근현대 화교의 제주도 정착과정과 사회적 위상

Abstract

Hwagyos are defined in the dictionary as overseas Chinese and their descendants who have settled down abroad, but still maintains close relationships with their native country in terms of cultural, social, legal and political aspects. Hwagyos first appeared in Korea, as Qing armed forces and 40 merchants serving the army stationed in Korean as a result of Joseon-Qing Merchant Sea and Land Trade Regulation in the wake of the Military Mutiny of 1882. Since then, Hwagyos have been a minority group for more than 100 years as of 2008. In spite of their long presence in Korea, not much research had been conducted on the history of Hwagyos before the 1980s. Jeju province is geographically close to China's south and east coast. In addition, relics like Osujeon (coin used in China around the 1st century) show that there were some exchanges between China and Jeju province. Samacheon's 『Sagi』 says that after unifying China in 221 BC, the first emperor of Chin sent his retainer, Seobok, to Jeju province to look for a mythical herb providing eternal youth. During the modern times, some Chinese migrated into Korea due to complicated political and economic conditions in their country. In addition, the Chinese Civil War of 1948 triggered another wave of Chinese immigration to Jeju province. This study examined the history of Hwagyos, a minority group which has lived in Jeju province for almost one century and explored their settlement and identification in Jeju province. This is significant in that it discussed a minority group in the recent phenomenon of multiculturalism. It is not clear when Hwagyos first settled down in Juju province, but according to data acquired through interviews with their descendants, it is presumed that it was around the 1920s that they first settled down in Jeju province. This is confirmed by the record, displayed on the wall of Jeju Hawgyo elementary school, about the establishment of Hwagyo elementary school in 1951. The record says "Thirty years have passed since we Hwagyos first settled down to Jeju." Hwagyos' settlement period in Jeju province is largely divided into following two periods: the period between the 1920s and 1945, before Japan's defeat in the Second World War, and the period between 1945, after the Second World War, and August 1950, shortly after the Korean War. During the second period, communist victory in the Chinese Civil War triggered the massive Chinese immigrant into other nations. In August 1950, shortly after the outbreak of the Korean War, a ship carrying 80 Chinese refugees arrived in Jeju province. This was a massive refugee immigration which had not been detected in other provinces. The massive exodus of Chinese in 1950 shortly after the outbreak of the Korean War was shut down, as the Cold War started after Communists won the Chinese Civil War. There is a lack of information about Hawgyos in Korea during Korea's turbulent modern period from the 1880s to the 1950s. This study examined the way Hwagyos settled down and have lived as a minority group in Jeju province. Besides, it also sought the way they can live as integral members of Jeju society.