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I attended the 'Field Trip to Korean Historical Sites for Chinese Youths' organized by the Northeast Asian History Foundation, and it was a short yet beautiful and memorable experience for me. The sites that I visited in the course of the trip have left me a deep impression, and allowed me to experience firsthand the splendid culture in the land of Korea.

Experiencing Korean History and Culture

On the first day of the trip, we visited the Northeast Asian History Foundation and attended a lecture introducing the NAHF and its view of history and explaining the histories of Korea and China. From this lecture, we learned what we didn't know about Korean history and culture, something our textbook didn't cover, and enriched our understanding and perception of this beautiful peninsula. At the same time, we could see why exchange among countries, including China and Korea, was necessary, and realized that only after understanding it could they enjoy the blue sky together. After the lecture, we visited a number of historical sites in Korea over for a couple of days, including Korean Folk Village, Suwon Castle, National Museum of Korea, Gyeongbok Palace, Cheonggyeocheon, experiencing Korean culture and history. The sites that we visited left us in genuine awe and admiration for the diverse and independent culture of Korea, including good manners, architecture, music, sculpture, etc.

My Impressions of Korea

One of my impressions of Korea, including its history and culture, was that it offered many lessons that we Chinese can learn.

The first was the solidarity of Koreans. Watching the Korean supporters in the stadiums on TV, I learned how great the Korean spirits of solidarity and patriotism were.

The second lesson was that Koreans took good manners very seriously. Both Korea and China have promoted Confucianism widely. But it seemed to me that the 'good manners (禮)' preached in Confucianism were preserved better in Korea. Koreans have the good traditions of making obeisance to people they meet and using the honorifics in their language. I was also touched by the Koreans for their hospitality extended to us during the trip.

The third lesson was that Korea took environmental protection very seriously. From the amazing stories that we were told about how trash mountains in the outskirts of Seoul had been transformed into areas with beautiful views and how Cheongyecheon, a brook in downtown Seoul which used to be buried under concrete, had been completely restored, we learned how Koreans had made praiseworthy efforts to create a beautiful green world.

The final lesson was that Koreans had a positive attitude. Although the trip was for only a few days, the Koreans around me were wearing a big smile the whole time, whether they were working or talking, which was inspiring to people around them. For us Chinese under the heavy social pressure, this positive and active spirit was worth learning.
As I have described so far, I learned that Korea was a country that, though not very large in size, had a lot to offer for us to see, experience, and learn. I had made friends with many cheerful and outgoing Koreans during the short trip, and wished we had more time to spend together. But I believe that someday, in the near future, there will be another opportunity for me to visit Korea and have a look around other areas, such as Gyeongju, Jeju Island, Busan, and Daegu, and that if I study Korean harder, I will be able to better understand Korean culture and make more Korean friends.