Hoosier
Contributor
- Messages
- 5,974
- Reaction score
- 9
Kim:It's also how the BBC refers to it on the world news - I thought CNN did as well. It's amusing really, I've never heard the Koreans try to refer to the water on their west coast as the West Sea...I wonder why?!
If you don't change your last name over time, you know why it has to be called as "East Sea," not Sea of Japan. (please read the article below).
Actually, Koreans call the west coast as the West Sea (Yellow Sea) and the south coast as the South Sea if you have been in Korea...
Distortion of the truth is unforgivable under any circumstances, even in the colonial period.
===============================================
The Historical precedent for the "East Sea"
In most world maps and atlases used internationally today, Korea's "East Sea" is indicated as the "Sea of Japan," and therefore an immediate correction is warranted. To this end, it is necessary to review the historical background of the term "East Sea" and how Korea's East Sea has been recognized by neighboring countries and other western countries in the past. Also, to prepare a strategy to change the name "Sea of Japan" back to "East Sea'" it is necessary to review the process of how the "East Sea" was unjustifiably turned into the "Sea of Japan" in the 20th century.
Name of "East Sea" in Korean Writings and Ancient Maps
Historically, Korea has used the term, "East Sea" in writings since 59 B.C. Examples can be found in numerous records including the Monument of King Kwanggaeto (411), the Samguk sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms, 1145) and the Samguk yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms, 1284). Moreover, the still extant "Atlas of Eight Provinces" in the Shinjong tongguk yoji sungnam (A revised edition of the Augmented Survey of the Geography of Korea, 1530) uses the term "East Sea." In addition, a 16th century Tongguk chido (Map of Korea) uses the term "Tong cho taehae" (Great Sea of the Lower East). A map of Yongnam (the southeastern region of the peninsula) which was made in the 1740's and a map of Korea which was officially created in the mid-18th century also used the name, "East Sea." Hence there is much evidence that "East Sea" has been used for centuries.
Reference to the "East Sea" was also constant in numerous maps created after the 18th century. Many geography textbooks published and used before the annexation of Korea by Japan in the early 20th century made reference to the "East Sea," "Sea of Choson" or "Sea of Korea." However, already by the early 20th century, there were some textbooks which made reference to the "Sea of Japan." Every textbook published after 1910 refers to the East Sea as the "Sea of Japan."
China, Russia, and Japan's Use of "East Sea"
According to Chinese sources, China has known of the "East Sea" since the Tang Dynasty; however, they called it just "Sea" or "Great Sea." With the establishment in 698 of the Kingdom of Parhae by Koreans, the Chinese began calling the East Sea the "Sea of Parhae." China used the term, "East Sea," during the Liao Dynasty (947-1125), the Sung Dynasty (960-1279), the Chin Dynasty (1122- 1234), the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and the Qing (Ch'ing) Dynasty (1644-1912). At times during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, the Chinese referred to the East Sea as "Ching Hai" which means "Sea of Whales" because there were a lot of whales found there. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Chinese referred to the northeastern area of the East Sea as "East Sea" and the southern area as the "South Sea." Around 1884 during the Qing Dynasty, some scholars and bureaucrats occasionally used the term "Sea of Japan" in some documents. However, the Russia-Japan Treaty of 1905 was the first documented use of the term "Sea of Japan" at a government level.
The "Kunyuwanguoditu" is a map printed in Beijing in 1602. It was a translation into Chinese of a world map kept by a Jesuit priest, Matteo Ricci and it refers to the East Sea as the "Sea of Japan." It is the oldest surviving Chinese map known to use the term "Sea of Japan." However, this map does not have much significance because it was a translation of a map made by a foreigner living in China. In addition, it is believed that the production of the map was influenced by information obtained from Japan rather than from Korea. This map did not have much impact on subsequent Chinese maps. The next time the term "Sea of Japan" appeared on a Chinese map was about 1875.
Russian maps of East Asia were all created after 1639 when Russians first arrived in the Pacific coast region. In 1687, Nic Witzen's "Noord en Oost Tartarye" refers to the East Sea as "Oceanus Orientalis." N. Goman's 1725 map uses the term "Eastern Ocean," and in a 1734 map, I. Kirilov refers to the East Sea as "Vostochnoe," meaning "east sea." The Map of Asia printed by the renown Petersbourg Academy of Sciences in 1745 also refers to the East Sea as "Koreiskoe Mope," or "Sea of Korea." Other famous maps printed in Russia from 1745 to 1791 use the term "Sea of Korea." Adam Johann von Krusenstern (1770-1846), the Russian who explored the East Sea called it the "Sea of Japan" as did the French explorer, La Perouse (1741-c. 1788), who explored the East Sea in 1787. However, the Russians called the East Sea the "Sea of Korea" in their last officially published map of 1844. Thereafter, it appears that the Russian Navy and numerous maps followed the European style in making geographical references.
The term "Sea of Japan" was used after the 18th century in many prestigious maps made in Japan. Until 1870, even Japanese maps referred to East Sea as the "Sea of Choson." All of the following maps refer to the East Sea as the "Sea of Choson:" Takahasi Kageyasu's 1810 "Sinteibankokuzenzu," Abe Kinin's 1838 "Bankokuzenzu," Sugita Gendan's 1850 "Chigakuseisozu," Matsuda Rokuzan's 1855 "Chikyubankokuzenzu," and the 1870 "Meizikaiteibankokuyochibunzu."
