뉴스레터

Editor's Note: On July 9, 2013, the NAHF held the awarding ceremony for the Korea-China Graduate Students Paper Content. Of the groups of contenders, each with two graduate students (one Korean and the other Chinese), one particular group (Yu Sung and Choi Eun-sil) won the Best Paper Award, which came with the chance to visit China. This report shows the fresh and sharp views that the youths from the two countries have on China.

As winners of the contest for papers on friendship and cooperation between Korea and China, we were given the chance for a six-day trip, from July 22 to 27, to explore Chinese history and culture. For this trip, our team planned a schedule that would allow us to explore historical sites or cultural properties in China as well as the overall progress made in Chinese society since the reform and opening. We intended to meet the past and the present of China so that we could deepen our understanding of the country. We also decided that in the course of the trip, we would discuss what could be shared and mutually understood by China and Korea and lay a foundation for becoming a bridge ourselves for exchange between Korea and China. Our team's itinerary consisted of Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Nanjing, and we a couple of days to each of the cities.

Visit to Hong Kong

In the morning of July 22, our team's journey began in heavy rain in Seoul. Hopeful, excited, and a little bit nervous, we talked about what we would see, hear, and experience during the trip until we arrived at Hong Kong. Hong Kong was one of the travel destinations that our team had hoped for a long time to visit. Hong Kong is an attractive tourist destination because it is shoppers' paradise with beautiful night scenery. But Hong Kong appealed to us for slightly different reasons. First of all, we were deeply interested in the history of Hong Kong prior to its incorporation into China. We were also curious about the lifestyle maintained in Hong Kong after 'its return to China.' We began our schedule in Hong Kong by talking about how it differed from other Chinese cities today and also about the implementation of 'Once China, Two Systems.' My first impression of Hong Kong was about double-deck buses, sky scrapers, left-hand traffic, the simple and convenient subway, etc. The apartment buildings and scrapers that lined the streets gave me the impression that the purpose of those buildings was, just as in Korea, to maximize small land size. Escalators, elevators, and anything else that moved was moving very fast. And many people were walking by fast during rush hours. Watching them, we realized that everyday life in Hong Kong was also busy.

Visit to Shanghai

In Shanghai, we set our schedule to experience the advanced aspects of China since the reform and opening as well as visit meaningful historic sites. The historic regions of culture and tourism that we decided to visit included: Luxun Museum; Yun Bong-gil Museum; the Republic of Korea Provisional Government site; and the Museum of the First National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which we visited first with anticipation. We thought that this museum was of tremendous significance because it represented the region where the key leaders of China had gathered together for the first time as China had adopted the political system that remains today. The museum had a collection of materials commemorating the CCP and also some sites restored to the original form. During our visit, we saw Chinese soldiers who were also visiting the museum and taking an oath to the CCP. This made us realize that we were in a place of great significance to the CCP, and we also felt a very solemn and restrained atmosphere.

Next, we visited the ROK Provisional Government site and the Yun Bong-gil Museum. In doing so, we realized the tragedy in Korean history. In China, Korea-related museums are well preserved. At the site of the ROK provisional government, I could feel the misery of those Korean independence activists, leaders, and citizens who had lost their country and had to establish a provisional government in a simple place in another country. At the Yun Bong-gil museum, the place of his bombing attack using a bomb disguised as a lunch box, I felt sorry that such a major incident at that time remained in such a simply museum today.

It was a shame that the management staff of the Korea-related museums were not doing their job properly. I believe that the museum should be quiet because it is a place for teaching future generations the past and helping them think about the future. But I don't think that the Korea-related museums were managed very well. And I felt that the attitude toward the museums, as it was supposed to be based on basic trust and respect between the two countries, left something to be desired.

Visit to Nanjing

We went from Shanghai to Nanjing by high-speed train. Many people assume that the train system in China is extremely inconvenient to use. But the truth is that major cities in China are well connected by high-speed train, which is a very convenient means of transportation to use in China with vast land and also has very clean facilities. We had more regrets in Nanjing than in any other cities we visited. As it turned out, Nanjing was more educational and attractive than we expected, and it was a kind of city we would like to take time to travel. Compared to Shanghai bustling with people and skyscrapers that exuded a sophisticated feeling, Nanjing struck me as serene and humane. In addition, since many buildings were built in traditional style, the city's overall atmosphere was quiet and peaceful.

The only reason we decided to visit Nanjing was the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall (the memorial hall of the victims in Nanjing massacre by Japanese invaders). As majors of international relations and students deeply interested in East Asian history, we wanted to see that tragic site for ourselves. The Nanjing Massacre made us look back on the past and gave us food for thought, much more than we expected. Korea and China share similar historical experiences. We could relate to each other about the dark and sad history shared by Korea and China. Watching the tragic event, I felt heavy in the heart with feelings inherent to human beings, such as sympathy, anger, and deep sorrow. The Nanjing Massacre claimed the lives of as many as 300,000 people. In that small city alone! The memorial hall had exhibits that showed the overall historical background and course of the Nanjing Massacre, and detailed records of the testimonies of the survivors and the remaining vestiges. It made us recognize the importance of records in that they give future generations an opportunity for reflection. When I actually saw the materials that I had only seen in history textbooks, my head was filled with many questions and my heart a feeling of frustration. In particular, it hurt to see the victims, the women violated by the Japanese military.

Thoughts on This Trip

Yu Sung: The trip was short, but a good experience for us. As a Chinese, I learned more about China while travelling with my Korean partner. And I think much differently now compared to the past. Also, I gained a deeper understanding of China, and my love for China deepened during the trip, which made me grateful and happy. While making rapid economic development, China is projecting various images to the outside world. I would like to work harder and have an open mind to help China become a loving and inspiring country.

Choi Eun-sil: The trip was very short, but I had a very good and rewarding time. First of all, I feel like I encountered China as a power. Even though I visited no more than three cities, I could see that China was a powerful and dynamic country with a mix of various cultures and atmospheres. And I was most impressed by the fact that each city was developing in the present while preserving their traditions. It occurred to me that when it came to development in Korea, we tended to forget about old things and obsess about something good and trendy. And I also realized how prevalent the prejudice against China was across Korea. If my Chinese friend Yu Sung and I could make big contributions to exchange between Korea and China, this trip would be more meaningful. And our team would like to thank the Northeast Asian History Foundation for giving us this opportunity.