The Min Family Correspondence Collection at the University of Toronto

In: http://hdl.handle.net/1807/107853

Abstract

The paper abstract was peer-reviewed and selected for the international academic conference titled entitled, "Beyond the Book: A Conference on Unique and Rare Primary Sources for East Asian Studies Collected in North America" hosted by the East Asia Library of Stanford University Libraries, July 1-2, 2015. ; The Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library at the University of Toronto is rich in unique research resources related to Korean Studies. Over the years, the East Asian Library has undertaken numerous initiatives to collect rare and unique materials, and digitize research information for the purposes of preservation and enhancing access. These initiatives have helped to facilitate access for students and faculty to important library resources, and have strengthened the relationship between the library and the academic community. This paper focuses on one of the major Korean rare materials collected at the University of Toronto: The Min Family Correspondence Collection. The Min Family Correspondence (kanch'al 簡札) Collection consisting of 260 envelopes containing 623 pieces of correspondence was received on October 6, 2006 as a donation from Mr. Samuel Sukhong Min (閔碩泓) and Mrs. Yunice Kyungnam Min (Maiden name: Kyungnam Yun, 尹慶男), who immigrated from South Korea to Toronto, Canada in September 2001. Mr. Min and Mrs. Min inherited these materials from the father of Mr. Samuel Sukhong Min, Min Kyŏng-hwi (閔庚煇, 1903-1978), who was the former director of Namsan Public Library in Seoul (October 31, 1956-March 27, 1958, 13th Director). Mr. Min Kyŏng-hwi in turn inherited them from his mother, Yu Chin-gyŏng (兪鎭卿, 1879-1973). The collection provides the global scholarly community with invaluable historical primary sources on farmers' conditions and economic conditions during the late Chosŏn dynasty. Those studying rural conditions and landlord-tenant relations during this period will find these materials of particular interest. As it is written in a cursive handwritten style which can be deciphered by experts, at present such study is being undertaken the National of Library of Korea, and I believe that by the time of my presentation, we will be able to tell something about the nature of the content of these letters. This unique collection of correspondence sent by tenant farmers to their landlord is presumed to date from the late 19th to the beginning of the 20th century (1890-1916). In the Chosŏn dynasty, the tenant farmers were mostly illiterate, so a nonggam (農監 farm overseer) would write the reports on their behalf. Therefore, this collection is also assumed to have been written by nonggam. Although it is unclear exactly which ancestor of Mr. Samuel Sukhong Min was the original owner of these documents, according to him, two of his ancestors are most likely to have been landlords. It may have been either Mr. Min's great-uncle, Min Pyŏng-sŏk (閔丙奭, 1858-1940), a prominent figure who was Home Secretary of the Palace during the Chosŏn Dynasty, or it may have been Mr. Min's grandfather, Min Hyŏng-gi (閔亨基, 1880-1912), who was Royal Secretary of the Bureau of Secretariat (Pisŏwŏn祕書院). The donor's great uncle, Min Pyŏng-sŏk (閔丙奭), was originally a son of Min Kwan-sik (閔觀植), but was adopted into the family of Min Kyŏng-sik (閔敬植), a member of the Sambangp'a (三房派) branch of the Yŏhŭng (驪興) Min family. This family is a well-known one in Korean history, and included the following two famous historical figures who had a significant impact on Korean history: • Queen Min (明成 皇后 Myŏngsŏng Hwanghu, 1851-1895) - wife of King Kojong (高宗, 1852-1919), the 26th King of the Chosŏn dynasty. • Min Yŏng-hwan (閔泳煥, 1861-1905) - a government minister and a patriotic martyr in the late Chosŏn Dynasty who protested against the Ŭlsa Treaty which made Korea a protectorate of Japan in 1905. When the treaty was signed, he showed his devotion to the Korean nation by committing suicide. For this reason, original source materials on this very prominent and historically significant family, such as this correspondence, are especially worth preserving. The land in question is believed to be located on the present-day site of Taedŏk Yŏn'gu Tanji (Daedeok Innopolis), formerly known as Yusŏng-gu Panga Tari (유성구 방아다리). According to the donor, both his great-great grandfather, Min Kwan-sik (閔觀植), and his great-uncle Min Pyŏng-sŏk (閔丙奭) lived in the area, and the location of his great-great-grandfather's agricultural land was the Taedŏk and Choch'iwŏn area, while his great uncle, who was an influential figure in the late Chosŏn Dynasty, is believed to have had extensive land holdings in Kyŏnggi-do and Ch'ungch'ŏng-do. Mr. Min's grandfather, Min Hyŏng-gi (閔亨基) was a financial official in the Ministry of Finance (T'akchibu 度支部), and had control over the lands of these two ancestors. According to the donor's grandmother, Yu Chin-gyŏng (兪鎭卿), after the death of Mr. Min's grandfather, the land was then administered until 1916 by a distant cousin who was known to the family as "puyŏng yŏnggam 副領 令監". With the land registry reform of 1949, all related documents became worthless, and were subsequently divided among the donor Mr. Min and his 5 brothers and 1 sister. Mr. Min brought his portion with him when he immigrated to Canada. It is unknown what other documents have survived with the other relatives. These documents are handwritten in a sophisticated calligraphic style, and are currently under study by experts at the National Library of Korea. In April 2013, after the National Library of Korea paid a visit to the University of Toronto Libraries and conducted research and evaluation of the Korean rare book collection at the East Asian Library, the University of Toronto Libraries signed an international agreement with the National Library of Korea for a cooperative project for digitization of a body of rare original Korean correspondence. The National Library of Korea funded the project, and the University of Toronto Libraries undertook the actual digitization, along with physical preservation. The digitization process was completed in December 2013. This project aims to make these unique original documents accessible on the websites of the University of Toronto Libraries and the National Library of Korea. The National Library of Korea is currently reviewing all the digitized images, and will prepare metadata for the collection. When completed, this metadata will also be provided to the University of Toronto Libraries, and the entire finished project will be available on both institutions' websites. The long-term goal for these materials is to have them translated into modern Korean and eventually published. For the benefit of the scholarly community, both institutions intend to continue cooperation on this venture until its successful completion. In addition, the donor made a donation of further correspondence from his great-uncle, Min Pyŏng-sŏk (閔丙奭) to his great-great-grandfather Min Kwan-sik (閔觀植), which was in written in Han'gŭl. This is significant because during the 19th century, most correspondence by well-educated male Confucian scholars (yangban 兩班) was written in Chinese characters (Hancha).