is set. The Introduction states: "One of the main purposes of this study, therefore, is to correct the distortion of such a polarized interpretation and to show that the political scene in late Chosôn Korea should not be viewed as a simple dichotomy of progressive reformers pitted against conservative reactionaries." (p. 4)
This is a very welcome approach, and a biographical study is of course a very effective format when aiming to disaggregate an over-simplified picture, as it can portray in detail the complex situation into which a person is put, and the diverse and sometimes contradictory ways in which the person reacts. Furthermore, as Min Yônghwan was a central figure in the most powerful in-law family at that time, the Yôhûng Min clan, and also was engaged in governmental reform efforts, the subject of this study is indeed very well chosen. The study is mainly interested in Min Yônghwan as a public figure, his political career. It is thus titled a political biography, and the main sources used are Min's own writings as compiled in Min Ch'ungjônggong yugo (The posthumous works of Prince Min).
The first chapter, "Early Life and Political Career" begins with an introductory exposition of the closing decades of the Chosôn dynasty (1866-1910). Except for two Korean secondary sources this is exclusively based on the standard English language scholarship on the period and does not provide any new understanding. Thereafter follows a similar exposition of the intellectual background of Late Chosôn. This is also too superficial to provide a good understanding of the period in which Min Yônghwan lived, and it contains some problematic statements, for instance: "In the early nineteenth century Chông Yag-yong, the "great synthesizer" of sirhak thought, brought practical learning to the threshold of "enlightenment thought" (kaehwa sasang)" (p. 19). Even though, admittedly, links can be seen between practical learning and late 19th century Korean enlightenment thought, for instance in figures such as Pak Kyusu, the latter was not a result of any "synthesizing" of the former, and Chông Yag-yong's rather traditional version of practical learning was not at the core of these developments. It is further stated "[j]ust as the Western Enlightenment had seen the appearance of Encyclopedists in France, so the nineteenth century in Korea also witnessed the emergence of such encyclopedic works." (p. 19) Not only is the comparison of Western and Korean enlightenment thought misleading, but the statement also ignores the fact that the Korean encyclopedic works were written from the perspective of sirhak, not enlightenment thought, and that sirhak scholars had produced such works in earlier periods, for example Yi Su-gwang's (1563-1628) Chibong yusôl and Yi Ik's (1681-1763) Sôngho sasôl. There is also an unfortunate misprint; the title of Sô Yugu's (1764--1845) encyclopedic work is Imwôn simnyuk chi and not Imyôn simnyuk chi (p.19).
This chapter takes off, however, when it starts to relate Min Yônghwan's family background and early life. The fact that Min Yônghwan was the cousin of King Kojong as well as the nephew of the king's consort, Queen Myôngsông, is very telling of how closely connected the Min clan was to the royal family, and also of the complex family situations that could result from the practice of adoption within families to maintain blood-lines. The description of his childhood is, however, due to existing sources, as dull as most such descriptions found in the biographies of Chosôn Korea personalities. After conceiving him his mother had an auspicious dream, and as a child Min Yônghwan showed exceptional filial piety, respectfully listened to his elders, and would not join in with the local children's games. It is, however, very telling to see how the young Min Yônghwan was able to make a "meteoric" (p. 27) rise in the bureaucracy even though he repeatedly declined positions given to him. Min passed the final stage of the Munkwa Examination in February 1878 and already in March 1881, even before his twentieth birthday, he was promoted to a post at the senior third rank, entering the higher ranks of the bureaucracy. As this study deals with one of the central figures in the Min clan, and it states that "Min's [Yônghwan] career was made all the more promising by the fact that by 1878, the Min clan had already had five years in which to consolidate its power after forcing the resignation of the Taewôn'gun in 1873" (p. 27) it would have been interesting to see a discussion on the role of the Min clan in the seizure of political initiative from his father by King Kojong, as this is not a wholly undisputed issue.
Just as the Min clan's position gave them power, it also made them the target of political violence in this turbulent period, something of which Min would have much personal experience. His father, Min Kyômho was killed in the Soldiers Rebellion of 1882, two relatives, Min T'aeho and Min Yôngmok were killed in the coup of 1884, and finally Queen Myôngsông was murdered by the Japanese in 1895. This chapter gives a very interesting picture of the pros and cons of being a royal in-law family in late 19th-century Korea.
