Why is the present Taegeukgi positioned within the Library of Congress?

by times news cr

2024-05-23 20:32:03

The primary Taegeukgi design. Picture courtesy of the Embassy in the USA

“That is the primary Taegeukgi.”

Library of Congress in Washington, USA on the twenty second (native time). Ellie Kim, the librarian in command of Korea on the Asia Pavilion, pointed to the Korean flag drawn with pen on paper. This Taegeukgi, measuring 17cm broad and eight.5cm tall, is believed to be the oldest Taegeukgi design in existence. It has the Taegeuk sample coloured in blue and purple, has the form of 4 trigrams, and has the phrases ‘Corea’ on the high and ‘Ensign’ on the backside.

The primary Taegeukgi to be housed within the Library of Congress was 142 years in the past, in 1882, by then-Navy Admiral Robert Schufeldt, who was the plenipotentiary ambassador to the U.S. on the time of adopting the ‘Treaty of Amity, Amity and Commerce’ between Joseon and the U.S., the primary diplomatic treaty between Joseon and a international nation. It’s because it was included within the so-called ‘Schufeld Doc’ that was donated.

The Qing Dynasty, which mediated the treaty on the time, requested Joseon to hoist the ‘Blue and Crimson Dragon Flag’, much like the Qing Dynasty’s Yellow Dragon Flag. Alternatively, it’s identified that Admiral Schufeldt suggested Joseon to “set up a nationwide flag as an unbiased nation.” Accordingly, the nationwide flag drawn by the Joseon Dynasty below the route of interpreter Lee Eung-jun is presumed to be the primary Taegeukgi, however is presently unknown. Admiral Schufeld saved the Taegeukgi design modeled after this and donated it to the Library of Congress.

Photo by Washington Correspondents

Picture by Washington Correspondents

On the occasion held to mark the 142nd anniversary of the signing of the treaty, about 60 steel movable varieties believed to have been produced within the 1300s and 1400s and the ‘Full Works of Dongguk Yisanggu’ by Lee Gyu-bo, a author from the Goryeo Dynasty, had been unveiled. Librarian Kim defined, “There are roughly 500,000 Korean supplies within the Library of Congress.”

The Library of Congress introduced that the 33 racial sculptures put in on the outside additionally included a Korean head depicting a Joseon nobleman sporting a Jeongjagwan. Lee Younger-sim, head of the Northeast Asia Division on the Library of Congress, stated, “It’s stated that there’s a photograph of Bobingsa (Joseon’s first delegation to the USA) visiting the USA in 1882 and organising a sales space on the 1893 Chicago World’s Honest,” including, “It’s presumed that they had been modeled after these Koreans.” He defined.

Ambassador Cho Hyun-dong stated, “The ROK-US relationship, which started with a treaty in 1882, has a historical past twice so long as the seventieth anniversary of the ROK-US alliance final yr.” He then stated, “How many individuals from each international locations wish to see the Taegeukgi design and steel sort in particular person?” and expressed his intention to pursue a plan to open an exhibition and make this materials public.

Washington = Correspondent Moon Byeong-ki weappon@donga.com

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2024-05-23 20:32:03

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