Interpretation of the Short Novel ‘A Feast in the Village of Natives’ (by Mangil Hur. Korean)

Interpretation of the Short Novel ‘A Feast in the Village of Natives’

- The first known short novel on the issue of the Korean comfort women for Japanese soldiers during World War II. Published on October 5th, 1990 -

 

                                                                                                          Mangil Hur

Mangil Hur (許萬吉 *surname 'Hur': March 21, 1943〜, Korean Ph.D., Poet, Novelist, Inventor of Complex Literature in 1971) had been affected by his father on issues on the Korean comfort women for Japanese soldiers during the World War II since his childhood. His father Chando Hur (June 17, 1909〜December 21, 1968) was an anti-Japanese movement activist when Japan colonialized Korea

As a teacher (since 1961 A.D. at the age of 18) and a public official of the Ministry of Education, Korea (since 1987 A.D. at the age of 43), he has continued to inform people of problems of the Korean comfort women for Japanese soldiers during World War II. Keeping in mind that the issues which were not mentioned even in the Korea-Japan Treaty (1965. Treaty on Basic Relations between the Republic of Korea and Japan), should not be buried in the past, he wrote on October 5, 1990 (at the age of 47) a short novel about comfort women, ‘A Feast in the Village of Natives' on the pages 115 to 134 in the 12th volume of ‘Hangeul Literature’ (editor: Janghyeon An, the President of the Hangeul Literature Society. Miraemunhwasa Publishers, Seoul. October 5, 1990). The publication laid a groundwork for the matters on the Korean comfort women for Japanese soldiers during the World War II to be given historical interest.

To the best of author's knowledge, 'A Feast in the Village of Natives' is the first short novel on the Korean comfort women for Japanese soldiers during the World War II. (There was a full-length novel on the same subject before 1990, though).

 

<A Summary of the Short Novel 'A Feast in the Village of Natives'>

A Korean woman in her twenties (Jeongmyo Gang. called ‘Neobok Saedaek’ as nickname) who was possessed by spirit, had her husband drafted for a national independence army during the Japanese colonial era. Later, she was forced into a group of comfort women as sexual slavery by the Japanese military, with her five-year old daughter (Hyeyu Han) left behind. She managed to escape from the Japanese military at Yanbian, China. She found her deeply wounded husband with the help of a man of the national independence army (Miju Sa's grandfather) and watched him pass away.

Feeling guilty that she had lost her purity at a military brothel, she couldn't return to her home even after the restoration of Korean independence from the Japanese occupation. She, during the Chinese Civil War in China, crossed to Taiwan and hid in a deep mountain. While passed out there, she was discovered and saved by the chief priestess of Shrine of a village of the natives.

Later, she succeeded the chief priestess and led the shrine for forty years combining Korean shamanism and the native culture. She conducted a ceremony called 'Juksari(death and birth) Feast' every year in which a funeral was done for her who had lost her purity at a Japanese military brothel so that she could be born again.

At the first Korean People Sports Meeting in Seoul in 1989, a Korean resident (Miju Sa) in Yanbian, China, came to visit Seoul, who was a member of a choir and dance group and the granddaughter of the man of the national independence army. She had a drawing with cone shapes on it and a worn-out letter with no address that had been sent by the chief priestess (Neobok Saedaek. Jeongmyo Gang) in Taiwan to the son of the man of the independence army (Choro Sa. Miju Sa's father).

With the help of the Republic of Korea National Red Cross, the independence army man's granddaughter found the daughter (Hyeyu Han) and the granddaughter (Nayun Hong) of the woman (Neobok Saedaek. Jeongmyo Gang) and gave them the drawing and the letter. The granddaughter (Nayun Hong) who was majoring in folklore in a graduate school went to Taiwan with her boy friend (Dajin An) and finally met after continuous pursuit her grandmother on the ‘Juksari Feast' day of the natives on August 13, 1990 (June 23 on the lunar calendar).

