{"id":263,"date":"2015-06-19T01:56:34","date_gmt":"2015-06-19T01:56:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aisf.or.jp\/sgra\/english\/?p=263"},"modified":"2015-06-19T01:56:34","modified_gmt":"2015-06-19T01:56:34","slug":"ryu_chunghee_imagination_of_difference_and_japan_korea_relationship_hereafter_recollection_of_my_first_lecture_in_university","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aisf.or.jp\/sgra\/english\/2015\/06\/19\/ryu_chunghee_imagination_of_difference_and_japan_korea_relationship_hereafter_recollection_of_my_first_lecture_in_university\/","title":{"rendered":"Ryu Chunghee \u201dImagination of difference and Japan-Korea relationship hereafter\u201d- Recollection of my first lecture in university –"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last year, I was given a chance for the first time to give a lecture in our university about the history of Japan-Korea relationship. Our lesson put emphasis on the history of Chosun and Korea starting from the end of Chosun-era to the colonial period, in other words, the modern history of Japan-Korea from the middle of 19th<\/sup>century to the middle of 20th<\/sup> century. This period was a turning point for both Japan and Korea in the sense that both countries had to open to the world under the influence of great powers in Europe.\u00a0 At the same time, this period was the start of the \u201cmodern period\u201d in East Asia. The modern period in Japan and Korea was formed through the period of imperialism based on \u201cempires \/ colonies\u201d and it was a primary factor that gave rise to the spirit of nationalism of both countries in the fields of diplomacy and education. When I was given a chance to give a lesson in our university in Japan, I had a question, which came across in my mind first, what and how university students in Japan know and understand such past history.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When I start my class, I always asked the students first why they receive my lesson. Most students replied that they like to know more about Korea by the reason of such a boom of Korea wave or they have just visited Korea. There were some exchange students who recently visited Korean universities and I wanted to hear impressions of the student life in Korea.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There was one student who received my class lesson from a different viewpoint\u00a0 He said \u201cI joined this class because I am interested in a phenomenon of \u2018hate-speech\u2019 in Japan against foreigners.\u201d According to him, he cannot understand the logic of people who make a \u2018hate-speech\u2019 and he likes to study Korea\u2019s modern history by himself.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There was a Korean exchange student, whom. I asked to give me his written impression or question about my lesson. He gave me his written impression saying that he recalled every time the class of \u201cnational history\u201d in his high-school time or he was not fully satisfied with my explanation. He seemed to have attended a class for other foreign exchange students about the modern history of East Asia. One day, he appealed to me that the explanation about modern history of Korea at that class was insufficient and he was afraid of giving other exchange students a false impression. I do not say that I cannot understand him but I was a little worried about what makes him so concerned. I tried to relieve him from his doubts by raising the issue of \u201cimage of history\u201d which I have emphasized at my first lesson.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A concept of \u201cimage of history\u201d is quoted from a book written by Ryuichi Narita, a Japanese historian. Mr. Narita wrote \u201cWhen we think of history, we select a certain occurrence basing on a certain understanding, and explain and write it having a certain meaning on it. We call it \u2018 image of history\u2019 in this book.\u201d (\u201cModern and Current Japanese History and Historical Science \u2013 a rewritten past\u201d Ryuichi Narita) (Chu-ou Shinsho, 21012) page ii)<\/p>\n

Such explanation about \u201cimage of history\u201d is quite normal for the people who study history. (I did not major in history but I majored in literature and thought adjoining history) Ordinary people think that studying history is to study or to remember historical facts. But a concept of \u201cimage of history\u201d gives such people different viewpoints. Especially, I think it is useful for university students in terms of flexible thinking. When people face history, it is necessary for them to realize that selecting a certain occurrence should be based on their own viewpoint. And it is necessary also to have certain appropriateness which can persuade others. Those are presuppositions of a concept of \u201c image of history\u201d.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Such a way of thinking contains a tolerance of different viewpoints. In other words, there exist, to begin with, various viewpoints and understandings for any occurrence in the world. It makes possible by an image for differences. And such an image for any differences does not come from simple and empty situation. It makes possible first by having definite knowledge about a certain occurrence. By such a knowledge, people can image their own viewpoint and their viewpoints become persuasive. I would like my students to understand, even just a little bit, imaginative power which comes from \u201cimage of history\u201d and to suspect their attitude which they try to understand their own history and society, which they are taking part in, having their own viewpoint. This is an ultimate objective of my lesson and task hereafter.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It seemed the Korean student, mentioned above, did not satisfy my principle. He might be satisfied if I could explain concretely referring to persuasive historical documents. It might be possible if I could explain using ample volume of knowledge and refined discourse. However, by only my explanation by concrete knowledge, we might not be accepted each other at ultimate level.\u00a0 I think there exists only \u201can attitude and a trial which like to understand each other\u201d amid friction of misunderstanding and different opinions.\u00a0 An attitude which seemed to come from gloomy feeling of this Korean exchange student may be on the stage of such understanding and trial.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There are certain differences in the writings of impression of the first and the second term.\u00a0 At first, they raised questions about historical facts or they just summarized my lessons. And lastly, they gave their opinions referring to some materials. For example, a student wrote about cruelty under colonial rule. Another student wrote about economic progress in colonial time of Korea referring to statistical materials. It was my pleasure to have seen such change of attitudes that they have tried to write their own viewpoints basing on some materials apart from its historical meaning.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This year is the 70th <\/sup>anniversary for Japan from the Post-war period.\u00a0 At the same time, it is the 50th<\/sup> anniversary for both Japan and Korea for their normalization of friendship. It is sure scholars of both countries have deepened their understanding through their interchange during this half century. On the other hand, there still exists strong atmosphere of nationalism at the level of ordinary people. When students of both countries have different and various attitudes and imagination having their own \u201cimage of history\u201d, social atmosphere may change after 50 or 70 years later. There may be a different atmosphere which accepts different viewpoint with breadth of mind rather than the present nationalistic viewpoint which tries to unify present thought about not only Japan-Korea relation but issues of East Asia.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(Project Researcher, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, the University of Tokyo)<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Translated by Kazuo Kawamura<\/p>\n

English checked by Mac Maquito<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

SGRA Kawaraban 459 in Japanese (original)<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last year, I was given a chance for the first time to give a lecture in our university about the history of Ja […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-kawaraban"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aisf.or.jp\/sgra\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/263","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aisf.or.jp\/sgra\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aisf.or.jp\/sgra\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aisf.or.jp\/sgra\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aisf.or.jp\/sgra\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=263"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.aisf.or.jp\/sgra\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/263\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aisf.or.jp\/sgra\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aisf.or.jp\/sgra\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aisf.or.jp\/sgra\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}