I recently read Myongji University’s Professor Myung-gi Han’s <Historical Review of the Second Manchu Invasion> (2 volumes), which has been said to be a masterpiece in the history academia. It has been printed 20 times since it was first published 9 years ago, and while it deals with the history from the past, the way it freely implies the situation in the 21st century stood out. The author voices that a small country must have strategic flexibility and not be swayed by the power games being played by bigger nations back then and now, which I fully agree with. However, it’s strange and confusing that there’s a subtle or explicit anti-American, pro-China nuance. In the preface, it asks, “Why does South Korea look to the United States when it has been thriving thanks to China?”
It’s not just once or twice. He emphasizes the G2 (Group of Two; the informal special relationship between China and the United States) era at the end of every sentence, repeating that now is the “transitional period when the existing empire (USA) declines and the new empire (China) rises.” So, is it strategic flexibility to be obsequious to China while taking a stab at the United States and provoke Japan? Is it because he is a history scholar with leftist bias? Let’s take a moment to think. According to this book, King Injo was humiliated at Samjeondo during the Second Manchu Invasion of Joseon (Byeongja Horan). During that time, 500,000 women were kidnapped and raped, and when they returned, they were labeled as “sluts” and their children were “bastards.” That is why I must ask.
Why are we angry at the Japanese for the comfort women issue and yet silent on the issue of these “trollops” victimized during the Second Manchu Invasion? Shouldn’t we set up a statue in front of the Chinese embassy in Seoul just like we did for the comfort women? Not doing so is just being selective of historical justice. Is Professor Han biased? Although this book was published during the Park Geun-hye administration, previous administrations became particularly small in front of China. It should be noted that the Moon Jae-in administration especially acted like they were the “ruled” in the “ruler and ruled” relationship [with China]. Two years ago, when the COVID-19 pandemic started, Moon even said nonsensical things like, “China’s pain is our pain.” Let’s point this out again and again. This disease of pro-China toadyism has deep roots in Korean society.
Nevertheless, the Korean history academia does not know the significance of the historical transformation of the civilization that the Republic of Korea has achieved since its foundation. They are ignoring the blessings we’ve received from cutting off the shackles of pro-China sycophancy and the change we made from being a Confucius civilization to Christianity.
Anyway, I was very disappointed when I read the <Historical Review of the Second Manchu Invasion>, something I just decided to read during the Beijing Winter Olympics holiday. This is a repeat. During these Olympic games, anti-China sentiment has been explosive, but we can’t just stop there. It is necessary to properly cut off the legacy of this nauseating pro-China toadyism. We must also be aware that certain forces may counter this sentiment and work towards sycophancy once more.
Original article: https://www.jayupress.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=25
The views expressed herein are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of One Korea Network.