 

<Comments on the Short Novel ‘A Feast in the Village of Natives'>

On being published, the short story ‘A Feast in the Village of Natives' was given much attention from various circles including writers and the press, and played an important role as the catalyst for awaking the interest in issues on the comfort women for Japanese soldiers during the World War II which had been almost forgotten.

A professor Inhwan Gu at Seoul National University (a literary critic and novelist) commented: “ ‘A Feast in the Village of Natives' is a shocking and touching story about a fierce life of suffering under the Japanese control and struggling to get the national independence, the mystery of which is uncovered by a granddaughter studying folklore through the visit to Korea of a Korean resident abroad.

With the composition stimulating deductive curiosity, the novel is exceptional in the techniques structuralizing elaborately the nucleus of narration" (Hangeul Literature, Volume 12, page 136. October 5, 1990).

In the beginning of November 1990, about a month after this novel was published, there was a seminar of Korean novelists held in Jeju Island of Korea (ending on around November 6, 1990), during which novelists commented on the short story ‘A Feast in the Village of Natives' by the author Mangill Hur. The professor Gu said to the President of the Hangeul Literature Society, Janghyeon An and the author Mangil Hur that the novelists appreciated the short story as a literary work awaking one of the Korean literature's missions which had been almost lost, so it deserved to receive attention from every novelist.

A poet and the president of the Hangeul Literature Society, Janghyeon An praised the short story whenever occasion offered as “a masterwork that should be remembered in the history of literature forever" (the Weekly Educational Newspaper on November 18, 1991). The writer received ‘Hangeul Literature Award for a New Figure' at the Hangeul Literature Awards held by the Hangeul Literature Society on November 30, 1991, and at the awards ceremony the President Janghyeon An mentioned again the work's superiority.

 

<A Proposal on the Day for All Souls of Military Comfort Women and the International Day for Human Body Respect / Results of Efforts to Raise the Interest in Issues on Military Comfort Women>

After a year from the publication of the short novel ‘A Feast in the Village of Natives', the author Mangil Hur received ‘Hangeul Literature Award for a New Figure’ from the President of Hangeul Literature Society on November 30, 1991. Receiving the award, the writer Mangil Hur suggested to a number of circles that the Day for All Souls of Military Comfort Women and the International Day for Human Body Respect be established (printed material. November 30, 1991) and ran campaigns for raising constant interest in issues on military comfort women as one of historic importance and for consoling the victimized souls.

The press also paid much attention, such as the ‘Weekly Chosun’ (Dec. 15, 1991), ‘Hangook Daily’ (Jan. 6, 1992), ‘Chosun Daily’ (Jan. 18, 1992), ‘Donga Daily’ (Jan. 21, 1992), ‘Weekly Kyunghyung’ (Feb. 9, 1992), the 'Emergency Planning Journal' (the spring issue of 1992, Mar. 1, 1992) issued by the National Security Council & the Emergency Planning Committee etc.

In January, 1992 when the media reported that it had been confirmed that women as young as 12 year old elementary school students of Korea were taken as comfort women during the Japanese regime, which caused rapidly a sensation at home and abroad. The issues on military comfort women that had been said continuously by Mangil Hur were given great attention.

 

<Received Citation of the President of the National Human Rights Commission of the Republic of Korea (December 10, 2004)>

Mainly for his contribution in putting forth the issue of comfort women, Mangil Hur received a citation from the President of the National Human Rights Commission of the Republic of Korea on the 56th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 2004 (at the age 61).

 

<The Short Novel ‘A Feast in the Village of Natives' Recorded in Doosan Encyclopedia (Doosan Corporation, Seoul, Korea. Recorded on March 2, 2007)>

Mangil Hur's short novel ‘A Feast in the Village of Natives' was registered and explained in the ’Doosan Encyclopedia' (Doosan Corporation, Seoul, Korea) in March 2007.

The registered item(title, search word) in the encyclopedia is ‘원주민촌의 축제’[原住民村의 祝祭, A Feast in the Village of Natives〕.

