The Newsletter No. 79 Spring 2018 29 The Focus

Vietnam and Korea are rarely compared Vietnam and Korea per se in scholarly work, whether in the field of social sciences or that of area studies. Yet, obvious convergences in their recent in the longue durée histories are apparent: both are Asian countries where the Cold War was indeed hot, tragic and deadly; and both nations Negotiating tributary and colonial positions were situated at the core of the big divide of the 20th century between capitalism and socialism – Korea still divided, Vietnam Valérie Gelézeau and Phạm Văn Thuỷ reunified in 1975. A conference hosted in March 2016 in Hanoi at the Vietnam National University, and co-organized by IIAS, Seoul National University and EHESS,1 pioneered new attempts to compare Vietnam and Korea, with their similar tributary and colonial positions, as longue durée subjects of history.

Vietnam National University.

Vietnam and Korea: longue ‘Korea = one peninsula = one nation’ takes which annexed a large part of Champa in and triggering diasporic projections, initiated root in the longue durée of the peninsula. 1471 and established Vietnamese control over an array of connections and parallels between durée convergence? The earliest kingdoms in Vietnamese the Mekong Delta in the first half of the 19th the two countries’ trajectories. Today, Vietnam As great kingdoms in the pre-modern history had their roots in the Red River Valley century, Confucianism was also cultivated and Korea continue to stand, albeit in divergent period, both countries developed strong of today’s Northern Vietnam, namely Văn in Central and South Vietnam.5 ways, at the edges of the two great ideological political organizations and original civil- Lang and Âu Lạc. In 179 BC these proto-states As all countries in Asia, after the surge systems that shaped the 20th century: izations, sometimes within and sometimes were conquered by the Nan Yue (Southern of the great Western powers in the region, socialism and capitalism. Reunified Vietnam outside the Sinitic ‘tributary’ system. After Viet) kingdom that covered parts of northern and with the disruption of the Sinitic has entered post-communist-pro-capitalist the political fragmentation of the Antiquity, Vietnam and southern provinces of modern order, Korea and Vietnam experienced the State authoritarianism, which puts a strong the first political unification by the Southern China.3 As Nan Yue increasingly fell under vicissitudes of the modern and contemporary emphasis on a socialist-oriented market State of Silla (57 BC-668 AC) created the Han influence, northern Vietnam was periods. They were confronted with colonial economy. Korea remains divided between two basis for a unified entity on the Korean annexed into the Han Empire. Meanwhile, subjugation: Korea became a Japanese models of state-hood and governance. On peninsula: the Greater Silla (668-936). in Central Vietnam, the independent states protectorate in 1905, and was a colony from the one hand we have the DPRK (Democratic With the rise of the Koryŏ Kingdom of Lin Yi (192-758), precursor of Champa 1910 to 1945. Vietnam was invaded by the People’s Republic of Korea, or ‘North Korea’), (936-1492),2 the whole peninsula continued (758-1832), and Funan (1st-7th century) French in 1858; but it took 26 years for the an impoversihed dictatorship banned from as a powerful proto-state within the Chinese endured. Independence was restored in North French to extend their control over the whole the international community for its nuclear tributary system, along with indigenized Vietnam in the early 10th century after a country. The unified Vietnam was then divided development, which, after a profound crisis of Sinitic cultural traits found in the political millennium of Chinese domination. Like the into three parts with different regimes: Tonkin its economic and social system, experiences and social order (from the State examination Korean counterparts, however, the successive (North Vietnam) and Annam (Central Vietnam) again economic growth despite sanctions. system, to the importance of Buddhism as dynasties of independent Đại Việt (name of as French Protectorates, and Cochinchina On the other hand we have the ROK (Republic the State religion). The Koryŏ Kingdom was Vietnam for the periods from 1054 to 1400 (South Vietnam) as Proper Colony. These of Korea, or ‘South Korea’), a rich (post) followed by the Chosŏn Kingdom, which and 1428 to 1804) carried out tributary three regions were incorporated with Laos industrial and capitalist country democratized was centred on Seoul, the core capital of relations with the Chinese Emperors and and Cambodia in the formation of French since the early 1990s, which inundates the the peninsula (and a great world city today), adopted various elements of Confucianism, Indochina. The French colonial rule continued global scene with its cultural productions and which was ruled by the Yi Dynasty, one such as the political structure, social order, to exist in Vietnam until 1954. (from K-pop to K-beauty). of the longest in world history (1392-1910). education, and culture.4 Following the gradual International warfare and civil conflicts, As A. Delissen puts it, the equation territorial expansion of the Đại Việt Empire, resulting in the division of the two countries Continued on next page > 30 Vietnam and Korea in the longue durée. The Focus Negotiating tributary and colonial positions.

