Books by Hyung Il Pai

Imperial tombs, Buddhist architecture, palaces, and art treasures in Korea and Japan have attracted scholars, collectors, and conservators - and millions of tourists. This book highlights how the forces of modernity, nationalism, colonialism, and globalization have contributed to the birth of museums, field disciplines, and tourist industries.

Hyung Il Pai examines how archaeological finds from Northeast Asia have been used in Korea to construct a myth of state formation emphasizing the ancient development of a pure Korean race that created a civilization rivaling those of China and Japan. He shows that the Korean state was formed far later with influences from throughout Northern Asia.