(102) Seo Jae-pil, a Korean intellectual and activist

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Fri, December 8, 2023 | 14:34

(102) Seo Jae-pil, a Korean intellectual and activist

Posted : 2010-08-12 21:07

Updated : 2016-06-15 19:00

The late Seo Jae-pil

By Janet Shin

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan apologized this week for Japan's colonial rule of Korea on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the country's annexation in 1910.

The deep regret and pain suffered by the Korean people was expressed through the resistance movements that occurred during the period. While some have led to physical altercations, such as the March First Independence Movement, there was also spiritual guidance as initiated by select Korean intellectuals.

We are to review the life of a certain Korean, who tried to educate people and enlighten them with an emphasis on national independence. There is a statue of Seo Jae-pil at Seoul's Dongnimmun Independence Gate, which was designed by him and inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

Seo Jae-pil, born in 1864, was infused with modern political ideas when he was a teenager, at a time when Korea was being reformed from feudalism to modernization on the one hand, and being threatened by external powers on the other. He became a member of an enlightenment group and studied in Japan and the United States ― where he became the first Korean to become a naturalized American citizen under the name of Philip Jaisohn. Upon returning to Korea he endeavored to politically educate the people and published a newspaper, ''The Independent,'' the first non-government-run newspaper in Korean history, which looked to raise awareness and contribute to social development.

However, due to the outspoken view of the ''The Independent'' that disclosed corrupt officials, Seo was banished to the U.S.

After Korea achieved independence in Aug. 1945, Seo returned to Korea once again to serve as a chief advisor. But his uneasy relationship with Syngman Rhee, the first president in Korean history and a former colleague at the Independence Club, compelled the intellectual to move back to the U.S. once more after Rhee's election.

Born in a turbulent era of Korean history, he was a pioneer of enlightenment for the independent building of a modern nation. Then, during Japanese colonial rule, he tried to denounce the invasion by participating in activism movements as an intellectual. Even so, Seo remained an outsider to politics as he stood for the people rather than for power.

Below is Seo's saju.

He was born with yin metal energy as a day master. The month branch that defines his fate is earth, knowledge star. It is obvious that he pursued an intellectual and respectful life. However there is an implication from the two knowledge stars (in the month and day branches) ― that he could experience disgrace and shame from dissension due to clashes between the two. A strong expression star in the stem and branch of his year pillar denotes that he was a person who could revolt against majority opinion if he found it to be wrong.

For a yin metal day master, which is represented by jewelry, yang fire energy is welcomed. Yang fire is a career star, meaning power, bright like the shine on a piece of beautiful jewelry. There is a saying in saju that yin metal paired with pure water (expression star = talents) and shine (fire energy = power) makes a great person.

In Seo's saju, it is unfortunate that there is no yang fire. Although we do not have the exact time of his birth, we may assume that there will not be any yang fire energy in the time pillar.

Instead, during his years of fortune, he achieved great success being able to study at Harry Hilton Academy in the U.S. and publish the newspaper ''The Independent.''

It was unfortunate that he had to move back and forth to the U.S. and returned to Korea with dishonor, although the charge was reappraised by later generations. The earth knowledge stars, by contradicting each other, muddied the intelligence of the yin metal. But still, the water expression star clearly showed Seo's talents and efforts in trying to support the development of his country.

The writer is the president of the Heavenly Garden, a saju research center in Korea, and the author of ''Learning Four Pillars.'' For more, visit her website at www.fourpillarskorea.com

Are you interested in learning more about the ancient Chinese teachings of the ''Four Pillars of Destiny''? Private sessions are available in English at basic, intermediate and advanced levels. Contact Janet at 010-5414-7461 or email janetshin@hotmail.com