Anti-appeasement steles

Anti-appeasement steles were 19th century monuments built in Korea to ostracize Westerners. They were erected by Heungseon Daewongun at more than 200 major transportation hubs across the country, including the four streets of Jongno. They were built in 1871 (the 8th year of reign by Emperor Gojong of the Joseon dynasty). They were made of granite and were four cubits high, five cubits wide, and eight inches thick.^[1]

Anti-appeasement Stele
척화비
Cheongju Anti-appeasement Stele
Location within South Korea
General information
Type	stele
Architectural style	Korean
Town or city	Jongno District, Seoul
Country	South Korea
Coordinates	37°34′43″N 126°58′38″E
Current tenants	National Palace Museum of Korea National Folk Museum
Opened	1871
Korean name
Hangul	척화비
Hanja	斥和碑
Revised Romanization	Cheokhwabi
McCune–Reischauer	Ch'ŏk'wabi

History

When Emperor Gojong ascended the throne in 1863 at a young age, Lee Ha-eung, Emperor Gojong's father was appointed as Daewongun and took power.^[2] At this time, the United States and Russia were approaching the Korean Peninsula. They came to Joseon to engage in commerce and occasionally staged armed provocations and demonstrations.

Daewongun initially attempted to negotiate with France to counterbalance Russia during the early years of his tenure. However, his policy stance swiftly shifted to Sakoku after the outbreak of Byeonginyo in 1866 and an attempted robbery at the king's tomb. In particular, Daewongun established a policy of Sakoku that prohibited diplomatic relations and commerce with foreign countries to maintain order of the Joseon dynasty in 1871. In order to warn the people, in April 1871 in the central regions of Seoul and across the country stelae were set up by fire hydrants.

In 1882 Japan invaded Korea and Daewongun was kidnapped by the Qing dynasty. Most of the stelae were demolished at the request of the Japanese government. In Seoul, one was buried near Bosingak Pavilion in Jongno on September 26, 1882. It was discovered in June 1915 when Bosingak was relocated and displayed in a gallery west of Geunjeongjeon Hall in Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Stelae remain in about 30 locations.^[3]

Content

The following words are written on the stele as an order:^[4]

洋夷侵犯 非戰則和 主和賣國

Then, in small letters, the next phrase is written on the side of the rain.

戒我萬年子孫 丙寅作 辛未立

This means, "If you don't fight for Western's invasion, you'll surrender, so if you insist on surrender, you'll sell your country. I warn all the people.. Build it in Byeongin-year and set it up in Sinmi-year."