 

<The Title ‘A Feast in the Village of Natives' as the short novel on the issue of comfort women, inscribed on the Memorial Stone of the ‘Monument Commemorating 100 Years of Korean Modern Literature’ (2008)>

Under the sponsorship of the Boryeong city, Chungcheongnam-do, the International PEN Korean Center and the Handwriting Preservation Society of Korea built jointly the ‘Monument Commemorating 100 Years of Korean Modern Literature’ in the Garo Park in Gaehwa-ri, Seongju-myeon, Boryeong city (at the entrance of Boryeong Coal Museum) on November 8, 2008. There are three small memorial stones around the monument (as of June 6, 2009). on one of them is engraved the ‘Chronology of Korean Modern Literature', and the other two are engraved with the ‘Honorable Names of the Korean Literary World'. The latter engravings are composed of the names, their areas of specialty, and one of their representative works.

One of the memorial stones in front of the central tower of the ‘Monument Commemorating 100 Years of Korean Modern Literature' has Mangil Hur's name and the title of his short novel about a military comfort woman ‘A Feast in the Village of Natives' inscribed in Korean as follows:

허만길: 시인, 소설가.「원주민촌의 축제」

* It means:

Mangil Hur: Poet, Novelist.「A Feast in the Village of Natives」

 

 

【Profile of Hur Mangil】

 

■ Full Name: Hur Mangil (Surname: Hur / Given name: Mangil)

■ Korean (The Republic of Korea). Born on March 21, 1943 in 30 Okubonai (大久保內), Oaja (大字), Okubomura(大久保村), Kusegun (久世郡), Kyotofu (京都府), Japan at the period of Japan's colonizing Korea. Grown up in 260 Dosan-ri, Chilgok-myeon, Euiryong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea from July 1944. Has lived in Seoul (as of 2014) since November 1967, before moving to Seoul he had lived in Jinju (April 1955 - March 1961) and Busan (March 1961 - November 1967), the Republic of Korea.

■ Graduated from the Dept. of Korean Language and Literature <Night Class> of Donga University (Busan. 1967).

Master of Arts in Education (Graduated from the Dept. of Korean Language Education of the Graduate School of Seoul National University. Seoul. 1979).

Ph.D. (Graduated from the Dept. of Korean Language and Literature of the Graduate School of Hongik University. Seoul. 1994).

■ Poet. Novelist. Inventor of Complex Literature in 1971. Essayist. Educator.

■ Passed with the highest score in the National Qualifying Examination for the License of Middle School Teachers as well as in the National Qualifying Examination for the License of High School Teachers, and obtained the Certificate of Middle School Teacher as the youngest in the world (Korean Language Arts. at the age of 18. 1961 A.D.) and the Certificate of High School Teacher as the youngest in the world (Korean Language Arts. at the age of 19. 1962 A.D.): listed in ‘Korean Part’ of ‘The Guinness Book of Records' published as Korean version with translating the English original into Korean and addition of ‘Korean Part’ (Sinasa Publishers, Seoul, Korea. 1991).

■ Promoted Korean Language Purification Movement and contributed to establish theories of love for Korean Language from 1968 (at the age of 25) serving as a high school teacher. Helped President Park Chung-hee promote Korean Language Purification Movement in 1976 through advising Park Jonghong, Ph.D., special advisor to the president.

■ Invented ‘Complex Literature' on September 1, 1971 by publishing a part of ‘Searching for the Dawn of Life’(‘생명의 먼동을 더듬어’ in Korean), the first work in this genre, to a monthly magazine ‘Gyoyuk Sinpung' (The New Trend of Education) on the same date. Part of this work was published serially in the September issue, 1971 through the November issue, 1971 of the magazine ‘Gyoyuk Sinpung' until the magazine publication was discontinued.

The time of invention of Complex Literature is regarded as September 1, 1971 because when part of ‘Searching for the Dawn of Life’ was published on that date. The author made it clear in the preface that this work takes the form of ‘Complex Literature’ and briefly described the characteristics of this genre.

