뉴스레터

China is undergoing rapid changes, which can be witnessed in every aspect. Also many changes took place in China National Library (located in Baischao in western Beijing, formerly Beijing Library) including the gigantic building which I could never dream when I first visited there in 2004.

As if to show China's wish to leap forward a global power, the complicate and massive palace of knowledge reflects China's will to 'compress' time and space. It is like to proclaim to the visitors that "I am no longer what I used be. I am on the brink of being resurrected brilliantly."

The library is composed of main building and annexed one (accommodating documents on ancient remains and provincial areas). The main building comprises South and North Wings. The library has more than 26 million items of data including foreign journals and books as well Chinese ones. And considerable number of books and journals are in service via Internet-based database.

The old building to the south of new one provides visitors with analogue style experience. Many of the visitors seem to major history like me or adjacent subjects. The South wing of the old building mainly accommodates foreign materials. With the exception of the 4th floor for materials on Hong Kong, Taiwan and overseas Chinese, books and other materials published outside China are centered in the South wing of the library.

At the sixth floor of the library, I was happy to find a sign of Korea in front of a reading room. Alongside Japan-related materials, I could find a collection of journals of Japan, Korea and Russia.

I was caught off guard in front of the Korean corner of the library. Only one section of the huge space was designated for Korean materials with others filled with Japan or Russia-related journals. A library staff said Korean materials are set aside separately for review open to hopefuls. Results of research on Korea-China relations could hardly be seen at the overseas materials division at the 4th floor.

I was upset. Chinese commonly say Korea and China have maintained mutual relations from more than 2000 years ago. Given the bilateral relations, I believe Korea-related documents got too limited attention here in China compared with Korea where we can see a huge number of China-related documents in universities and other libraries. It was a bitter experience of confirming the difference of weight of Korea in China and that of China in Korea.

The problems lie on the history of modern ages. Though they share sad history in modern ages, Korea and China have sharply different ways of viewing them and the world.

Korea is relatively free from the weight of time. In contrast, China faced a dilemma of how to balance modern trend with tradition in the process of modernization. In China, there has been a strong belief toward traditional value and reinstatement of its past authority. This is because of a permanent identity of China under the umbrella of long-lasting Chinese history.

In terms of space, it is unimaginable for us to become further smaller. We don't want to be included in certain categories (like greater China culture, and Confucius culture). Koreans tend to have interests in China and Japan while China has been focusing on the (Western) world in the process of modernization.

China turned eyes to the Western civilization even at the time when it was under the influence of Japan and Russia toward modernization. Many countries including Korea are interested in how China will maintain relations with neighboring countries when it is initiating the ''global management.'' China needs to pay more attention to the neighboring countries while understanding the difference with them.

As indicated by the meager situation faced with the Korean corner in the library, the two nations have maintained sharply different stances in terms of interpretation of culture and history, despite tangible progress in both governmental and civilian exchanges over the past decades. In order to deepen mutual understanding, they need to be free from their own frame amid growing need to establish a new system. Steady cooperation and support should be made at the governmental and civilian levels in order see a flourishing Korean studies in China.