Looking up at the opposite side, there is only a gray flat-roofed building in the north. On the high steps in front of the door, a soldier wearing a wide-brimmed hat stands with his hands behind his back. The soldier is calm and dignified without anger. There is no tension in his body, but also no slackness. To use a phrase from martial arts novels, it is called "the abyss stops and the mountain stands tall." He is alone, overlooking all the people here. Behind him are the rolling mountains and the vast blue sky.
After seeing the "Bridge of No Return" for the repatriation of prisoners of war and the world's largest flag of North Korea, which is 160 meters high, we boarded the bus to return. In the commemorative album of the visit, I wrote: "Scars of Humanity". I often feel that there is a kind of "unfairness" in both the south and the north. At this moment, I can understand this "unfairness" to some extent. How can a nation that has been cut in half be "calm and peaceful"?
The midday heat was surrounding me, and suddenly a cool breeze blew past my face. I realized that it was the wind blowing from the north. The air cannot be blocked by any border, just like the desire for freedom and the longing for loved ones.
(This article was published on newspaper websites in China and South Korea, and was broadcast by the British BBC Radio, with a very good response.)
Lateness and etiquette
During the reign of King Gojong of Joseon, Park Jae-hyung compiled a book called "Haedong Seokyo" which contains an interesting account of Jin Hefeng's diplomatic mission. Jin Hefeng served as deputy education commissioner during the reign of King Seonjo and was once ordered to go on a diplomatic mission to Japan. When he arrived at Tsushima Island, the island owner invited him to a banquet but he was late, and "entered the door in a sedan chair and got off the steps." Jin Hefeng was furious and said, "Tsushima Island is a vassal of our country. I am an envoy who has been ordered to come here. How dare you treat me so rudely? I cannot accept this banquet." So he canceled the banquet and left. The island owner was so frightened that he killed the sedan bearer and beheaded him to apologize. From then on, "the Japanese were respectful and treated him with courtesy, and dismounted when they saw him."
This incident can reflect the relationship between Korea and Japan at that particular time, and can also reflect one aspect of Koreans' temper. However, Jin Hefeng's request for etiquette is based on the "suzerainty and vassal" principle, which has a flavor of "seeking etiquette with power". In fact, even if Tsushima Island is not a vassal, even if everyone is equal or even the suzerainty and vassal are reversed, people should not be late for the banquet. Otherwise, it is not "knowing etiquette". It is just "knowing the taste". Perhaps it is precisely because of this that ancient Korea has long despised Japan and believed that they are barbarians who do not know etiquette. Volume 37 of "Seonjo Annals" records the words of the King of Joseon: "China is the parents, and our country and Japan are both foreign countries, like children. In terms of the relationship between parents and children, our country is a filial son, and Japan is a thief." In the middle Joseon Dynasty, Yi Toegye, a Confucian master, advised the king not to treat Japan with the same view in a "Petition to Please Do Not Stop the Japanese Envoys" because "animals are not worth comparing with." Yi Toegye's attitude is somewhat different from Jin Hefeng's. Jin Hefeng was competing with them and showing off his power, while Yi Tuegye advocated "treating barbarians as barbarians, and the barbarians will be content with their place, so the king should not rule over the barbarians." Yi Tuegye believed that if one "argues about right and wrong, and argue about straight and crooked" with the barbarians, it would be like "commanding beasts to perform rituals and music", which would have no good result except for forcing the beasts to bite people.
I have been teaching in Korea for two years. Korean friends from all walks of life have invited me to dinner countless times. The host was late in most of the cases. Once, a boss invited all Chinese and Korean teachers to a banquet. Everyone sat there for a long time. Then the boss arrived. He neither explained nor greeted. He sat down and discussed something with the Koreans in Korean for a long time. The other Chinese teachers were all angry. I had to tell jokes to help the Korean boss resolve the crisis. Such incidents are endless. Chinese people generally believe that Korean dishes are watery and there is nothing to eat. Going to the banquet is purely to give face to Koreans and to "be polite." However, Korean friends often ignore the goodwill in this, which unknowingly leads to the alienation of their feelings. A young teacher from a famous university in southern China even announced that he would refuse all Korean banquets and had a temper like Jin Hefeng. Because I know that Koreans have no ill intentions and are just being slow rather than deliberately insulting, I am used to it. I usually take the approach of being 15 minutes late and arriving at about the same time as the host, which avoids embarrassment for both parties. Because I have many such slippery tricks, some of my Chinese and Korean friends jokingly call me a Korea expert.
Etiquette is not a big deal, but it depends on who you meet. If you meet Jin Hefeng, the person who is impolite will bring disgrace upon himself, and lose the big because of the small. If you meet Yi Tuegye, you will be at peace on the surface, but in fact you will be looked down upon. Not caring about it may actually be a greater contempt. These truths may not be thought of by honest people. Because Koreans have a hot temper, most Chinese people are reluctant to talk about it. I talk about it not only to remind Korean friends who are also a country of etiquette, but also to hope that Chinese friends will be careful, be careful!
(It seems that there are more and more people in China who like to be late.)
The debt of favor of intellectuals
Many Chinese scholars thought that South Korea would have a bright and glorious future after achieving democratization. This idea is very similar to the idea that when the Chinese people overthrew the three mountains, they thought that communism was only a cigarette away from us. In fact, since South Korea's democratization, Korean intellectuals have been happy but also suffered a lot of hardships. Since Roh Tae-woo's "democratization" regime came to power, many intellectuals have been fearing "majority tyranny" and have remained silent about many injustices. This of course includes their affirmation of the long-term democratic struggle and the blood shed by the martyrs. There is an atmosphere in society that the rulers who have created a new era of democratic reform should be given the greatest tolerance, because they have endured 30 years of suffering and oppression. Those who call for democracy owe a debt of gratitude to those who practice democracy.
Objectively speaking, who dares to say "I don't agree" when faced with such powerful slogans as "democracy," "unification," "justice," and "reform"? At most, they can just mutter "reform is good, but is this method worth considering?" Even so, it is inevitable to attract anger. What is particularly worrying is that once you criticize the "civilian government" or the "elected government," you will be regarded as a "conservative and reactionary" person who clings to autocracy.
As a result, only one voice of liberalism resounded through the intellectual space, while others were timid and silent, forming a new era of "white terror". Under the sword of Damocles of "anti-nationalism, anti-reconciliation, anti-reform, and anti-unification", people had no choice but to obey the "current regime-style reform" and the crude populism of the vested interest groups. Breaking the silence of the autocratic era is undoubtedly applauded, but for the sacred freedom, any form of "one-size-fits-all" is equally dangerous. True freedom should, of course, include questioning freedom itself.
Login to comment
Be the first one to comment...