Mahan, a nation that existed on this land for 800 years but was forgotten in history
A journey to discover the origins and origins of our culture

A travelogue exploring the history and culture of Mahan, which existed in the central western part of the Korean Peninsula from BC to the 6th century.
Author Jeong Eun-young, whose previous work, “Travelogue of the Forgotten Country of Gaya,” was selected for the Sejong Book Award, now travels on foot throughout the southern provinces, her hometown, to find Mahan, a country with 800 years of history.
The author emphasizes that although Mahan was a forgotten history after being absorbed into Baekje, it is the root of our national identity and the origin of the cultural prototype called 'Han'.

This book is not simply a collection of archaeological accounts or historical records, but rather an emotional journey to discover one's personal identity.
The journey, centered around the Yeongsan River basin, including Gwangju, Naju, Muan, Haenam, and Sinan, crosses the boundaries between past and present, record and imagination, and history and everyday life.
A variety of materials come alive in the text, from Mahan's jar tombs, gilt-bronze crowns, and gilt-bronze shoes to the Mahan people's kitchens and eating habits, art and music, and even their interactions with animals.

The author uses the keyword 'topophilia', or 'love for a specific place', to warmly and delicately revive the traces of Mahan.
This book, which fills in the gaps in ancient Korean history by reviving the unrecorded ancient history as a landscape of memory, is a valuable guide that makes us look back on the 'present that embraces forgotten history.'

This book mainly recalls the 700 years of Mahan's history from the 1st century BC to the 6th century AD, but also aims to introduce the flow before and after that.
It goes back to the Mahan era, then to the Joseon era, and even describes the current state.
I would like to call this method the 'history zigzag view'.
It is an effective way to show the multi-layered nature and temporal complexity of the places we live in.
We will come to realize that the present where we live bears traces of various times, and that the present where we live is intertwined with countless histories of the past.

--- From the "Prologue"

Iksan is a land of treasure.
As the political and cultural center of Mahan and Baekje, it is a city that holds a significant place in our ancient history.
It is a place like a bridge connecting Mahan and Baekje.
There was a Mahan confederacy in Iksan, and small states such as Mokji and its surrounding areas were established there.
Iksan, which grew based on the rich agricultural lands of the Geumgang and Mangyeong River basins, also contributed to regional integration by absorbing the traditions and culture of Mahan.
During the reign of King Mu of Baekje, it became the core of the Baekje revival movement.
In this way, Iksan is a region where the autonomous small-state culture of Mahan and the centralized culture of Baekje coexist.
Iksan is a city where many traces of history have passed through.

--- p.26

The city holds various times.
The land where we live is a place where different historical and regional memories with diverse stories meet and blend together.
The most powerful moment in Gwangju was May 18, 1980, but now let us remember the time of Mahan Sinchang-dong on that site and also put on the time of the Janggo tombs in Wolgok-dong and Myeonghwa-dong.
I believe that when Gwangju is infused with various layers of time and deep historical significance, its full beauty will be revealed.

--- p.67

I would like to call this place a sanctuary nestled in the cracks of time.
The room is enveloped in deep, quiet darkness, and the gilt-bronze crown in the center seems to glow on its own, encapsulating the glory of an era.
The deep darkness and the single jewel-like light in stark contrast completely disconnect us from our daily lives, making it a sanctuary.
The brilliance that emanates from the metal surface whenever light hits it seems to tell us a story spanning thousands of years.

--- p.76

Yeongam is a region with a historical consciousness that prides itself on being the 'heart of Mahan.'
As you travel around here, you will come across the phrase, ‘Yeongam, the heart of Mahan’ everywhere.
Although it is a short phrase, it encapsulates the solemn feelings of those who have faced a long epic.
The powerful message of Mahan's heart solidifies Yeongam's identity, serves as a call to make itself known to the world, and above all, becomes a force that unites the community.

