Heritage Management in Korea and Japan: The Politics of Antiquity and Identity

From the publisher’s website:

Imperial tombs, Buddhist architecture, palaces, and art treasures in Korea and Japan have attracted scholars, collectors, and conservators—and millions of tourists. As iconic markers of racial and cultural identity at home and abroad, they are embraced as tangible sources of immense national pride and popular “must-see” destinations.

This book provides the first sustained account to highlight how the forces of modernity, nationalism, colonialism, and globalization have contributed to the birth of museums, field disciplines, tourist industry, and heritage management policies. Its chapters trace the history of explorations, preservations, and reconstructions of archaeological monuments from an interregional East Asian comparative perspective in the past century.

Hyung Il Pai is professor of East Asian languages and cultural studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is the author of Constructing Korean Origins.

Contents

1. Ranking “Korean” Properties: Heritage Administration, South Gate, and Salvaging Buried Remains
2. Collecting Japan’s Curios: World Fairs, Imperial Tombs, and Preservation Laws
3. Tracing Japan’s Lineage: Art, Architecture, and Conquest Dynasties
4. Searching for the Missing Link: Prehistory, Ethnology, and Racial Discourse
5. Excavating Korea’s Past: Colonialists, Archaeologists, and Nostalgic Ruins
6. Rediscovering the Homelands: Travel Myths, Images, and the Narrative of Return

Conclusion: Contested Ownership: The Plunder and the Return of Cultural Treasures