The story of Do-San
Do-San is the nickname of a Korean teacher named An Chang-ho who spent his life working against the Japanese invaders of the early twentieth century who tried to wipe out Korean culture, literature, history and education. During its occupation of Korea between 1910 and 1945, Japan closed all Korean schools and forced Koreans to speak Japanese in public places. In those years, Korea very nearly lost its identity as a country.
Teachers like An were supposed to forget what they believed was important and teach what they were told to. Along with many other Koreans at this time, An moved to the United States of America to seek a better life. During the long journey across the Pacific Ocean, An’s ship stopped off at Hawaii – the sight of the islands and their high mountains rising out of the ocean inspired him to adopt a new name for himself: Do-San, literally ‘Island Mountain’.
What seems to have impressed him most was the way the islands stood alone in the middle of the vast ocean. He felt a direct relationship between the islands’ natural beauty and loneliness and the role of the pioneer that he had chosen for himself. In San Francisco, An worked as a servant, learnt English and continued to support the cause of Korea’s independence from Japan. He helped to form a society that promoted this cause and he founded two Korean-language newspapers in the US. He returned to Korea after about five years to continue fighting for what he believed. On 1 March 1919, the Korean Provisional Government, of which An was a member, declared independence from Japan. In the demonstrations that followed, the Japanese police opened fire on the unarmed crowds, killing thousands and arresting and torturing many more. The Provisional Government went into exile in China and An moved back to America for a while. Several years later, the Japanese arrested him in China. Shortly after he was released, An died in hospital in Korea in 1938.
Do-San is the nickname of a Korean teacher named An Chang-ho who spent his life working against the Japanese invaders of the early twentieth century who tried to wipe out Korean culture, literature, history and education. During its occupation of Korea between 1910 and 1945, Japan closed all Korean schools and forced Koreans to speak Japanese in public places. In those years, Korea very nearly lost its identity as a country.
Teachers like An were supposed to forget what they believed was important and teach what they were told to. Along with many other Koreans at this time, An moved to the United States of America to seek a better life. During the long journey across the Pacific Ocean, An’s ship stopped off at Hawaii – the sight of the islands and their high mountains rising out of the ocean inspired him to adopt a new name for himself: Do-San, literally ‘Island Mountain’.
What seems to have impressed him most was the way the islands stood alone in the middle of the vast ocean. He felt a direct relationship between the islands’ natural beauty and loneliness and the role of the pioneer that he had chosen for himself. In San Francisco, An worked as a servant, learnt English and continued to support the cause of Korea’s independence from Japan. He helped to form a society that promoted this cause and he founded two Korean-language newspapers in the US. He returned to Korea after about five years to continue fighting for what he believed. On 1 March 1919, the Korean Provisional Government, of which An was a member, declared independence from Japan. In the demonstrations that followed, the Japanese police opened fire on the unarmed crowds, killing thousands and arresting and torturing many more. The Provisional Government went into exile in China and An moved back to America for a while. Several years later, the Japanese arrested him in China. Shortly after he was released, An died in hospital in Korea in 1938.