While the ancient kingdom of Koguryŏ is commonly understood to be one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, over the course of the 20th century China has disputed Korea’s claim over Koguryŏ history and...Show moreWhile the ancient kingdom of Koguryŏ is commonly understood to be one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, over the course of the 20th century China has disputed Korea’s claim over Koguryŏ history and heritage. This paper argues that China, North Korea and South Korea are using the UNESCO World Heritage List to gain the upper hand in the dispute. This paper subsequently asks the question of "How has the UNESCO World Heritage List been used to prove ownership over the ancient cultural heritage of Koguryŏ/Gaogouli by China and Korea since the 20th century?” Using Discourse Analysis as well as Smith’s Authorized Heritage Discourse, the ongoing debate over Koguryŏ is analyzed. This paper also questions UNESCO's role in international disputes over the ownership of heritage and argues that the UNESCO World Heritage List is able to be used by countries for benefits other than the preservation of heritage. The main argument in this paper is that UNESCO's World Heritage List is used as a stage on which ownership over the ancient Koguryŏ/Gaogouli kingdom is publically proclaimed due to UNESCO’s international status as well as other benefits that come from a place on the World Heritage List.Show less
The 'White Temple' at Tsaparang, in Western Tibet preserves some of the most important pre-sixteenth century works of art of Tibet. The temple is dated on literary grounds to around 1540, but its...Show moreThe 'White Temple' at Tsaparang, in Western Tibet preserves some of the most important pre-sixteenth century works of art of Tibet. The temple is dated on literary grounds to around 1540, but its works of art seem to indicate - on iconographic and stylistic grounds - that it was built before 1440. The temple used to be one of the main shrines in a monastery still counting circa sixty monks towards the end of the 17th century, but abandoned some time later when Western Tibet depopulated. Tsaparang was rediscovered and first described by the Italian Tibetologist Giuseppe Tucci in the 1930’s. My thesis shows that Tucci mixed the temples up. Facts derived from authoritative Tibetan literary sources have therefor been attributed to the wrong monuments. Contemporary authors focusing on the region have not noticed this, resulting in a growing amount of literature based on an unclarified chronology of the temples at Tsaparang.Show less
In this thesis, I argue against the view that takes individual cultivation as the primary concern and union with Heaven as the ultimate end in early Confucianism. I propose that with the collapse...Show moreIn this thesis, I argue against the view that takes individual cultivation as the primary concern and union with Heaven as the ultimate end in early Confucianism. I propose that with the collapse of Heaven in Chunqiu period, Confucius endorsed history as the authority, for history revealed a normative order for society. History also held authority over humans because it was in history that humans sought for existential meaning. In this light, I propound new interpretations of some of the most important concepts in early Confucianism.Show less
