Item number: M554

Year: AD 1907

Material: Bronze

Size: 54.5 x 54.5 x 5 mm

Weight: 115.15 g

Provenance: Private Collector, Japan, 2026

This is a Third Prize Bronze Medal with a Double Dragon Design, awarded at the Keijo Exposition in AD 1907. The medal may have been awarded to exhibitors and representatives from various industrial and academic fields in recognition of outstanding exhibits, including grains, textiles, gold and silverware, and fine and decorative arts, with the aim of promoting industrial advancement and the modernisation and commercial development of the Korean Empire.

The centre of the obverse bears the Korean character “박”, enclosed within a diamond-shaped pattern. It is generally translated as “gourd”. When used as a suffix, it may denote “staying” or “an excursion”. In this context, however, it is an abbreviation referring to an exhibition. The Taegeuk symbol, an important Korean design also found on many Korean badges and insignia, appears at the top. On either side is an Eastern dragon, with the orientation of their heads immediately drawing the viewer’s attention to the Taegeuk symbol above.

The reverse bears inscriptions in Small Seal Script throughout. At the centre is “賞” (shǎng), signifying a reward or prize. Above it, arranged from right to left, are the characters “京城博覽會” (Keijo Exposition). Below are the era designations “明治四十年” (Meiji 40) and “隆熙元年” (Yung-hui 1). The shared character “年”, meaning “year”, serves both as a bridge connecting the two era names and as a divider separating them, with the former on the right and the latter on the left. “明治四十年” and “隆熙元年” both refer to the respective era names used by Japan and the Korean Empire in AD 1907. The former denotes the reign of Emperor Meiji of Japan, while the latter refers to the first year of the reign of Emperor Sunjong of the Korean Empire, Yi Cheok.

In addition, the accompanying medal case bears “銅牌” vertically at the centre, meaning “bronze medal”. Above them, “參等賞” is arranged horizontally from right to left, meaning “third prize”, while below is “京都博覽會” (Kyoto Exposition).

Studies of Korean cultural history have often regarded the Keijo Exposition of AD 1907 as the first effective one held in Korea. The basic commodities displayed at the exposition were not merely available for public viewing but could also be purchased immediately. Subsequent exhibitions placed greater emphasis on showcasing the latest goods and luxury items, as well as disseminating Japanese propaganda.

According to the annual report of the Residency-General of Korea, the exposition displayed a total of 79,126 exhibits, of which only 4,500 were Korean exhibits, while approximately 74,600 came from Japan. Only 23 Korean merchants successfully exhibited their goods in ten booths, whereas Japanese merchants displayed more than 160 Japanese products. This clearly demonstrates that, even before Korea’s formal annexation, Japan had already established economic dominance over Korea. The extent to which Japanese commercial and political interests took precedence over those of Korea was so blatant that some Westerners residing in Korea at the time referred to the event as the “Japanese Exposition”.

物件編號: M554

年代: 公元1907年

材質: 銅

尺寸: 54.5 x 54.5 x 5 mm

重量: 115.15 g

來源: 日本私人收藏 2026

這是一件公元1907年京城博覽會的三等賞雙龍圖銅牌 ，其頒發獎章的原因，可能是為了獎勵參展商與產學各界展出優秀的穀物、織物、金銀細工及美術工藝品等，藉此提升大韓帝國的產品的競爭力與近代化工商發展。

獎章正面中央刻有韓文「박」字 ，且被菱形圖案包圍。「박」字 ，一般譯成「葫蘆」，作為字尾時，則譯為「停留、遠足」，但此處是博覽會的簡稱。頂部有作為韓國重要圖案的太極圖，許多韓國徽章都包含此元素。兩側各有一條東方龍，其龍首之朝向令人一眼望去便會將注意力集中於上方的太極圖案。

背面文字皆以小篆體刻成，正中央是「賞」字，代表獎賞之意。上方由右至左是「京城博覽會」；下方刻有「明治四十年」與「隆熙元年」兩個年號。兩者所共用的「年」字既作為連接二者的橋梁，同時也將兩個年號分隔開來，前者位於右側，後者位於左側。「明治四十年」與「隆熙元年」皆是指公元1907年的日韓兩國所用之年號，前者是日本明治天皇，後者是大韓帝國純宗皇帝李坧。

除此之外，所附的獎章盒上正中央直列有銅牌兩字，為銅質獎牌之意；上方橫列從右到左是參等賞，有第三等獎賞的含義；下方則是京都博覽會。

韓國文化史的研究經常認為，公元1907年的京城博覽會是韓國舉辦的第一個真正具實效的博覽會。該博覽會展出的基本商品不僅供人參觀，亦可立即購買。之後的博覽會，則更著重於展示最先進的商品與奢侈品，以及傳播日本的宣傳訊息。

韓國統監府年度報告指出，展覽會共展出 79,126 件展品，但其中只有 4,500 件是韓國展品，約 74,600 件則來自日本。僅有 23 名韓國商販成功在十個展位展出商品，而日本商人則展出了逾 160 件日本產品。這清楚顯示出，即使在正式併吞之前，日本已在韓國取得經濟支配地位。日本的商業與政治利益凌駕於韓國利益之上的情況如此明目張膽，以至於當時居住在韓國的一些西方人士將其稱為「日本博覽會」。