The second chapter "Proposals for Reforms" presents Min's reform essay Ch'ônilch'aek (One policy in a thousand), and starts with a discussion on the dating of this work, arguing that it was written just before the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War in July 1894, and not around the time of Min's two journeys to the West in 1896 and 1897 as surmised by the South Korean historian Kang Sôngjo. Even if it of course is very important whether Min wrote this reform essay before or around the times of his visit to Western countries, I feel that the author gets a little bit too polemic, stating that it "appears to have been incorrectly dated in Korean historiography [italics added]" (p. 6) even though he later only refers to the work of Kang Sôngjo, and it is my impression that the work usually isn't dated at all. Finch furthermore accuses Kang Sôngjo of having "deliberately misinterpreted" (p. 46) a section of the text, a serious accusation that would need some substantial elaboration. Given that Finch is able to produce several convincing cases of textual evidence to support his dating, it is also somewhat disappointing that he should overdo his case and use a reference of Min to a standard phrase like "five hundred years of civil government in Chosôn" as indicative of when the text was written (p. 40).
Ch'ônilch'aek starts with an assessment of the situation in Korea dealing with the perceived Russian and Japanese threats, Chosôn's relationship with China and the Tonghak problem. That Finch is able to show that this text was written before the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War is of course of great significance when analysing how he perceived the threat from Japan and Russia, and when arguing for what kind of relationship Korea should have with China. Finch makes a good point of the fact that Min already at this stage warns of Japan's "aggressive intentions". He states: "[W]hatever the truth of Hilary Conroy's assertion that the Meiji leadership had no long-term plan to annex Korea, that was certainly not the perception of at least one member of Korea's leadership élite as early as 1894." (p. 45) Of importance for the later narrative of the study is also how strongly Min perceived the threat from Russia, calling the country a "modern-day, powerful Qin". (p. 43)
This assessment of the situation is followed by ten proposals for preparation and defence: employing talented people, restoring the fundamental principles of government, reform of the military system, adequate storage of materials, the repair of weapons, the defence of strategic points, relieving the people's suffering, managing wealth and expenditure, promotion of schools, and relations with neighbouring countries. What strikes the reader is the traditional character of these suggested reforms. This might be the reason why the text hasn't received much attention in previous studies of the period, as these tend to focus on "progressive" reform ideas, but Min's text is very important if we want to understand the outlook of leading figures of the time, and Finch's discussion is a very welcome contribution.
The reader is, however, left wondering for whom this text was intended. The difficulties in dating the texts of course result from the fact that it isn't mentioned in other sources. It would have been interesting if Finch had discussed why this text apparently wasn't circulated, considering Min's central position in the bureaucracy.The third chapter "Mission to Russia" is based on Haech'ôn ch'ubôm (Sea, sky, autumn voyage) and relates Min's 1896 journey to Moscow as minister plenipotentiary to attend the coronation of Tsar Nicholas II. This was when King Kojong was residing in the Russian legation in Seoul and the mission was a Russian initiative to strengthen its position in Korea. The purpose of the visit was not only to attend the coronation, but also to have negotiations with the Russian government. In great detail the reader is allowed to follow Min and his entourage, including Yun Ch'iho, on their journey to Russia via China, Japan, Canada, the United States, Great Britain, Germany and Poland. It is fascinating reading to see how this group reacted to the more spectacular features of Western civilisation, such as steam trains, electricity, high buildings, and broadcasting. Some remarks even bring Papalagi to mind, as after having experienced an electrically powered elevator for the first time, when the diary states: "As climbing the stairs might be considered inconvenient, there is one room on the ground floor which goes up and down by means of electricity according to one's wish. This is a good idea." (p. 83) Curiosity seems to have been reciprocal to a certain extent as the group wore traditional Korean clothes and attracted unwelcome attention in New York. Yun Ch'iho wrote: "If laughing and smiling are a sign of happiness, certainly we, in our strange dress, were an innocent cause of making many a person happy in N.Y." (p. 211) In a similar fashion it is also interesting to see how Min Yônghwan after this "journey of thousands of miles across two oceans and two continents" (p. 90-91) in the end was unable to attend the coronation in the cathedral of the Kremlin Palace as he refused to remove his official headgear, something that the envoys of Turkey, China, and Persia also refused to do, and had to watch it from outside.