List of stele

Name	Picture	Installation (discovery) location	Current location	Scale	Cultural Heritage No.	Designated date
Gadeokdo Stele		Seongbuk-dong, Gangseo-gu, 56, Gadeokpo-gu	344 Chunga Elementary School in Seongbuk-dong, Gangseo-gu, Busan	128×145×16	Busan Metropolitan City designated Monument No. 35	01-Feb 1993
Ganghwa Stele			Deokjin Dondae of the Southern Dynasties	147×53×28		1867
Gyeongbokgung Palace Stele	150px	Gyeongbok Palace Geunjeongjeon, 4th Street in front of Bosingak Pavilion in Jongno	National Museum of Korea
Gyeongju Stele	150px	Sansa-dong of Gyeongju	Gyeongju National Museum	Height 1.5m
Gochang Stele			Hyangcheong, Gochang-eupseong, Gochang-gun
Gumi Stele			Mt. 52-1 in Gupodong, Gumi City	175×186	North Gyeongsang Province Cultural Heritage Material No. 22	05-Aug 1985
Gunwi Stele			Gunwi-eup Dongbu-ri Gunwi-gun Office	115×43×14
Gijang Stele	150px	inside of Daebyun-port breakwater		144×52.5×21	Busan Metropolitan City designated Monument No. 41	25-May 1996
Namhae Stele		Noryang Shipyard, Sulcheon Middle School	410-18 Noryang-ri, Seocheon-myeon, Namhae-gun	220×49×16	South Gyeongsang Province Cultural Heritage Material No. 266	31-Dec 1997
Daegu Stele			Gwandeokjeong Catholic Martyrs Memorial Hall in Daegu
Miryang Stele			Milyang City Milyang
Bonghwa Stele		Bongseong-ri, Bonghwa Middle School, Bongseong-myeon	Bonghwa Education Office in Naeseong-ri, Bonghwa-eup
Busanjin Stele		Busan Jinsheng, Yongdu Mountain Park	948-1 Busan Museum in Daeyeon-dong, Nam-gu	143×44.7×23.8	Busan Metropolitan City designated Monument No. 18	26 June 1972
Sancheong Stele		Huanzheng Garden, Sancheng Elementary School	Sancheong-ri 290-1 Sancheong Elementary School in Sancheong-eup, Sancheong-gun	135×45×25.5	Gyeongnam-do Type Cultural Heritage No. 294	27-Dec 1993
Seongju Stele		Sungjoo Elementary School	Sungjoo Girls' High School
Sunheung Stele		Sunheung-myeon of elementary school campus	314-3, Sunheung-myeon Office, Sunheung-myeon, Yeongju	114×46	Gyeongbuk Cultural Heritage Material No. 242	14-May 1991
Sinchang Stele		Shinchang Elementary School	297 Town-Narye-ri, Sinchang-si		Cultural Heritage Material No. 236 of Chungcheongnam-do	17-May 1984
Yangsan Stele			Sotori 667 Sonosowon, Sangbuk-myeon, Yangsan		Gyeongsangnam-do Type Cultural Heritage No. 120	02-May 1979
Yeosan Stele		Yeosan Elementary School	Iksan-myeon, Iksan-myeon, 445-2 Yeosan-dongheon	114×46×9	Iksan City Hyangtological Site No.7	30-May 2002
Yeongi Stele		Yeongihyang-bridge	34 Yeongi-ri, Yeongi-myeon, Sejong City		Sejong City Monument No.11	11-Feb 2016
Youngyang Stele			County seo-ri Nutrition County Office
Yecheon Stele			Daeheung-myeon Office	Upper break
Okcheon Stele			Mountain4-2 Samyangsa-gil, Okcheon-eup, Okcheon-gun	bullet marks	Monument No.6 of Chungcheongbuk-do	December 21, 1976.
Yonggung Stele		Yonggung Middle School, Yonggung Elementary School	Manparu of Eupbu-ri, Yonggung-myeon, Yecheon-gun		Gyeongbuk Cultural Heritage Material No.598	Oct. 4, 2012
Unhyeongoong Stele			Unhyeon Palace Museum of Antiquities
Janggi Stele		inside of Janggi castle	Jangsu Myeon Office Garden in Nam-gu, Pohang	120×45×21	North Gyeongsang Province Cultural Heritage Material No. 224.	07-Aug 1990
Geoldoosan Stele	150px		Zeodu Mountain Martyrs' Site
Changnyeong Stele		Changyeong-eup Gyohari	28-1 Manokjeong Park in Gyosang-ri, Changnyeong-eup	123×46×20	Cultural Heritage Material No. 218 of South Gyeongsang Province	02-May 1995
Cheongdo Stele		Cheongdo Roadside	15-10 Seosang-ri, Hwayang-eup, Cheongdo-gun	155×45×25	Gyeongbuk Cultural Heritage Material No.109	05-Aug 1985
Cheongsong Stele			Catholic Church in Cheongsong-eup, Cheongsong-gun	115×48×16
Cheongju Stele	150px	Seokgyo-dong Sewage Station	92-13 Central Park, Nammun-ro 2-ga, Sangdang-gu, Cheongju	108×47	North Chungcheong Province Monument No. 23	27-Oct 1978
Pohang Stele		Road in front of Chilpo-ri Rock-Culture County, Pohang	Pohang City Heunghae Folk Museum
Hamyang Stele			349-1 Sangrim Park in Unlim-ri, Hamyang-eup, Hamyang-gun	110×55×19	South Gyeongsang Province Cultural Heritage Material No. 264	31-Dec 1997
Hampyeong Stele		Kujuppo, Seokseong-ri, Hampyeong-eup	906-7 Hampyeong Park in Hapyeong-eup, Hampyeong-gun	135×52×20	Jeollanam-do Cultural Heritage Material No. 176.	24-Feb 1990
Hongseong Stele			Mount Obong-ri, Guhyang-myeon, Hongseong-gun	125×48×25.5	Cultural Heritage Material No. 163 of Chungcheongnam-do	17-May 1984.

References

1. Yu, Yŏng-ik (2008). Early Korean Encounters with the United States and Japan: Six Essays on Late Nineteenth-century Korea. Royal Asiatic Society, Korea Branch. p. 98. ISBN 9788995442487.
2. "History Reference". Encyclopedia of Korean Culture.
3. "History reference". Encyclopedia of Korean Culture.
4. "Stele content". Uri-history.

See also

• ko:경고비
• Sakoku