Welcome to Jonggak. This spot actually gave birth to the name 'Jongno.' It's not exactly at the heart of Jongno-gu, but it's a symbolic site of Jongno. Jonggak has moved around quite a bit due to road expansions, but it eventually settled down here. Normally, people just pass by without giving it much thought, but during New Year's, it's a whole different scene. It draws massive crowds because ringing in the New Year here has this special vibe. You start a new year, time keeps ticking, and soon, it's a part of history, but folks always come back to welcome the next year here.
The path of revolution we're treading shares a similarity. Effort is needed to forge a new world, and even after achieving that, the world must continue to evolve. Sometimes, progress made with immense effort can regress after a while. However, revolution doesn't demand sacrifices from many; it's about progressing through consensus and improvement. And to ensure such reforms happen steadily, institutions need to be established.
Right in front of Jonggak is where such discussions were held.
Jongno has always been bustling with people, then and now. Historically, it served as a marketplace and the key passage to get to the center of Hanyang or Seoul. That's why Jongno earned the nickname 'Unjongga,' meaning a street where people gather like clouds. Jonggak was at the heart of this Unjongga. Roads in Hanyang were different a hundred years ago. While the path from Heunginjimun Gate to Gwanghwamun Gate remains the same today, to get from Gwanghwamun Gate to Sungnyemun Gate, one had to come to Jonggak and then take the road leading to Sungnyemun Gate.
When Hanyang was chosen as Joseon's capital, they constructed city walls and established four gates, each named after Confucian virtues. Sukjeongmun Gate, for instance, linked 'Jeong' with 'Ji,' representing wisdom. These gates embodied 'Humaneness, Rightness, Ritual Decorum, and Wisdom.' In King Gojong's era, Jonggak was named ‘Bosingak,' symbolizing 'Humaneness, Rightness, Ritual Decorum, and Wisdom,' aligning all the gates in Hanyang with this virtue.
Jonggak, the vibrant heart of Seoul, historically attracted crowds, notably in 1898 during the Joint Meeting of All the People. Over ten thousand individuals gathered in Jongno, bringing forth diverse political views. True to its name, it was a gathering of all the people. Initially focused on Russian encroachment, the meeting's agenda expanded over time.
During that time, there were forthright discussions on domestic and international issues such as opposing Seo Jaepil's departure, addressing the unfair practices in selecting officials for the Military Academy, and rejecting compensation for the Japanese killed by the Righteous Armies. Prior to this, expressing political opinions required formal petitions, limiting it to the literate Yangban. However, the Joint Meeting of All the People allowed individuals to vocalize their thoughts, leading to massive participation. Essentially, Jongno became a political forum akin to Greece's Agora.
The Joint Meeting of All the People took a step further by forming a progressive cabinet around Park Jungyang and even aimed to establish a congress. This collaboration with bureaucrats earned it the name The Joint Meeting of The Government and The People . Following government representative Park Jungyang, the next speaker was butcher Park Sungchun. Park Sungchun metaphorically likened himself to a pole and the country to a tent, stating that individually, he was just one pole, but collectively, the poles could support a sturdy tent. His compelling logic and symbolism drew applause and cheers from the audience.
It's indeed remarkable how the Joint Meeting of The Government and The People allowed common people, who were looked down on, to participate in national affairs. It is a significant achievement even by today's standards. Someday, I'd love to create a movie based on this story. Park Seoyang, the son of Park Sungchun, went on to become a doctor and later supported the independence movement.
Surprisingly, the intense public engagement led to discussions even about establishing a parliament. However, the ruling class saw these movements as a threat to their power. Pressured by King Gojong and conservative bureaucrats, officials backed away, and what was initially the Joint Meeting of The Government and The People shifted to being solely led by the people - the Joint Meeting of All the People.
King Gojong and conservative bureaucrats used attacks and persuasion, eventually leading to the dissolution of the Joint Meeting of All the People. Subsequently, the Daehan Empire moved in the direction of strengthening imperial authority, but as history reveals, it failed to preserve sovereignty.
It might seem like the Joint Meeting of All the People failed initially. Yet, the enthusiasm led to involvement in movements like the Gukchaebosang Movement of 1907, the 3.1 Independence Movement in 1919, and the founding of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, actively engaging in the independence movement. Looking at these events, it's indeed challenging to define the success of history solely by contemporary outcomes.
We, too, often experience failure, using it as a mirror to achieve greater success. Avoiding challenges due to fear of failure can deprive us of the experience needed to achieve even minor victories.
Park Jungyang and Park Sungchun's passionate voices still resonate in my ears. Now, to the final destination on the path of revolution: right in front of Danseongsa, where I used to work.
We're almost there. You need to have a fiery passion for revolution. Hahaha.