The greatest value of this chapter, however, lies in the first-hand insight it gives into the frustrating diplomatic activities of Min in Russia. He had been ordered by King Kojong to negotiate with the Russians to secure help to balance Japanese influence. What Korea asked for was a guard for the protection of the King, military instructors, advisors, telegraphic connections, and a loan. The Koreans were, however, unaware of the secret negotiations between Russia and Japan concerning the balance of their influence on the Korean peninsula, resulting in the Yamagata-Lobanov Protocol of June 1896. When Min negotiated with the Russians they didn't inform him of this agreement, frustrating Min by not giving any clear answer to the Korean requests and only offering the not-so-convincing "moral assurance of safety" for the Korean king.
The fourth chapter, "Embassy to Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee", is based on Sagu sokch'o (Additional notes of an envoy to Europe) and initially describes how Min Yônghwan after returning to Korea, apparently influenced by his experiences in the West, starts to work for reform to the extent that he was "adopted as the main figurehead for reform within the Korean administration by the Independent's editor, Sô Chaep'il" (p. 118), before he once again is sent abroad, this time as Ambassador Plenipotentiary to Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and Minister Plenipotentiary to six European nations in 1897. Whereas the 1896 visit to Russia had been a Russian initiative, this mission "was the fulfilment of a long-held desire of the Chosôn administration to be represented at the major capitals of Europe" (p. 121). As in the previous chapter, the adventures of Min Yônghwan in foreign lands make fascinating reading, but it is really in the description of how these "long-held desires" were thwarted, and how Min Yônghwan eventually, out of frustration over the Korean situation, abandoned his official responsibilities and left for the US, that the value of this chapter lies.
The last chapter, "The Final Phase", portrays Min's activities while staying in Washington and his activities in Korea after his return in 1898 and up till November 1905, when he committed suicide in protest against the protectorate treaty. In this period he continued to work for reform while being given high positions in the bureaucracy. Of special significance were his activities in the Bureau of Emigration (Yuminwôn), since he actively supported Korean emigration to Hawai'i, apparently impressed by what he had witnessed among Korean immigrants in the Russian Far East on his return journey from his visit to Russia in 1896.
Min Yông-hwan: A Political Biography is a most valuable contribution to the study of 19th century Korea, a biographical narrative that provides fascinating reading of micro-historical details, and a study in diplomatic history that sheds valuable light on the difficult diplomatic endeavours of the Chosôn dynasty as the kingdom was confronted with a new international order in late 19th century. However, although the strong point of Finch's study is that he attempts to give a more variegated picture, aiming to "correct the distortion" of "a polarized interpretation", unfortunately, to a certain extent, he himself seems to fall into the same trap. He for instance contends that "largely as a result of Min's experiences in the West and his close contact with Western diplomats, advisers, missionaries, and their Korean associates in Seoul such as Yun Ch'i-ho and Sô Chae-p'il, Min was able to go beyond his neo-Confucian, conservative background to become the most important ally of modernization and reform at the Korean court [italics added]" (p. 8). Furthermore, in his discussion of Min's reform essay, Finch seems to feel a need to excuse Min for his conservative outlook stating that "it should be recognized that Min was constrained to work within the frames of reference of the Chosôn court" and that by "using Chinese precedents in his arguments for reform, he was also protecting himself from any criticism that might come either from conservatives or from Qing observers of the court such as Yuan Shikai" (pp. 53-54).
Consequently the life of Min Yônghwan is still described and judged from the viewpoint of a teleologically justified preferred development, and in the end the reader is left lacking a new understanding of Min Yônghwan's role in Korean politics of the period. Finch repeatedly states that Min's main contribution was to function as a link between the Korean court and reformers, "his efforts to traverse the gulf between Kojong's court and the Independence club" (p. 180), but these claims are only backed up by the fact that he was close to the court, worked for reform, and that members of the Independence Club spoke warmly of him. The author fails to show of what these "efforts" really consisted. Finch thus tends to collapse the importance of Min into only his ideas on reform, and in my opinion it would have been interesting to see both a broader and a more detailed discussion of the political role, not only of Min but also of the group he represented, the influential royal-in-law statesmen, in this turbulent period of Korean history.
These final critical remarks, however, do not detract from the value of this publication, a study that should attract interest not only from scholars dealing with turn-of-the-century diplomatic history, but also from a broader audience wanting to get closer to the leading personalities of late 19th century Korea.
Citation:
Karlsson, Anders 2004
Min Yông-hwan: A Political Biography, by Michael Finch (2002)
Korean Studies Review 2004, no. 15
Electronic file: http://koreanstudies.com/ks/ksr/ksr04-15.htm