Actually, Hur Mangil finished writing ‘Searching for the Dawn of Life’ at 0:43 on 26th October, 1969, about two years before its first part publication. It was 1967 when he thought of writing a work that has form of ‘Complex Literature’ and started writing the book. He had the plan of Complex Literature in his mind at his age of 24 (1967) and its first work was finished at his age of 26 (1969), whose part was published and introduced to the world at his age of 28 (1971).

Later, when he published this work as a book on April 26, 1980 he described in the preface the definition, utility (or usefulness), and significance of Complex Literature with his motivation for inventing it in a rather detailed manner.

Inventor of Complex Literature, Hur Mangil now (as of 2010) wishes that the genre will be defined or explained as following:

“Complex Literature (복합문학, 複合文學): A form of literature invented by Hur Mangil (허만길, 許萬吉 *surname ‘Hur': 1943- . Korean Poet, Novelist, Ph.D.) in 1971 and formed with complex genre using various subordinated genres such as poetry, novel, play, scenario and essay etc., in completing a literature work. Hur Mangil published part of his first Complex Literature, 'Searching for the Dawn of Life' serially in the September issue, 1971 through the November issue, 1971 of ‘Gyoyuk Sinpung' (New Trend of Education) and its whole work in book form on April 26, 1980.”

“Complex Literature (복합문학, 複合文學): A form of literature invented by Hur Mangil (허만길, 許萬吉, *surname 'Hur': 1943- . Korean Poet, Novelist, Ph.D.) in 1971, in which various sub-genres of literature such as poetry (lyric, epic, dramatic), novel, play, scenario and essay are extensively used in writing a work, in order to bring change and vitality to the work and synergistic effect in embodying its subject. He invented this genre to bring freshness to literature by changing the form of literature. He published part of his first Complex Literature, 'Searching for the Dawn of Life' serially in the September issue, 1971 through the November issue, 1971 of ‘Gyoyuk Sinpung' (New Trend of Education) and its whole work in book form on April 26, 1980.”

‘Complex Literature' invented by Hur Mangil was registered and explained in the ‘Doosan Encyclopedia' (Doosan Corporation, Seoul. Recorded on September 1, 2001) etc. The registered item (title, search word) in the encyclopedia is ‘복합문학〔複合文學, Complex Literature〕’.

■ Affected by his father Hur Chando who was an independence movement activist when Japan colonized Korea on issues of the Korean comfort women for Japanese soldiers during World War II. As a teacher (since 1961. at the age of 18) and a public official of the Ministry of Education, Korea (since 1987. at the age of 43) continued to inform people of problems of the Korean comfort women for Japanese soldiers during World War II. Keeping in mind that the issues should not be buried in the past, wrote on October 5, 1990 (at the age of 47) a short novel about comfort women, ‘A Feast in the Village of Natives' in the 12th volume of ‘Hangeul Literature’ (Miraemunhwasa Publishers, Seoul), which is regarded as the first short novel on the issues. Received a citation from the President of the National Human Rights Commission of the Republic of Korea on the 56th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 2004.

Hur Mangil's short novel ‘A Feast in the Village of Natives' was registered and explained in the ‘Doosan Encyclopedia' (Doosan Corporation, Seoul, Korea) in March 2007. The registered item(title, search word) in the encyclopedia is ‘원주민촌의 축제’[原住民村의 祝祭, A Feast in the Village of Natives】. one of the memorial stones in front of the central tower of the ‘Monument Commemorating 100 Years of Korean Modern Literature' at ‘Poetry and Forest Park' in Boryeong-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea has Hur Mangil's name and the title of his short novel about a military comfort woman ‘A Feast in the Village of Natives' inscribed in Korean.

■ Developed the preservation campaign for the Korean Provisional Government Place in Shanghai, China for the first time since the restoration of Korean independence (1990).

Hur Mangil's poem ‘The Korean Provisional Government Place in Shanghai' recited on the spot on June 13, 1990 was engraved on a poetry stone monument at ‘Poetry and Forest Park' in Boryeong-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea on Afril 23, 2010.

