China, Obsessed with Stealing Other Countries' Cultures—This Time, Korea’s Traditional Dish Dolsot Bibimbap?

China's Claim that Dolsot Bibimbap is Part of Their Cultural Heritage

It has recently come to light that one of Korea’s representative traditional dishes, dolsot bibimbap (hot stone pot bibimbap), has been designated as a provincial cultural heritage in China, sparking controversy. Furthermore, the Chinese government, through the Northeast Project (Dongbei Gongcheng), is distorting history by claiming that the Great Wall of China extended into the Korean Peninsula. The Northeast Project is an initiative by China to research the history of the northeastern Manchurian region, but it seems to hide the intent of incorporating Korean history into China’s own. The construction of the Great Wall began during the Warring States Period (770–221 BCE), as various states built walls to defend against invasions by northern nomadic tribes. During the reign of the Qin Dynasty’s first emperor, these walls were connected in a massive project. The Great Wall, which stretched to Shanhai Pass (Shanhaiguan), was further extended during the Ming Dynasty to form what we see today. However, China is falsely claiming that the ancient fortifications of Goguryeo and Goryeo in Korea were part of the Great Wall, asserting that it extended into the Korean Peninsula. Let's explore the fortifications in Korea that served a similar defensive purpose as the Great Wall.

The Great Wall Claimed by the Chinese Government

The Cheolli Jangseong Built by Goguryeo to Fend Off the Tang Dynasty's Invasions

After the collapse of the Sui Dynasty, which had unsuccessfully attempted to invade Goguryeo, the Tang Dynasty was founded by the Xianbei people, a nomadic tribe that had lived in the Manchurian region. The Xianbei had a long-standing enmity with Goguryeo, and after conquering China, they established the unified dynasties of Sui and Tang. The Tang Dynasty, seeking to reclaim its ancestral lands in Manchuria, prepared for an invasion of Goguryeo. Exhausted from the previous wars with the Sui Dynasty, Goguryeo shifted from offense to defense, constructing a long wall known as the Cheolli Jangseong (Thousand-Li Wall) to defend against the Tang. Construction of the Cheolli Jangseong began in 631 CE during the 14th year of King Yeongnyu's reign. According to the Samguk Sagi (Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms), the wall stretched over a thousand ri (about 400 kilometers) from Buyeoseong in the Liaodong Manchurian plains to the southeastern coast near the sea. Building this fortress took 16 years, and Yeon Gaesomun, a powerful military leader, was put in charge of the construction. Although there is little historical record or evidence remaining, China has tried to claim the Cheolli Jangseong of Goguryeo as part of the Great Wall.

The Cheolli Jangseong Built by Goguryeo to Prepare for the Tang Dynasty’s Invasion

The Cheolli Jangseong Built by Goryeo to Defend Against the Khitans and Jurchens

The Goryeo Dynasty was founded with the spirit of Goguryeo, but after the fall of Balhae (the state that succeeded Goguryeo in the Manchurian region and was known as the "Flourishing State of the East"), the Khitans emerged as a powerful force in the region. The Khitans, originally a nomadic tribe living in the Manchurian area, had been under the control of Goguryeo, Sui, and Tang dynasties. Following the fall of Balhae, Goryeo did not maintain friendly relations with the Khitans. The Khitans, seeking to expand into China, attacked Goryeo, which had a close relationship with the Song Dynasty of China. The Goryeo-Khitan wars were fought in three major campaigns, all ending in Goryeo's victory. In preparation for future invasions, Goryeo realized the necessity of constructing a fortification along the northern border. In 1033 CE, during the reign of Goryeo’s 9th king, Deokjong, General Yu So was ordered to build a fortress stretching from the mouth of the Amnok River (Yalu River) to the coastal region of the East Sea (Sea of Japan) known as Dorionpo. The Cheolli Jangseong (Thousand-Li Wall) remains one of the largest and longest fortresses ever built on the Korean Peninsula. The wall stood 8 meters tall and extended for 393 kilometers, with construction taking 12 years to complete. It was built by connecting pre-existing fortresses. The Cheolli Jangseong later became a defensive barrier against the invasions of the Jurchen and Mongol tribes. Even the Mongols, who had expanded their empire into Europe, faced difficulty invading Goryeo, eventually establishing a marriage alliance and recognizing Goryeo as a "son-in-law state."

The Cheolli Jangseong Built by Goryeo

 

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