Muidang Memorial Hall was established in September, 2007 in honor of the life and the philosophy of Jang Il-soon who was a calligrapher, initiated the ‘Cooperative Movement’ in 1966, sparked and led the democratic movement in Wonju in the 1970s, and was in the forefront of ‘Life Movement’. Muidang is the penname of Jang Il-soon. Many keepsakes, calligraphy works, photos, and other articles related to Jang Il-soon’s lfe are displayed in Muidang Memorial Hall established on the fourth floor of Bal-guem Credit Union building.
Excerpted from Jang Il-soon’s analects
Being given a birth in the form of human being in the world is one of many marvelous events. The fact that beings that are given a birth in the world live means that it is holy itself. I believe we all have to keep this in mind. In the middle of the night, I was often taken aback by the chirping sounds of insects coming out of grass bed nearby my home. When tiny creatures, say insects, let me hear their deceit-free, chirping sounds at serene nights, they instantly bring me to think what I thought about and did in my everyday, usual life. This means that have me feel ashamed of myself.
When this thought strikes me, I come to realize that the everyday life I am living is not a life and my usual life, after all, was a life of no use that simply resorted to the competition and the struggle. When those tiny life creatures, say insects, have me solemnly learn that the life I live was not a life, I have this deeply engraved in my mind: Those insects are my great teacher that offer me a valuable lesson, they show what persons of true life ought to become like, and ultimately true people should be like those deceit-free tiny creatures.
A Look at Jang Il-soon’s Biology
Jang Il-soon was born in Wonju in 1928 and died on May 22, 1994. He was an educator, calligrapher, and most importantly social activist who influenced citizens in Wonju and also in Korea.
• Born as a second son of Mr. Jang’s family in Wonju, on October 16, 1928.
• Graduated from Wonju Elementary School
• Baptized in the Catholic Church. His baptismal name: John
• Graduated from Bae-jae Middle School in Seoul. Admitted in Seoul National University. Expelled from Seoul National University for the rally and campaign of ‘Unified Seoul National University Establishment with Nine Other Higher Educational Institutions Consolidated’(1946-1948)
• Admitted in the Aesthetics Department of Seoul National University. Worked as a interpreter(for U.S.Army) in the prison camp of Geoje-do Island
• Back home(Wonju) in 1952 and lived in Wonju until death since then
• Took over the management of Seong-yook Middle and High School in 1953 and inaugurated as school principal while working as a teacher there
• Inaugurated as chairperson of Dae-sung Educational Foundation in 1954 and established Dae-sung Middle and High School
• Ran for lawmakers election as an independent candidate in 1958 but failed
• Ran for lawmakers election as a candidate for an opposition party in 1960 but failed
• Met Kim Ji-ha(a poet and a social activist who stood up against the military government and influenced millions of Koreans for democratic movement in 1960s and in 1970s) in 1960 and continued to meet with him for society change
• Initiated ‘Hansal-rim Campaign’ in 1977 and its campaign continued since then. ※ ‘Hansal-rim Campaign’ was designed to directly connect agricultural produce farmers and agricultural organizations in rural areas to consumers in urban cities, not through middlemen or distribution agencies or big sales channels. Hansal-rim Campaign became the foundation of Life Philosophy afterwards, which is the ideology that every single life matters and is precious.
• Established ‘Wonju Consumers Cooperative’ in 1985, the first case ever in Korea and emulated across Korea since then.
• Held exhibitions of illustrated works to vitalize ‘Hansal-rim Campaign’ more in 1988. Many prominent leaders, including opposition party leaders, Kim Young-sam(the 14th Korea’s president, 1993-1998), Kim Dae-joong(the 15th Korea’s president, 1998-2003), and Kim Jong-pil visited Jang Il-soon’s exhibition museum and purchased his art works.
Jang Il-soon’s Democratic Movement Activities
※Jang Il-soon’s democratic movement activities served as a milestone of magnitude for social activists in 1970s when the military government suppressed everything, including the freedom of expression. Along with Kim Ji-ha, Jang Il-soon was also an portant protagonist to affect many democratic movement activists. His philosophy was also carried to influence the establishment of social cooperatives later in Wonju and the spirit and philosophy of his activities, along with those of Kim Ji-ha, started being reflected in many aspects of Wonju citizens’ life afterwards. This is why Wonju is also called the birthplace of and home to Life Ideology/Philosophy.
• Stood up for ‘Neutralized Peace Unification’ on May 18, 1961, which gave the military government an excuse for Jang Il-soon’s trial. Tried in a court-martial after May 16 Military Coup, thus serving three-year jail term after receiving eight-year sentence.
• Reinstated in chairperson of Dae-sung Middle and High School after three-year jail serving but deprived of his chairperson position by the military government for the involvement in ‘Opposition Rally of Korea’s Humiliated Foreign Diplomacy Agreement with Japan’ six months later
• Lived under constant observation as a person on the blacklist for Politics Clean Act and Society Security Act of the military government since 1963 after being released from the prison
• Met bishop Ji Hak-soon, 1965 and agreed to act on their consciousness for democracy with each other
• Spearheaded campaigns and rallies to urge Justice Realization of Korea with bishop Ji Hak-soon, October 1971
• Was a hidden protagonist of and had a leading role in ‘National Alliance for Democracy and Citizens Campaign’ and ‘The Catholic Priests Association for Justice(CPAJ) that were all formed in the early 1970s
• Initiated street rallies and campaigns designed to urge the military government to set free students and civilians who were wrongly and unjustly charged with politics cases
• Started and keep campaigning the reform of awareness of farmers, factory workers, fishermen, and other grass-root civilians
• Started and kept leading ‘Farmers Campaign’, ‘Campaign for Organic Agricultural Produce Consumption Life’, ‘Cooperatives Movements’(Credit Union Movement, Consumer Cooperative Movement, Agricultural Cooperatives Reform Movement), ‘Environmental Movement’, and ‘Hansal-rim Movement’. ※Han means ‘one’ and salrim means ‘living’, thus being interpreted as ‘One Living’.