Forgotten Surrender: An Embarrassing History Washed Out by the Flood
A devastating flood has relentlessly swept through the capital of South Korea, and the city has been submerged in a sea of water. However, when this disaster washed away the traces of modern civilization, it also unexpectedly unveiled a corner of history - a stone tablet buried deep in the ground quietly appeared, on which it was engraved with seven Chinese characters in seal style: "The Great Qing Emperor's Meritorious Monument".
This earth-shattering discovery, like a bolt of lightning, pierced the long-standing collective amnesia of history in Korean society, and triggered the shock and deep reflection of the whole people. Looking back in time, the grievances and entanglements between Lee's Joseon and the Qing Dynasty resurfaced with the appearance of this stone stele. At the beginning of the 17th century, Nurhachi's Later Jin power grew stronger, and the Lee dynasty on the Korean Peninsula trembled under the iron hooves of Huang Taiji.
Huang Tai Chi
In 1636, Huang Taiji personally led a large army to reach the door of the Yi dynasty with lightning speed, forcing the Korean emperor Yi Liang to bend his knees and pay tribute, thus opening the prelude to the vassal relationship between the two countries.
Humiliation and Loyalty Behind the Inscription: The Dilemma of the Li Dynasty
Under the order of Huang Taiji, Li Liang had to erect a monument to show his loyalty, and this order was like a double-edged sword, cutting the dignity and survival of the Li dynasty. The Chinese courtiers of the DPRK regarded this as a great shame and avoided it one after another, unwilling to bear the charge of writing humiliating inscriptions. Li Liang was in a dilemma, and finally adopted a compromise strategy, so that each minister wrote and used the best ones, in order to find a respite in the cracks of history.
Lee's Joseon
The erection of the inscription is not only a recognition of the authority of the Qing Dynasty, but also a helpless compromise of the Li dynasty under power. This stele, like a historical scar, remembers the dilemmas and struggles of the Lee dynasty, and has become ironclad evidence of the Korean Peninsula's submission to the Qing Dynasty.
Buried and Rediscovered: The Struggle and Acceptance of Historical Memory
After the First Sino-Japanese War, with the decline of the Qing Dynasty's power, this stone tablet that once symbolized submission became a historical burden that the Li dynasty was eager to shake off. In 1895, the Li family decided to dismantle the "Monument of Merit of the Qing Emperor" and bury it deep underground, in an attempt to erase the memory of that humiliation. However, history often has its own persistence, and a flood inadvertently reexposed this monument to the world, forcing Korean society to face up to this long-reluctant history.
For the Korean people, this stele is not just a cold stone, it is a mirror of history, reflecting the country's former weakness and helplessness. In the face of the "impossible" stele, some people were stunned, some people were angry, and more people thought deeply about national identity, about the truth of history, and how to build a sense of national pride on the basis of respecting history.
Reflections on the Value of Cultural Relics and History: From Controversy to Consensus
The South Korean government's preservation of the stele as a precious historical artifact has prompted South Korean society to reflect on how to find a balance between respecting historical truth and preserving the dignity of the country. The innovation of history education has become a hot topic of discussion, and how to tell this history objectively and fairly has become the key to shaping the national consciousness.
In today's globalized world, South Korea's experience is not unique. In dealing with issues left over from the past, countries are seeking a common understanding that promotes peace and harmony in the region through open dialogue, mutual understanding, and a common face rather than an evasion of history. This "impossible" stele has finally become a bridge connecting the past and the future, reminding us that only by facing history squarely can we better move towards the future.