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This research was conducted as part of the Northeast Asian History Foundation's 2009 project to "identify and analyze the current status of history textbooks in China". The Foundation has been carrying out special research projects since 2006, focusing on how Chinese high school and university textbooks describe Korean history, and published a number of books, including 《The Problematics of Descriptions of Ancient Korea in Chinese Government History Textbooks》, 《The Issuses of Ethnicities, Nations, and Territory in Chinese Government History Textbooks》, 《Comparision of History Textbooks in China, Taiwan, and Hong》, 《Korea and Korean History In College History Textbooks of China》,《History Education and Perception of Korean History in the Universities of Taiwan and Hong Kong 》

Since the foundation of the People's Republic of China and until recently, People's Education Press (人民敎育出版社) textbooks, written in accordance with "general guidelines for history education (歷史敎學大綱)", had been used. Currently, new high school textbooks, written in line with "standards for history education (歷史課程標準)" in 2003, have been in use since 2004 in most parts of the country. Textbooks from People's Education Press, Yuelushushe (岳麓書社), People's Press (人民出版社), publication rights transferred to Beijing Normal University Press (北京師範大學出版社) are used nationwide, and schools in Shanghai use textbooks of East China Normal University Press (華東師範大學出版社).

Chinese textbooks reflecting changes in politics

This research aims not only to find out and analyze distortions of Korean history in Chinese high school textbooks, but also assess how 통일적 다민족국가론 is reflected in textbooks, examine current history textbooks and education in China, and identify underlying objectives.

The research focuses on changes in a number of different Chinese high school history textbooks, written in accordance with "standards for history education (歷史課程標準)", compared to People's Education Press textbook written in line with "general guidelines for history education (歷史敎學大綱)". So far, Korean scholars paid much attention to descriptions of Korean history in Chinese textbooks, and rarely cared about how the textbooks describe Chinese history. In this research, the direction and objectives for Chinese high school history textbooks were reviewed first, and then looked at the parts related to Korean history.

The research examined how changes in China's political stance are reflected in high school history education. In the past, China's history education put emphasis on historical materialism. However, China's approach has become more pragmatic since the reform and opening policies. Jungwon (中原)-centered perspective is weakened; multi-polar development theory has emerged; and harmony between tribes and races, instead of conflicts, are emphasized. According to such changes, harmony between tribes and races in ancient history are stressed. Also, Yue Fei (岳飛) and Wen Tianxiang (文天祥), formerly regarded as a hero and a loyal subject, are described differently based on historical facts.

Diversified Chinese high school history
textbooks

China currently consists of the Han Tribe and many other ethnicities, and the theory of unified multi-ethnic nation (統一的 多民族國家論) is reflected in textbooks, saying that China's territory was the widest in history under the reign of Kangxi (康熙), Yongzheng (雍正), Qianlong (乾隆) in Qing Dynasty and laid a firm ground for the theory of unified multi-ethnic nation. Such explanation points out that China's official position regarding Xinjiang and Xizang is based on historical facts in early Qing Dynasty.

Meanwhile, Chinese history textbooks put emphasis on the advancement of China's science and technology in ancient times, including the four great inventions (paper, printing, compass, gunpowder). The textbooks also describe that such advanced Chinese inventions had played an important role in the development of modern Europe. This can be seen as an attempt to understand national history in the context of world history and emphasize China's excellence.

Revolution-oriented History Interpretation weakens and Civilization-oriented History Interpretation expands

China's high school textbooks on national history and world history not only differ in periodization but also in description of historical events. For example, national history textbook focuses on how Chinese Communist Party fought against Imperial Japan's invasion and finally won a monumental victory, while world history textbook mainly discusses how Fascist countries (Italy, Japan, Germany etc) waged World War II amid contradiction of Capitalism, and how anti-Fascist countries could win the war.

Under the "standards for history education (歷史課程標準)", Chinese high school history textbooks have undergone several changes. National history and world history are taught together, and history subject is divided into political, economic and ideological/cultural history. Also, new history textbooks present new and interesting themes and topics. It is an attempt to address overlaps between middle school and high school history education, and to encourage students to have fun and enjoy history classes. However, theme-oriented history education also has its own drawbacks. New textbooks are not organized in chronological order, and students feel confused when learning historical events. Also, it is difficult to have a thorough and comprehensive understanding of a historical event, for the new textbooks look at politics, economy and ideology/culture separately.

With the adoption of "standards for history education (歷史課程標準)", Chinese history textbooks are becoming more diversified. Yuelushushe textbooks place Chinese history and world history in juxtaposition with each other, and describe both aspects together for historical events in modern/contemporary history. People's Education Press not only criticizes the brutality of Japanese Imperialism, and encourage students to think themselves about why Japanese troops ended up losing humanity and mercilessly killed so many Chinese soldiers and civilians. Since reform and opening, we have seen revolution-oriented History Interpretation weaken and civilization-oriented History Interpretation, postmodernism and Annales School are exerting greater influence on China. Such change in Chinese perception of history is becoming clearer as history textbooks for high school and university students undergo diversification.