Three panels touched upon diplomacy eventually led Chosŏn to a relatively peaceful language in precolonial Vietnamese and Beyond contemporary and tributary systems, either from a general and stable relationship with the Ming. Korean societies strongly suggests that parallel politics, the virtue of the and trans-periodic approach (which could Momoki Shiro (Osaka University) processes of rebranding the role and nature for example compare the Korean semi-tribute reconsiders categories of land and taxation of language in national identity occurred, not ‘comparative gesture’ system – kyorin – with the Vietnamese system systems during the successive periods of only in the critical moment of late 19th and In fact, most recent work taking Vietnam and their collapse), or from more specific Lý-Trần dynasties (11th-14th century) in Đại early 20th century colonisation, but potentially and Korea as common objects of comparison periods. For example, one panel discussed the Việt. A fruitful comparison with the taxation multiple times throughout history. focus on the contemporary era, analysing more ritual displays (including cultural production system in Korea during the medieval Koryŏ The next Korea-Vietnam conference will particularly the United States’ policy towards such as poetry) in medieval diplomacy. Kingdom points out a certain privatization be held at Seoul National University, on Vietnam and Korea during the Cold War,6 or A second group of panels examined cultural of commoners’ fields, which created in 1-2 June 2018. We hope it will be as successful comparing both wars (the Korean war 1950- production in the larger sense, such as writing Vietnam a fractionation of arable land in as the 2016 conference in Hanoi! 1953, the Vietnam war 1954-1974).7 A few works, systems (both countries are known for having the Northern/Central regions. The author which situate the perspective within the global used the Chinese writing system to express forms the hypothesis that, combined with the Valérie Gelézeau, EHESS, France approach of, for example, the colonial situation their vernacular language, and created a rapid demographic growth of the period, this [email protected]; and and more specifically the post-colonial wars, common script), literature (the importance situation played a role in the collapse of the Phạm Văn Thuỷ, Vietnam National compare the Korean war, the Vietnam war and of book culture, and the circulation of the Đại Việt state at the end of the 14th century. University, Hanoi [email protected] the Algerian war and their outcomes during the Classics, the new women and literature in Ho Tai Hue-Tam (Harvard University) delivers 20th century.8 But beyond the obvious recent both countries), but also religion (the spread here a condensed version of her fascinating and contemporary history, how is it possible of Buddhism in both countries) and spirituality keynote speech, also touching upon diplomatic to compare Vietnam and Korea, two major (myths and folktales, the importance of missions. The celebrated exchange of poems Notes regional nations and societies in Asia, in the geomancy). A few panels pertained to a more between two famous literati, Phùng Khắc longue durée perspective? general basis of State formation in Vietnam Khoan and Yi Su-gwang (16th century), 1 Ec ole des hautes études en sciences Comparative studies are located at the and Korea (focusing on State construction illustrates very well not only the transnational sociales, Paris, France. heart of the humanities and social sciences,9 either via cultural formation, or war; or cultural encounters that occurred during the 2 In all the articles of this Focus section, particularly area studies.10 In that field discussing how economy and trade shaped tributary missions to China thanks to the the McCune-Reischauer system has especially, implicit or explicit comparisons the national structures). A significant number use of classical Chinese (wenyan), but also been used to Romanize the Korean; the often determine certain conceptions of of panels (five, that is about a third of the and by contrast, the parallels found between vernacular order for a person’s name has regional and sub-regional orders. In the papers) focused on the colonial period and the introduction of both vernacular common been kept (name, first name). The names of Vietnamese persons and places are field of social sciences, specifically area analysed various aspects of it: from