Asian Millenarianism: An Interdisciplinary Study of the Taiping a ...

history will begin with the overcoming of colonial legacies and the reexamination of present scholarship.

Colonial Legacy, Present Scholarship of Asian Studies,
and Cultural Differences

Here is an example on how a strong colonial legacy influences our scholarship even today. Professor Ki-baik Lee argues in his book, A New History of Korea: The Case of the Shamhan, as seen in the “Account of the Eastern Barbarians” (Tung-i chuan) in the Chinese source San-kuo chih, was perhaps a model of normal development.¹⁷ However, Professor Lee's interpretation of Tung-i () as the Eastern barbarians is questionable, although his book has provided much valuable insight about Korea. His school of thought is no more than an outcome of a colonial legacy, copied from what the Japanese colonial scholars wrote during the colonial period. It is a common mistake that most Korean and Asian experts in America, and in other countries as well as Korea, have made. John King Fairbank interpreted (yi or i) as “barbarians on the East” in his prehistory of China.¹⁸ The interpretation can be challenged. The term “yi” or “i,” in prehistory period was used as “civilized people.” (“Tung-i zhuan,” Biography of Tung-i), (Sanguozhi, Biography of the Three Kingdoms: Wei, Shu and Wu in China between A.D. 222–263) that Ki-baek Lee quoted, never said that Tung-i (Koreans) were barbarians. Rather it clearly praises the fact that Tung-i do not take gold, silver, and silk fabrics as treasures. Tung-i's nature is honest, strong and brave.… The Chinese learned morality and virtue from Tung-i in four directions when the Chinese lost them. This kind of story also has been written in other Chinese books. Houhan shu () and Liji (, Records of Etiquette) state that the East is “i,” and “i” is foundation. Tung-i people are generous and like all living beings. The foundation comes from the earth. Tung-i people's nature is good. They practice (the Heavenly) Way. Therefore, the people of virtue will not die ( ). Shuowen (), written by Xu shen in the Chinese Han Dynasty, states that Tung-i are the people of virture who follow the great Way. Tung-i's