Large, Gaya Looks Significant

 

I had no idea what Gaya was.  But there it lay, between Backjae and Silla on the map of Three Kingdoms Korea.  A fourth kingdom then, there in the south of the peninsula, right between the two other larger south eastern and south western kingdoms.  The Japanese historical texts from the eighth century Nihon Shoki suggest that Empress Jingu, in the fourth century established a Japanese colony there in southern Korea.  When Imperial Japan annexed Korea in 1910, they used this claim to suggest they were restoring the ancient unity of the two lands.  The validity of the Empress Jingu’s claim is historically suspect and indeed there is a parallel theory that “horse riders” first entered Japan from Korea in the fourth century, conquering that land, evidenced by the sudden introduction of weapons, armor  and tomb decorations akin to what had been in Korea.  Suffice to say, it appears that Gaya was a bi-directional trading hub and a critical point of contact between Korea and Japan. 

I tried to introduce the place today.  This, during the brief allotment of time we have riding along New Paltz Road, off 299 heading to 44.  I bring the book “Korean History in Maps” and ask her to flip past the last chapter we looked at on Silla.  Blown up large, Gaya looks significant.  I ask my little one if she can think of any contemporary Korean cities currently in that territory.  Neither of us can name a single place.  I ask, which of the BTS members is from neighboring Baekje?  “I don’t know.”  “But didn’t you say someone was from Gwangju?”  “Oh, that’s Jay Hope.” “Yeah?  The stereotype is they’re supposed to be hot tempered but Jay Hope seems to be among the most perky in the band.”   

 

There are two duck-shaped pottery vessels from Gaya on the page beside the map.  “Ya” signifies duck in Chinese and I’m tempted to draw the reference, but it is irrelevant.  The Koreans don’t call ducks “yazi”  Gaya has nothing to do with ducks. (Google translate suggest the pronunciation is “oli” in Korean which is certainly cute.)  I draw her attention to the iron breast plate from Gaya at the bottom of the page.  In fact, I’m running out of things to say about Gaya.  On the following page are maps that explain the trade routes between the four kingdom and the neighboring countries.  But now we’ve passed through Highland and are waiting at the light, to turn on to 44.  It’s understood that the lesson ends here.

And shortly thereafter, around the entrance to the Mid Hudson Bridge, I get to ask her to queue up a song of my choice.  I want to suggest The Kinks album “Face to Face,” but I can’t think of the name of it.  We listened to a few songs a day form “Something Else” when it was “my turn” last week.  I can see the cover in my mind with the butterflies and the strange cartooned man.  But it won’t come and I just suggest she throw on “Brainwashed” from Arthur, instead.

 

 

 

Monday, 10/19/20