land and writing systems, the chữ nôm in Vietnam also written in vernacular order (family studies, isn’t any reflexive method more or territorial management, to political issues and the hunmin jŏngŭm in Korea. name, middle name and first name) and 11 less comparative in its essence? Jocelyne such as school systems, and more generally In his paper describing the complex the Romanized alphabet (Quốc Ngữ; Dakhlia states: “Comparatism is anyways, in nationalism, and, of course, cultural issues networks of Japan’s international trade during lit.: national language), except for those an explicit way or not, our permanent horizon such as visual art or music. the isolationist Tokugawa period (17th and which have been widely internationalized. of thought; consciously or unconsciously, Finally, a panel entitled ‘Urban 18th centuries), Ryuto Shimada (The University 3 Taylor, K.W. 2013. A History of the we constantly transfer notions, problematics development of the city of Kaesŏng, from of Tokyo) shows the important connector Vietnamese. Cambridge University Press, already tested in another context.”12 the Koryŏ period till the 20th century in DPR role played by Chinese junk merchants, p.14. In fact, area studies efficiently illustrate two Korea’ illustrated the effort of this conference and also by the Dutch East India Company. 4 See Woodside, A.B. 1971. Vietnam and the Chinese Model: A Comparative Study of very powerful tools of comparatism that avoid to go beyond South-centric views of the While trade was the main focus of Japan’s Vietnamese and Chinese Government in ethnocentrism; the first one is based on spatial long history of Korea. Although they did not international relation with Vietnam and the First Half of the Nineteenth Century. displacement (from here to there): similar attend the conference, the voice of North China at the time, by contrast the relations Harvard University Press. See also the objects or categories are analysed in different Korean scholars was also present thanks to with Korea included diplomatic missions, work by Kwon Heonik (author of Ghosts socio-cultural contexts. The second is based on this panel, which presented an archaeological in the sensitive context of the post-Japanese of War in Vietnam, Cambridge University a displacement of perspectives: similar objects scientific cooperation between the EFEO invasion of Korea (late 16th century). Press, 2013). or categories may be analysed from different (École française d’Extrême-Orient) and the Youn Dae-young (Sogang University) 5 See Choi Byung Wook. 2004. Southern points of view (disciplines, or scientific culture). DPRK National Authority for the Protection examines the introduction of so-called Vietnam Under the Reign of Ming Mạng Inspired also by post-colonial studies, which of Cultural Heritage. ‘new books’ in Vietnam, while reform ideas (1820-1841): Central Policies and Local profoundly contest the traditionally euro- and revolutionary thinking were disseminated Response. Cornell University Press. 6 Bragg, C. 2006. Vietnam, Korea, and i Châu centred schemes of thoughts, scholars have by great figures such as Phan ộB US Foreign Policy: 1945-75. London: been calling for renewed approaches based This Focus section (famous revolutionary leader) and Lương Heinemann. on critical thinking and creative comparatism Văn Can (founder of the Tonkin Free School). 7 Se e for example the article by Robinson, in order to reconsider classical and binary on Vietnam and Korea In Vietnam, the relatively stable presence L.S. 2011. ‘Did Stalemate Equal Victory? comparative geometries.13 This instalment of the Focus presents of Chinese emigrants, the extension of the From the Korean to the Vietnam Wars’, For example, the study of East Asia a selection of a few excellent papers pre- influence of Sun Yatsen into Indochina and American Diplomacy. Available from is implicitly situated within a comparative sented at the conference. Nguyễn Nhật Linh the uprisings that shook South China in the the UNC-Chapel Hill website: approach to China and the Sinitic culture. (Vietnam National University), analyses early years of the 1900s triggered rebellions https://tinyurl.com/amdipstalemate (last consulted 26 January 2018). What other “strange parallels”14 could Chosŏn’s understanding of Ming-Đại Việt that were more numerous and violent than 8 Se e for example Delissen, A. 2009. ‘War possibly be operational to set a “comparative relations and shows how the comparison of in Korea. 