Ethnicity at the boarder

Abstract

The Korean diaspora living in Yanbian, China---ca1led the "Chosonjok"-have preserved their Korean ethnicity even after a century in a foreign land, such that they still speak Korean and maintain many elements of a Korean lifestyle. Yet at the same time, they are proud to have succeeded in Chinese society as the most affluent and educated of China's 55 minority ethnic groups. This thesis will examine why the Chosonjok considered their ethnic identity to be important and how they were able to perpetuate their ethnicity. This thesis will also provide a fresh perspective to the study of diaspora through an approach that combines ethnographic history and world history. Such an approach is useful for understanding the Chosonjok community's actions and thoughts within the wider setting of20th century East Asia. The Chosonjok's adamancy to retain their Korean ethnicity stems from Yanbian's turbulent and warn-tom history. The Chosonjok used their ethnicity to resist the domination and forced assimilation imposed by hostile foreign powers such as Japanese colonialism and various Chinese governments. At several junctures in their history, they politicized their ethnicity and invented new meanings for their ethnic symbols in order to mobilize their community and pursue selfdetermination in their way of life. Despite the subtle transformations to the Korean culture made by the Chosonjok, they have kept alive the core of their Korean ethnicity, which they call their minjoksim. The Chosonjok reveal that a diaspora's ethnicity is a complex phenomenon involving multiple loyalties, hybrid expressions of culture, and unique historical circumstances.