In the history of nations, few policies are as profoundly personal and traumatic as Changssi-gaemyeong (創氏改名). Between 1939 and 1940, the Japanese colonial government enacted a law that forced nearly 24 million Koreans to "create a surname" (Changssi) and "change their given names" (Gaemyeong) to Japanese styles. This wasn't just an administrative change; it was a deliberate, state-sponsored attempt to "de-core" the Korean identity and absorb the people into the Japanese Empire. For Koreans, whose names are the ultimate link to their ancestors and lineage, this was nothing short of a "Social Death." This is a deep historical dive into the "Order of 19" and the resistance of a people who refused to be erased.
Banner Ad Start Banner Ad EndThe Colonial Blueprint: "Naisen Ittai" and the 1939 Decree
By the late 1930s, as Japan prepared for full-scale war in Asia, the colonial government (Chosun Sotok-bu) intensified its assimilation policies under the slogan **"Naisen Ittai"** (Japan and Korea as One). The logic was chillingly simple: to make Koreans fight and die for the Emperor, they had to *believe* they were Japanese. The final barrier was the Korean name. On **November 10, 1939**, the Governor-General issued the "Revised Civil Ordinance" (known as the "Order of 19"). It gave Koreans only six months—until August 10, 1940—to register a Japanese-style surname.
The difference between the Korean "Seong" (Surname) and the Japanese "Uji" (Surname) was critical. Korean surnames were immutable, linked by blood to a "Bon-gwan" (ancestral seat). Japanese surnames were family-based and flexible. By forcing Koreans to "create" a Japanese *Uji*, the colonial government was literally severing the connection between Koreans and their ancestors.
The Machinery of Coercion: Survival as a Weapon
The Japanese authorities claimed the policy was "voluntary," but the reality was a brutal campaign of systematic coercion. Every level of the colonial administration—from the police to the village heads—was mobilized to "encourage" compliance. Those who refused to change their names faced devastating consequences:
- **Education**: Children with Korean names were denied admission to schools and expelled from universities.
- **Rations**: In a time of war-time shortages, families without Japanese names were denied food and supply rations.
- **Employment**: Government offices and private companies were forbidden from hiring anyone with a Korean name.
- **Justice**: Refusal was seen as "anti-Japanese sentiment," leading to police surveillance and imprisonment.
The Creative Resistance: "Names of Protest"
Despite the overwhelming pressure, the Korean spirit of resistance found a way to speak through the very names they were forced to take. This is one of the most poignant aspects of the era. Many Koreans chose Japanese surnames that were "secret codes" of their true identity:
- **Incorporating Ancestry**: People from the "Gimhae Kim" clan often chose the Japanese name **"Kaneyama"** (Mountain of Gold), using the same "Kim" (Gold) radical as a hidden link to their roots.
- **The "Inubou" (Dog's Son) Protest**: Some chose absurd or insulting names as a form of "Silent Satire." One famous case involved a man who registered his name as **"Inubou Miyeonsang"** (Dog's Son, whose face is like a dog's), mocking the very idea of the policy.
- **Suicide as the Ultimate Refusal**: For some, like the scholar Seol Tae-hui, the thought of betraying his ancestors was unbearable. He committed suicide, leaving a note that read, "A human can die, but a name must live."
The Psychological Trauma: The "Shame" of the Name
Psychologically, the Changssi-gaemyeong era left a deep, generational scar. For those who complied to feed their families, the "Japanese Name" became a symbol of shame and collaboration. Even after liberation, many survivors of that era rarely spoke of their "Japanese Name," as if it were a "Stain" on their personal history. This trauma is why South Korea remains so fiercely protective of its naming laws today; any attempt at state intervention in names is still viewed through the lens of this colonial nightmare.
Post-1945: The "Great Restoration"
Immediately after the Japanese surrender on **August 15, 1945**, the first act of the liberated Korean people was the "Name Restoration Order." Within months, millions of Koreans joyfully discarded their Japanese names and returned to their ancestral "Kim," "Lee," and "Park." However, the colonial influence didn't disappear completely. As we explore in our article on the "-ja" suffix, many female given names (ending in "-ko") persisted for decades as a subtle, unconscious legacy of the colonial era.
Conclusion: The Eternal Flame of the Name
The history of Changssi-gaemyeong is a testament to the fact that a name is the ultimate "Fortress of Identity." It teaches us that you can take a person's land, their food, and even their freedom, but as long as they hold onto their name, they hold onto their soul. To understand modern Korea, you must understand the pain of the time when "Kim" was "Kaneyama" and the immense, beautiful relief of the day it became "Kim" again. A Korean name is an eternal flame that survived the darkest night of the 20th century.