15 memories of the periphery: bombastic gesture” that would not be determined tributary positions and diplomatic strategies In the final paper of this issue, John D. commemorations in Korea, Vietnam and by usual ‘sino-style’ conceptions of Asia? were made by Vietnam and Korea themselves, Phan (Columbia University) elaborates on the Algeria’, in Lee Jae-Won (ed.) Kieok-kwa How to trigger new connections and parallels through the interface of the Ming tributary topic of language. He studies a 1919 issue of cheonjaeng [Memory and War]. Seoul: in area studies? missions. At the turn of the 14th century, the Nam Phong [Southern Wind], a very important Humanist, pp.51-73. See also: Woodside, The conference held in March 2016 founders of the Chosŏn Kingdom secured their intellectual journal of the time, and analyses A. 2001. Lost Modernities. China, Korea, attempted to initiate a deliberate by-pass of dynastic transition, and sought legitimation Phạm Quỳnh’s (chief editor of Nam Phong, Vietnam and the Hazards of History, dominant geometries and meta-narratives, from the Ming while looking at the problematic monarchist and pro-colonial) defence of Harvard University Press. hoping that it would not only contribute transition happening at the same time in Đại the use of the Vietnamese language and the 9 Dé tienne, M. 2000. Comparer l’incomparable [Compare the to a renewed methodological framing of Việt, and the war with the Ming (1406-1407). literati Phạm Huy-hổ’s discussion on Chinese incomparable]. Paris: Seuil; Werner, M. ‘Asian studies’, but also, by identifying new The early Yi Kings’ diplomacy was thus script, which denationalizes the Chinese script. & Zimmermann, B. (eds.) 2004. De la articulations beyond established approaches oriented to avoid the same situation, and hold John D. Phan concludes comparatively that comparaison à l’histoire croisée. Paris: of global history, contribute to underscoring Đại Việt’s example as a cautionary tale, which the strikingly similar role of literary Chinese Seuil. the intellectual merits – as well as limits – 10 Liebermann, V. 2009. Strange Parallels : of comparisons as a method within the Southeast Asia in Global Context, social sciences and humanities. c. 800-1830. Cambridge University Press. 11 Geléz eau, V. 2012. ‘La Corée dans les sciences sociales. Les géométries de la comparaison à l’épreuve d’un objet Confronting paradigms dédoublé’ [Korea in social science: a divided object beyond geometries of and parallel histories comparisons], in Rémaud, O., Schaub, in Vietnam and Korea J-F, & Thireau, I. (eds.) Faire des sciences sociales [Practicing social sciences], Vol. Conceived as an exploratory exercise to 3 Comparer [To compare]. Paris: EHESS identify points of connection, and in which editions, pp.255-284. scholars of Vietnam and Korea could examine 12 Dakhlia, J. 2001. ‘La “culture nébuleuse” their work and challenge their paradigms, the ou l’Islam à l’épreuve de la comparaison’ March 2016 conference was the first round [The ‘nebula culture’ or Islam challenged of an ongoing project, historically grounded by the comparative method], Annales SHS 56(6):1181 by a contemporary perspective situated 13 For example, in urban geography Jennifer within the larger Asia-global spectrum. This Robinson criticizes the simplistic and 16 first round focused on the ‘pre-modern’ and binary opposition between developed/ ‘colonial’ periods (two conventionally agreed third world cities; socialist/capitalist cities; upon historiographies of the countries): how European cities/others, etc.: Robinson, were the Korean and Vietnamese states and J. 2011. ‘Cities in a world of cities: the their civil societies – concepts shaped during comparative gesture’, International the tributary system – formulated during the Journal of Regional and Urban Research modernization period? During the two days of 35(1):1-23. 14 Lieberman, V. 2009. Strange parallels. the conference (3-4 March 2016), 65 scholars Southeast Asia in Global Context, coming from the five continents and of c. 800-1830. Cambridge University Press. various trajectories and status interacted 15 Robinson, J. 2011 (cited in note 13). and presented their work in 16 different 16 The second one is being held at Seoul panels, which were regrouped according National University in June 2018, and will to a few main topics. Phùng Khắc Khoan (1528-1613). Image Wikimedia Commons. focus more on contemporary issues.