However, all maps published in Japan thereafter refer to the East Sea as the "Sea of Japan." From this, it can be inferred that the Japanese government directed, as a matter of policy, that the name "Sea of Japan" be used. Especially, geographical references and names were changed in Matsuda Rokuzan's 1854 map and his "Bankokuzenzu" of 1871. Hasimoto Chyozuki's 1871 "Sinseiyochizenzu" calls the East Sea the "Sea of Japan." From this, we can assume that changes were being made at about this time, because the term "East Sea" was not found in any of the Japanese maps published after 1871. Also, at about this time, references to the "Sea of Japan" began appearing in Chinese maps as well.
Name of "East Sea" in Korean Writings and Ancient Maps
Historically, Korea has used the term, "East Sea" in writings since 59 B.C. Examples can be found in numerous records including the Monument of King Kwanggaeto (411), the Samguk sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms, 1145) and the Samguk yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms, 1284). Moreover, the still extant "Atlas of Eight Provinces" in the Shinjong tongguk yoji sungnam (A revised edition of the Augmented Survey of the Geography of Korea, 1530) uses the term "East Sea." In addition, a 16th century Tongguk chido (Map of Korea) uses the term "Tong cho taehae" (Great Sea of the Lower East). A map of Yongnam (the southeastern region of the peninsula) which was made in the 1740's and a map of Korea which was officially created in the mid-18th century also used the name, "East Sea." Hence there is much evidence that "East Sea" has been used for centuries.
Reference to the "East Sea" was also constant in numerous maps created after the 18th century. Many geography textbooks published and used before the annexation of Korea by Japan in the early 20th century made reference to the "East Sea," "Sea of Choson" or "Sea of Korea." However, already by the early 20th century, there were some textbooks which made reference to the "Sea of Japan." Every textbook published after 1910 refers to the East Sea as the "Sea of Japan."
China, Russia, and Japan's Use of "East Sea"
According to Chinese sources, China has known of the "East Sea" since the Tang Dynasty; however, they called it just "Sea" or "Great Sea." With the establishment in 698 of the Kingdom of Parhae by Koreans, the Chinese began calling the East Sea the "Sea of Parhae." China used the term, "East Sea," during the Liao Dynasty (947-1125), the Sung Dynasty (960-1279), the Chin Dynasty (1122- 1234), the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and the Qing (Ch'ing) Dynasty (1644-1912). At times during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, the Chinese referred to the East Sea as "Ching Hai" which means "Sea of Whales" because there were a lot of whales found there. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Chinese referred to the northeastern area of the East Sea as "East Sea" and the southern area as the "South Sea." Around 1884 during the Qing Dynasty, some scholars and bureaucrats occasionally used the term "Sea of Japan" in some documents. However, the Russia-Japan Treaty of 1905 was the first documented use of the term "Sea of Japan" at a government level.
The "Kunyuwanguoditu" is a map printed in Beijing in 1602. It was a translation into Chinese of a world map kept by a Jesuit priest, Matteo Ricci and it refers to the East Sea as the "Sea of Japan." It is the oldest surviving Chinese map known to use the term "Sea of Japan." However, this map does not have much significance because it was a translation of a map made by a foreigner living in China. In addition, it is believed that the production of the map was influenced by information obtained from Japan rather than from Korea. This map did not have much impact on subsequent Chinese maps. The next time the term "Sea of Japan" appeared on a Chinese map was about 1875.
Russian maps of East Asia were all created after 1639 when Russians first arrived in the Pacific coast region. In 1687, Nic Witzen's "Noord en Oost Tartarye" refers to the East Sea as "Oceanus Orientalis." N. Goman's 1725 map uses the term "Eastern Ocean," and in a 1734 map, I. Kirilov refers to the East Sea as "Vostochnoe," meaning "east sea." The Map of Asia printed by the renown Petersbourg Academy of Sciences in 1745 also refers to the East Sea as "Koreiskoe Mope," or "Sea of Korea." Other famous maps printed in Russia from 1745 to 1791 use the term "Sea of Korea." Adam Johann von Krusenstern (1770-1846), the Russian who explored the East Sea called it the "Sea of Japan" as did the French explorer, La Perouse (1741-c. 1788), who explored the East Sea in 1787. However, the Russians called the East Sea the "Sea of Korea" in their last officially published map of 1844. Thereafter, it appears that the Russian Navy and numerous maps followed the European style in making geographical references.
The term "Sea of Japan" was used after the 18th century in many prestigious maps made in Japan. Until 1870, even Japanese maps referred to East Sea as the "Sea of Choson." All of the following maps refer to the East Sea as the "Sea of Choson:" Takahasi Kageyasu's 1810 "Sinteibankokuzenzu," Abe Kinin's 1838 "Bankokuzenzu," Sugita Gendan's 1850 "Chigakuseisozu," Matsuda Rokuzan's 1855 "Chikyubankokuzenzu," and the 1870 "Meizikaiteibankokuyochibunzu."
However, all maps published in Japan thereafter refer to the East Sea as the "Sea of Japan." From this, it can be inferred that the Japanese government directed, as a matter of policy, that the name "Sea of Japan" be used. Especially, geographical references and names were changed in Matsuda Rokuzan's 1854 map and his "Bankokuzenzu" of 1871. Hasimoto Chyozuki's 1871 "Sinseiyochizenzu" calls the East Sea the "Sea of Japan." From this, we can assume that changes were being made at about this time, because the term "East Sea" was not found in any of the Japanese maps published after 1871. Also, at about this time, references to the "Sea of Japan" began appearing in Chinese maps as well.
