To my children:

I've read an interesting article, 'Face and Name' from my Seoul National University US Alumni newsletter published in October 2014, that I'd like to share with you guys. In the attachment please find my English translation of the article for you.

I am not necessarily agreeing with his editorial 100% but am pretty much in tune with him in principle. It was why I insisted on naming you all in Korean as well as your children, my grandchildren.

I am still proud of what I provided for my children and my grandchildren who were all born here in the States, and glad I did;

We named as Moon Gene Ho, Moon Bo Hyun and Moon Sue Jung for my children and Seung Jae, Ye Jin, Ye Rin for Gene Ho's children and Ye Ji, Ye Jung, Seung Joon for Bo Hyun's children.

I'll be looking forward to doing the same for Sue Jung when she is ready.

I also thank you guys for adopting your children's Korean Name from me each time the baby was born. I was not persuasive enough to have you guys keep only the Korean names for the babies but I am glad I was not stubborn enough to try to force it. Even I have to admit that I have had numerous occasions of disadvantages here in the US from my own Korean name, unusually mispronounced 'By-Ung', for the past forty some years of my US life.

In fact, unlike my generation's usually difficult-to-pronounce given name, and eager to not have you suffer my inconveniences, I named my children so that their first names could be used in the US with no difficulties; Gene, Bo, and Sue. But I hope you remember your full name in Korean all times and keep your Chinese character spellings somewhere safe, as something precious that I gave you when you were born in this country. I also wish you remember the meanings of your Chinese character names: 'Ho' and 'Hyun' in your full names follow our genealogy's tradition of given name which is common to the same generation of your kinsfolk. You might notice that all my brothers and cousins have 'Byung' in their given names. You may recall your cousins; names, 'Jee Hyun' and 'Sung Hyun.' In the same tradition, your children's generations were prescribed 'Seung' or 'Hyun' as one common character in their given names. All their names had corresponding Chinese characters that I gave at the birth as well as yours. Unfortunately, Korean family genealogy naming does not properly address daughters, but I made it 'Ye' for my granddaughters and the meaning of it's Chinese character is 'talented' and 'graceful.'

I know it is very hard to use your children's Korean name at home in everyday life, but try to use them often enough so that they become used to it. I am sure there will a day when they will be proud of having their own Korean full names, along with such each syllable in their names being represented by a meaningful Chinese character.

Dad.

October 17, 2014

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Followings is my boldly translation of above article for my 2nd and 3rd generation in this country.
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Face and Name

By Tae Sang Lee, Alumni at Liberal Arts & Science college, Seoul National University class of 1955.

Unlike most Americans who denounced the native Indians as 'untouchable, uncivilized beasts' during the establishment of new America, there was an individual who devoted his life to civilize a vast number of Indian children with hearty devotion and sympathy.

Richard Pratt, after coming back from the Civil War, founded The Pratt Karail School for Indian children in the city of Karail, Pennsylvania and brought Indian children who were barely survived from American troop's mass genocide from native Indian lands to educate and reform them to civilize. Their long hair was cut to a western style and Indian costume was replaced with a new uniform under then 'modern education and salvation' all the way to baptize ceremony.

In contrast, an entry from one of the student's diary had been said:

"I no longer felt like an Indian any more. I was merely an imitation of a white man."

I had an occasion to visit a cousin of one of my son-in-laws a couple of years ago who had newborn baby, and asked what the baby’s name was as I peered at him in the baby ward. The father's immediate response was 'George.'

Of course the baby would be named by the father or grandfather, and I also understand that most Korean children in this country have American names.

However I have to admit that I felt something unnatural when I saw the newborn Korean bearing an American name, not to mention the awkward feeling I sensed in the family gathered around, even if momentarily. Of course an American name would be comfortable to 1.5 or 2nd generation Koreans here in the States, who have become accustomed to it living in this country.

However, let me tell you a story which is not that far removed from you.

There was an American ambassador of Chinese origin in China, the first of ever, named Gerry Roche (age 64), who was coming back to the US after his term last March this year. The Chinese government news wrote an embarrassing article regarding his leaving China.

On February 28, the Chinese newspaper wrote an article under the title, 'Good Bye Gerry Roche' with a quotation underneath calling him 'A rotten banana.'

A banana, by the way, is a common reference to someone who has yellow skin but is white on the inside, and is a term used to describe people who look Asian but at the core are not.

The editorial continued, 'A banana, after long hours, starts spoiling in its skin and eventually its white inside turns to black' and 'Ambassador Roche, a 3rd generation American, represented the States only, and not for his own native country during his term.'

From a very opinionated point of view, based heavily on Asian culture, the editors teased him for his ignorance of benevolence and righteousness and his worship of Western rule of might and hegemonic pursuit which were inclined to military and monetary power, lacking respect toward Eastern principles of virtue and moral excellence.

In vast contrast, how much pride does it bring that Chung Myung Wha, Chung Kyung Wha, and Chung Myung Hoon, the world’s most famous family of classical musicians, kept their Korean names that are now renown all over the world?

In summary, a person maintains his or her precious value when he or she keeps the origin, not attempting an imitate someone else like a monkey.

One loses his or her integrity if a person discards an identity and it would be the same for a nation when the country’s people look down on its own original identity. Such a nation or an individual cannot appeal to another country with righteous diplomacy or dignified human relationship.

If you are Korean, no matter where you reside, in South Korea, North Korea, even in the States, you need to deeply consider your own traditional name.

End

막내 딸이 2019 독립기념일 하루 전에 아들을 낳아 승원이라 이름을 지었습니다. 웨슬리-승원이 되었지요. 딸은 오빠들과 6년 차이가 나 이제는 두 애로 만족해야 할 것 같고, 그나마도 애 하나만 기르기 보다 둘이 좋다고 부추겨 용단을 낸 것 같습니다. 특히 딸은 미국 본토배기와 결혼한 터여서 한국 이름에 의미가 더 있습니다.

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