--- p.88

The tombs in Hampyeong Mangachon resemble carrots, and the tombs in Gwangju Wolgye-dong are shaped like drums.
As such, the styles of Mahan's tombs are truly diverse.
Isn't the freedom and greatness of Mahan truly that which respects diversity without being fixed in form?
The nature of Mahan, which sought diversity while recognizing each other's identity while living together, is naturally revealed in the form of the tomb.

--- p.96

The land of Mahan, Hampyeong, which we encountered again after many years, seemed to whisper silently.
“You belong here.
“This is where you begin.”
I was grateful that the breath of Mahan, which once prospered here, still lives on through these tombs.

--- p.107

Someone asks me, 'Aren't you afraid of looking at graves?'
right.
Death is something that everyone fears.
But for me, the wonder of the tomb surviving through time is greater than the fear of facing death.

--- pp.144-145

A space to get inspired and rest, that is topophilia.
The reason why seaside graveyards are a topophilia for me is because my aesthetic resonates with them.
Shinan will one day become a topophilia for people all over the world.
Along with the world-class artwork, I hope many people will visit the Bennelly Mounds and enjoy the sunset from there.

--- p.155

In ancient societies, tombs were a cultural ensemble and a symbol that displayed power and prestige to the world.
Through the tombs, we can imagine Mahan, which persisted as a central power until the 6th century even after the fall of Mokji.
The pipe is the cry of the Mahan people saying, “I am alive!”

--- p.165

The Mahan people are described as 'fierce and brave'.
The Mahan people of the Yeongsan River basin fought fiercely until the very end, maintaining their cultural identity even as Baekje grew and annexed Mahan.
Its foundation is ferocity and courage.
This is different from simple violence or rebellion.
It is the instinctive and fundamental power of human beings to fight against oppression and injustice.

--- pp.166-167

The descendants of Mahan have played an important role at every turning point in history from ancient times to the present.
The spirit of ancient Mahan still lives within us today, serving as an eternal spark that protects democracy.
The brave dead of this land give life to the living.
--- p.168

Mahan's earthenware coffins are made up of two large jars joined together to enclose the body.
It is a structure that warmly embraces the dead, just as a mother's womb embraces life.
This reflects the hearts of the Mahan people, who wanted to embrace those who ended their lives as members of the community until the very end.
The red color of the jar and its egg-like shape symbolize resurrection.
It reflects the worldview of the Mahan people, where life and death are cyclical.
All of this is permeated by the image of a pipe.
This message of inclusion and resurrection is a message that Mahan sends to us today, transcending time.

--- p.188

If you want to feel the warm family love that continues even after death, head to the Bokam-ri Tomb Exhibition Hall, which has an apartment-style tomb.
The world inside the tomb that you want to look into is spread out there.
Under one mound, parents and children sleep together as time passes.
Traces of life remain intact in the darkness and quiet breathing of the stone room, and souls gathered under one roof hold hands across time.

--- p.195

The Shinchon-ri gilt-bronze crown is not large and appears very light and weak.
It is not a coffin worn while alive, but a funeral item placed in the coffin with the hope that the glory and dignity enjoyed during life will continue after death.
It is called a ‘statutory item’ because it is an object that symbolizes power.
It is a longing and earnest wish to continue the preciousness of this life even after death.
This is a symbol that shows the Mahan people's worldview and belief in the afterlife that connects the boundaries between life and death.

--- p.226

The dragon's breath, as if blowing through the clouds, took hold on the shoes.
A great craftsman doesn't just solve a problem; he opens new horizons through his solutions.
The workshop of the craftsman who created the gilt-bronze shoes pulled by the ascending dragon was none other than the 'philosophical workshop'.

--- pp.242-245

Why didn't they hold a funeral right away, but instead left the body in place and cried and sang for days and nights?
To have a 'good breakup'.
A good breakup requires ample time to mourn.
Mourning gives us time to reflect on the dead and the living.
When grief is expressed, those left behind can prepare to live through the time that follows.

--- p.263