Pine Oil Kilns in Yeongnam Province on the Japanese colonial period
Since there are few relics excavated, research on pine oil kilns in Yeongnam Province has been mostly focused on figuring out the historical meaning of them relying on literatures with no precise analysis on the remains. Therefore, it has failed to give clear explanation about the fact that the firing room of pine oil kilns was rebuilt twice with different materials. Based on the awareness of the problem, this author conducted analysis on the relics of pine oil kilns that have been excavated so far. According to the analysis results, at first, the pine oil kiln was similar to the one producing oil made of pine resin collected. Furthermore, this author found the pine oil kiln first devised around 1938 and also two photos showing how the pine oil kiln was working. Along with that, this author suggests the valid possibility of colony Chosun’s traditional masters mobilized to apply their technique and operate the kilns in the background of the pine oil kilns completely equipped to the extent of performing their functions properly after several times of improvements made although they had exhibited many problems before. Next, this author analyzed the attributes related to the standardization of pine oil kilns and learned that building pine oil kilns was led by the colonial government systematically based on thorough planning as part of securing resources they needed. Also, to induce the people to participate in it voluntarily, at first, they encouraged it as a side job for farm families; however, in the end, the colonial government enforced the monopoly system for pine oil to control it. Accordingly, pine oil kilns were built mostly in the foot of a mountain near the village where there were many people residing. In fact, all the colonized people including children got mobilized systematically to collect the byproducts of pines.