■ Worked to establish and develop the modern concept of career education (1993 - 2005).

■ Career: Korean Language Arts Editorial Researcher of the Textbook Compilation Bureau in the Ministry of Education, the Republic of Korea. Researcher of Spokesperson and Public Relations Office in the Ministry of Education, the Republic of Korea. Member of International PEN. Member of the Korean Writer's Association. Vice-president of the Hangeul Literature Society. Vice-president of the Literature Weekly Literary Society. Director of Korea Modern Poet Association. Member of the Korean Novelist Association. Director of Korea Writing Guidance Association. Member of Korean Language Society. Director of the Korean Society of Career Education. Researcher of Career Education Department of Seoul Metropolitan Education Research Institute. Chairman of Career Education Promotion Committee of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. Lecturer of National Institute for International Education, the Republic of Korea. Government School Inspector in the National Institute for Educational Research & Training, the Ministry of Education, the Republic of Korea. Principal of Danggok High School, Seoul, Korea (retired in August 2005).

■ Awards:

ㅇ Yellow Stripes Order of Service Merit (2005. The President of the Republic of Korea)

ㅇ Presidential Citation (1991. The President of the Republic of Korea)

ㅇ Citation of the President of the National Human Rights Commission of the Republic of Korea (2004. on the 56th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

ㅇ Citation of the Minister of Commerce and Industry, the Republic of Korea (1987. For the contribution to take care of the working students of night special classes)

ㅇ Hangeul Literature Award for a New Figure (1991. The President of Hangeul Literature Society, Seoul, Korea)

ㅇ Citation of the Director General of Korean Language Society (1988. Seoul, Korea)

ㅇ Munyechunchu Literature Award for the Integrity of Poetry (2011. The Chairman of Literary Magazine ‘Munyechunchu' Literature Award Evaluation Committee, Seoul, Korea)

■ Hur Mangil's poetry stone monuements:

ㅇ Hur Mangil's poem ‘My Hometown Chilgok' (Monument of Hometown Love, Chilgok-myeon, Euiryeong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea)

ㅇ Hur Mangil's poem ‘You Shine' (Gaehwa Art park, Seongju-myeon, Boryeong-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea)

ㅇ Hur Mangil's poem ‘The Korean Provisional Government Place in Shanghai' (Poetry and Forest Park, Jusan-myeon, Boryeong-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea)

ㅇ Hur Mangil's poem ‘On the Morning Riverside' with Hur Mangil's figure (Poetry and Forest Park, Jusan-myeon, Boryeong-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea)

■ Works:

ㅇ <Collection of Essays> The Sounds of the Brilliant Light (Hagyesa, Seoul. October 20, 1975)

ㅇ The Way of Love for Our Korean Language (Hagyesa, Seoul. June 15, 1976)

ㅇ <Complex Literature> Searching for the Dawn of Life (Gyoeumsa, Seoul. April 26, 1980. * The first work of Complex Literature in the world)

ㅇ <Contents of attained truths> Cham (Truth) Obtainment for Mankind (Siinsa, Seoul. August 21, 1980)

ㅇ A Study on the Modern Korean Language Policies in Korea (Gukakjaryowon or Korean Classical Literature Reference Center, Seoul. August 25, 1994)

ㅇ <Highschool Textbook> Career and Counseling (joint work. Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, Seoul. January 1999)

ㅇ <Long Novel> Love with Angel Yorena (Yangpiji, Seoul. December 20, 1999)

ㅇ <Collection of Poems> You Shine (Yeongha, Seoul. December 23, 2000)

ㅇ Opening a Way of Our Korean Language Love (Munyechon, Seoul. May 26, 2003)

ㅇ <Collection of Poems> Blue Vow of 15 Years Old (Pureunsasangsa, Seoul. November 27, 2004)

ㅇ <Collection of Essays> Blue Heart of 14 Years Old (Yeonin M&B, Seoul. June 4, 2007)

ㅇ <Collection of Essays> Looking for Truth and Ideal (Yeonin M&B, Seoul. December 21, 2007)

ㅇ Memoirs of Raising Comfort Women Problems and the Preservation Campaign for the Korean Provisional Government Place (Essay Publishing, Seoul. December 21, 2010)

- Including “Origin and Concept of Complex Literature” (written in Korean), “Origin and Concept of Complex Literature” (written in English), a short novel “A Feast in the Village of Natives”, “Interpretation of the Short Novel ‘A Feast in the Village of Natives’ ” (written in English), “Poet Hur Mangil's Life" etc.

