VANK has launched a new English-language website, “The Great Wall Paradox,” to raise awareness about China’s historical distortion of the Great Wall of China.
The website is divided into three sections: ‘Searching for the Historical Truth,’ ‘Distortion in Progress,’ and ‘Campaigns.’
In the ‘Searching for the Historical Truth’ section, the site explores the original location of the Great Wall, the intentional extension of the wall, and the reasons behind these alterations. It also emphasizes why the distortion of the Great Wall’s history is a significant issue.
The site exposes China’s unfounded claims, such as the assertion that the Great Wall was originally 6,000 kilometers long and later extended to 21,196.18 kilometers, even suggesting that the wall stretched all the way to Pyongyang. It also warns that young people around the world are learning this distorted version of history in their textbooks, which includes the erroneous teaching that the histories of Goguryeo and Balhae are part of Chinese history.
The ‘Distortion in Progress’ section showcases educational materials that incorrectly depict the boundaries of the Great Wall. It also criticizes the broader issue of China’s cultural hegemony, including its ongoing efforts to distort history, assert claims over Korean heritage, and infringe upon the rights of China’s ethnic minorities.
This section also delves into a range of topics, including China’s distortion of the histories of Goguryeo and Balhae, the ‘Northeast Project,’ the denial of Korean traditional attire such as Hanbok and the Korean hat, the appropriation of Korean food culture (such as kimchi, ssam, and samgyetang), and the illegal distribution of Korean content. It highlights how China’s cultural imperialism extends even into popular media and gaming.
The site also vividly illustrates how the Great Wall is inaccurately represented in over 50 books published worldwide, using images, charts, and other visual aids.
In the ‘Campaigns’ section, VANK introduces various initiatives, including a letter to publishers responsible for distorting historical facts, global petitions and poster campaigns against China’s historical falsifications, and VANK’s ongoing efforts to raise awareness through media.
This section provides example letters to publishers who have misrepresented the Great Wall, breaking down the structure into introduction, body, and conclusion. It also displays VANK’s 17 global petitions and posters, grouped by theme.
VANK hopes that through this website, foreign audiences will become aware of China’s historical distortion of the Great Wall, recognize the severity of the issue, and join efforts with Koreans to address these inaccuracies in history textbooks worldwide.