Do-San
Do-San is the pseudonym of the patriot Ahn Chang-Ho (1876-1938). The 24 movements represent his entire life which he devoted to furthering the education of Korea and its independence movement.
The Life of Do-San
Ahn Chang-ho was a Korean independence activist born in South Pyongahn-do on November 9, 1876.
He is also referred to as Do-San, his popular pen name.
At the age of 18 in 1894 he became a member of the Tongnip Hyophoe “Independence Association” which promoted independence from Japan but they were interrupted when the group’s leader was forced into exile into the United States.
This strengthened his belief that they had themselves to blame for their failures and victory would only come from within.
It was in 1899 that he established the Cheomjin (gradual process) School in Pyongyang which reflected his philosophy of evolutionary social changes through education.
Ahn Chang-ho was one of the first Koreans to emigrate to the United States when he arrived in September 1902 with his wife. It was then he decided to call himself Do-San meaning island mountain.
While living in San Francisco, he initiated a social reform movement and organized the San Francisco Social Meeting which was desperately needed by the Korean American society.
He also organized what is known as Kungminhoe (Korean National Association) which inspired national independence for Korean immigrants.
In 1906 he returned to Korea and organized an underground independence group called Shinmin-Hoe (New People’s Association) which was to promote Korean independence by cultivating nationalism.
In 1908 he founded the Tae-Song (large achievement) School in Pyongyang. At this time the Japanese were in the process of removing education for Koreans to ensure illiteracy and create a class of slaves.
The Shinmin-Hoe had grown in size and was considered a threat by the Japanese occupiers. In December 1910, the Japanese fabricated an plot to assassinate the Japanese Governor General Terauchi.
Over 600 christians and all of Shinmin-Hoe leaders were arrested, with over 105 brought to trial following torture.
Pressure was felt from the world community that most of the defendants had to be set free after it was alleged that the plot was an obvious fabrication.
After the passage of an Education Act in 1911 the Japanese occupiers started to close all Korean schools and as a result the Tae-Song School was closed in 1913 and by 1914 all Korean schools had been shut down.
After the assassination of the Japanese Governor- General Hirobumi Ito, Japan began to make things tougher for Korean leaders, and Do-San was forced into exile, eventually ending up in the United States.
In 1912 he was elected chairman of the Korean National People’s Association and played an active role in negotiations with the US government.
Around 1919, when the Yi Dynasty was forced to become part of Japan, Do-San established activities to regain Korean independence. He travelled to Shanghai to take part in the provisional Korean government in exile there and was involved in drawing up a democratic constitution for Korea.
On March 1st 1919 the provisional government in Shanghai declared independence and called for massive resistance from the people of Korea. Many of thousands were killed, as police fired into the unarmed crowds while thousands more were arrested and tortured.
He continued to work in the United States on behalf of his country and created a village in Manchuria for refugees.
By 1932 Do-San was arrested after a bombing, in which he was not even involved, and was placed in prison in Taejon. He was arrested again after being briefly released by the Japanese prison and stayed in prison until 1938.
He was allowed to leave the prison on bail due to poor health and died in a hospital in Seoul on March 10, 1938.
Do-San is honored both in Seoul, where there is a Do-San park, and in California where a statue has been erected. He also has a freeway interchange named after him!