Dedication

Dr. Doo-soo Suh DEDICATION When Dr. Suh came to the United States in 1949, Americans hardly knew where Korea was. Even academic institutions were ignorant. With the outbreak of the Korean War and the sudden commitment of American lives to Korean soil, there was also a sudden rise in interest about Korea, but very few resources to which to turn. Professor Frank Williston, recently retired from long years of service at the University of Washington, is fond of recalling how he was given responsibility for teaching Korean history at that time because he was the only one in the Institute who knew where Korea was. It was into a near total intellectual vacuum about Korea that Dr. Suh came in 1952 to begin establishment of a program of Korean studies in the United States. He came with a very wide background of experience in the Korea academic world and an amazing store of knowledge bridging many disciplines and enabling him to fulfill for many years the role of a one man department. Many theses in many different disciplines have been produced by students under his guidance. In addition, respectable library holdings for research have been achieved through his efforts. In the short span of fifteen years, the Korean field has come of age in the United States. A generation of Korean specialists has been produced who are able at least to begin to make known to the world through the medium of the English language the tremendous wealth of recorded material from Korean civilization. A significant number of this new generation have been students of Dr. Suh. In 1963 he helped to establish a Korean Studies Society for purposes of promoting academic research on Korea. The majority of papers given at biweekly meetings were read by graduate students doing research for theses on Korea. The Society provided a good sounding board for comment and criticism, and many of the ideas aired in these meetings were incorporated into theses and dissertations. As members began scattering to the four winds to teaching positions in the United States and to study abroad in Korea, it became increasingly evident that a more permanant record of its efforts could be kept through a Journal of Korean Studies. In this maiden issue, five members of the Society have contributed from the University of Rhode Island, the University of Maine, the University of Washington and Yonsei University. Also, Dr. Sung Jae Koh has contributed an article to join with us in congratulating Dr. Suh on the occasion of his Hwan'gap. To a superior man, a scholar, and a gentle spirit this first issue of the Journal of Korean Studies is dedicated. The Passer by Laugh not at a farmer's hut With its clouded December wine. To put up guests in years of plenty There's enough of chicken and pork. Where mountain to mountain folds. Where rivers cataract And fears rise lest there be no road...... Willows green and flowers open On yet another village. Flute and drum follow Spring's libation to the soil. Dress is simpleA touch of bygone days. Henceforth, by your leave, He'll come by moonlight Or any hour of the night To tap his cane at your gate. By Lu Yu (1125-1210) Translation by David P. Mesler January 15, 1968 "The Passer by" is the poem from which Dr.Suh's penname, U-ch'on (3cit) was taken. Doo-soo Suh Born March H, 1907 Listing of academic training and positions 1930 Bungakushi (M.A. equivalent) Keijo Imperial University 1930-34 Research Assistant, Faculty of Letters, Keijo Imperial University 1934-36 Teacher, Chinnamp'o Commercial and Technical School 1936-44 Professor of Japanese Literature, Ehwa Women's College 1945-49 Professor of Korean Literature and University Dean, Chosun Christian University 1949-52 Ph. D. work at Columbia University 1952-55 Visiting Lecturer initiating the Korean Studies Program, Harvard University 1955-60 Visiting Lecturer in Korean Studies, University of Washington I960- Lecturer in Korean Language and Literature, University of Washington ...