A Gift for my Son’s Wedding
Chungmin Jongyoung Cho
Writer



There is a spirit even in a painting. There exists a national soul to love peace and the spirit of Dokdo, and to guard the Eastern Sea. A few years ago when I worked in Kwangju, there was an exhibition of the paintings of Dokdo. They werepainted by local artists with their hearts in Dokdo. It provoked a lot of enthusiasm from the visitors. I got interested in the exhibition because of its theme. Our island of Dokdo was standing in the Eastern Sea with dignity painted by those artists. The blue, clean sea was rolling at the tip of their brushes. I could hear the peaceful sounds of the seagulls and the hopeful songs of fishermen. I could feel the breath of our ancestors who loved and kept Dokdo throughout such a long period of suffering. The artists, with one heart,put the spirit of Dokdo into their paintings.
I bought a piece of artfor the first time in my life. Although it wasn’t big money it still was not easy for a simple salary man to buy such a painting without some hesitation. But I really wanted to have a painting containing the spirit of Dokdo. So the painting became hung on a wall in my house and I started to live with it, looking at it every day. It made me wary of the neighbors who are coveting our island and sea. I often think of the meaning of my nation, when listening to the sound of the rolling sea and powerful waves, and gazing at the rising sun above the horizon in the painting. I also kept in mind the spirit of my ancestors who guarded Dokdo regardless of their prolonged hardships. The Dokdo in the painting seems to tell me proudly that we are one and forever.
The Korean ancestors defeated a number of foreign incursions and held on to this country with their love of peace but they never tried to invade other countries. Only with wisdom and tenacity, did they lead five thousand years of history with their own beautiful culture. What country was it destroying the peace of our land, and tainting it with tears and blood?They were our neighboring countries, which still have coveted to swallow our country. Their greed really makes us infuriated. Japan’s distortion of past history and claims over the sovereignty of Dokdo is just one example. We are really angeredwith the shamelessness of a country that denies the truth for its own interest.
We would like to live a peaceful life, enjoying a good relationship with our neighboring countries. Obviously we cannot forget the horrible pain and suffering we went through in the course of Japan’s colonization, but we don’t want to continue to blame their past behavior, still having a grudge against them. We are trying to forgive them for a bright future. But we are not requited. Japan is trying to beautify its past, rather than regretting and apologizing for it. Now, Japanis claiming Dokdo is their territory, showing only the documents recorded by them during the period of colonization. I feel really worried about the possibility that the world keeps silent, overlooking or condescending the absurdity of Japan. I know truth will win but what is necessary now is to boost up our love for Dokdo and renew our resolution to keep it. It is also a must to pronounce this matter to the world more actively. That is the only way to bring a victory to justice. It will also induce Japan to correct their faults and become a good neighbor.
My eldest son wanted to be a soldier. Since I know the difficulties of such a career, I had some worries about him. For a year, he served in the army as a platoon leader and was resolute to carry on. My son then got married. I would like to give something memorable for the wedding and came to the conclusion that young people possess hearts that need to be planted with the spirit of the nation. So I decided to give my son the spirit of Dokdo. The painting was given to them as their wedding present. Anyway, the fate of our country is on their shoulders. After the marriage, my son and his wife had to move quite a few times. The painting might be a botherto carry but it is always hung in the middle of their living room. Whenever I go to his place, I could feel that my son cherishesthe meaning of Dokdo for all of us. Such spirit will be inherited by his descendents, while my son, his wifeand their kids are living with the sounds of the Eastern Sea and the seagulls on Dokdo. There is nothing stronger than this spirit to safeguard Dokdo from a coveting neighbor. I could hear the sounds of the painting even in my room.
We love to live in peace with ourneighbors, which I presume is what most people wish. That’s why my neighboring countries should reduce their greed and become truthful. To make this hope come true, I also know that it is important to strengthen our own determination to keep what is ours. The nation that loses such spirit can exist no longer in this world. In this respect, the painting with the spirit of Dokdo has a special meaning to me and becomes even more precious.