ㅇ <Collection of Poems> on the Morning Riverside (Pure Literature, Seoul. September 1, 2014)

■ Thesis:

ㅇ “The Conception of Dynamic Linguistics and Dynamic Pattern Theory” (December 1971)

ㅇ “A Study on the Establishment of Oral Language Education Areas” (August 1979)

ㅇ “The Principles of Oral Language Education” (April 30, 1983)

ㅇ “The Reflection of the Public Servant's Korean Language Life and the Plans for the Language Improvement" (August 31, 1993)

ㅇ “A Study on Illiteracy Elimination Policy since the Restoration of Korean Independence" (September 25, 1994)

ㅇ “The Establishment of Parts of speech and the Syntactic Meaning for ‘kɨls'e'(글쎄) in Korean" (October 10, 1994)

ㅇ “The Plans of the Supporting System for High School Career Eduction" (June 14, 1996)

ㅇ “The Way of Establishing Career Education Plans in Schools" (December 1997)

ㅇ “Career Education of Secondary Schools for National Human Resource Development” (June 1, 2001)

ㅇ “Thinking of the Souls of the Comfort Women Victims for Japanese Soldiers” (March 1, 1992)

ㅇ “Progressive Educational Thought of George S. Counts" (August 1, 1978)

ㅇ “The Real Aspects of Violence and the Preventive Plans in the Schools" (August 23, 1997)

ㅇ “Origin and Concept of Complex Literature” (written in Korea) (December 21, 2010)

ㅇ “Origin and Concept of Complex Literature” (written in English) (December 21, 2010)

ㅇ “Interpretation of the Short Novel ‘A Feast in the Village of Natives’ ” (written in English) (December 21, 2010)

ㅇ “A Study on Scholar Hur Wonbo's Contribution to Patriotism and Place Names in Euiryeong Region, Kyeongsangnam-do in the Choseon Dynasty of Korea" (January 1, 2014)

■ Declaration:

ㅇ “Let's Gather Mind and Wisdom to Preserve the Korean Provisional Government Place in Shanghai, China” (June 13, 1990)

ㅇ “A Proposal on the Day for All Souls of Military Comfort Women and the International Day for Human Body Respect” (November 30, 1991)

■ Short Novels:

ㅇ “A Feast in the Village of Natives” (October 5, 1990)

ㅇ “Flower Buds” (February 28, 1991)

ㅇ “Colored People” (April 20, 1991)

ㅇ “The Shock” (May 20, 1992)

ㅇ “A Mt. Jagul Festival of Jina Sisters"(May 1, 2013)

■ Essays:

ㅇ “The Instruction of My Father Hur Chando, an Independence Movement Activist When Japan Colonized Korea” (December 21, 2010)

ㅇ “The Heart of Mother” (May 20, 1990)

ㅇ "The Story of a Leave of Absence from My Teaching Work(1980) Due to Overwork" (May 26, 2003)

ㅇ “Thinking of My Working Students of Night Special Classes" (March 1, 1988)

ㅇ “Recollections of Being Acquainted with Korean Linguist Choe Hyeonbae, Ph.D. (May 26, 2003 / September 23, 2004)

ㅇ “Memoirs of Raising Comfort Women Problems” (December 21, 2010)

ㅇ “Memoirs of the Preservation Campaign for the Korean Provisional Government Place” (December 21, 2010)

ㅇ "Poet Hur Mangil's Life" (December 21, 2010)