#the last princess of manchuria

[cinemaronin]

The Last Princess of Manchuria (1990)

川島芳子 The Last Princess of Manchuria (1990)  directed by Eddie Fong cinematography by  Jingle Ma Choh-Sing

[redsamuraiii]

Angolmois: Record of Mongol Invasion Review

Before there was Jin Sakai, the Ghost of Tsushima, there was Kuchii Jinzaburō, the Sun God of Tsushima. 

Just binged watch this seriously underrated and brilliant historical anime about the Mongols Invasion of Japan. While Jin Sakai is known for being a Ghost due to his stealth and Ninja like attacks, Kuchii Jinzaburo is known for being like the Sun God of Tsushima, Tendou Houshi, for his ferocity in battle. This is what Yasuke anime could have been, without the robots, demons and magic, just swords, bows and arrows.

Blending real historical events, clans and characters such as Sō Sukekuni, the Lord of Tsushima, Hon Dagu, the Goryeo Commander of Yuan Forces, Hojo Clan, Shino Clan, Abiru Clan and even Emperor Antoku, with fictional ones. While historically, Antoku died as a child, drowning at sea when the Taira Clan was cornered by the Minamoto Clan during the final stages of Genpei War, in this anime, he survives and has his own Clan to defend Tsushima.

The anime is based on the manga series of the same name. The term Angolmois comes from the prophecies of Nostradamus about the reign of a great king of Angolmois, whom is said to be the one to destroy the world. Angolmois is intrepreted as being an anagram of the Latin word Mongolais or Mongolians, which is believed to be referring to none other than Genghis Khan.

While there is no small characters in this anime as every character is critical and unique in their own ways, serving different purpose with their own agendas and motives, which affects everyone in the show, the anime’s main two characters are Kuchii Jinzaburo and Princess Teruhi.

Kuchii is a former Samurai and Retainer from Kamakura who became an exile after losing his family. He was imprisoned and sent to Tsushima along with the other exiles but was caught in a storm during which he survived with a few others and was welcomed by the daughter of the Lord of Tsushima, much to his surprise as they were supposed to be imprisoned.

But he learns of the true motives of the Princess during a night feast when she commands them to fight for Tsushima against the Mongols instead, causing an uproar as fighting the Mongols are as good as being dead and have better chance of living as prisoners. However, after an assassination attempt on the Princess which made her more determined to protect her people, Kuchii finally agrees to help her, along with the support of the exiles.

One thing led to another, as Kuchii became acquainted with the So Clan thanks to the Princess. However, they got off the wrong foot when Kuchii became contempt with the Lord’s obsession with past glories of war and his complacency in fighting the coming war with the Mongols which will only put his men and people in jeopardy. Kuchii also learns why Teruhi was called a princess due to her precious bloodline to the Taira Clan which was eradicated during Genpei War.

While Kuchii and the exiles did not get along in the beginning due to their different standing and views of war and honor, they eventually learnt to work and fight together after their first defeat against the Mongols which resulted in the death of their Lord, leaving the So Clan under the command of his adopted son and daughter, Teruhi, who did not see eye to eye how to lead their Clan, until Kuchii intervenes to “wake them up”. 

From here on, they made their journey to the capital, hoping to regroup and make a stand but only to find it destroyed by the Mongols, so they had to keep on moving to find another safe spot to hide from, which causes low morale on the troops and civilians, as they ponder their fate and wonders how long do they need to keep running and surviving in this never ending war, where the enemies seem to be multiplying and help never seem to come.

Hope turned to despair and desperation, as some began to turn against their own people, for their own survival as hardship reveals the true colors of humanity. It’s an intriguing tale of survival and how you choose to live the last days of your lives, to either hide and wait for death to come at your door or to fight till the death, knowing you had tried your best to ensure your own survival. 

It is a must watch for anime and non-anime fans alike, whether you’re a history buff or not. Personally, I find the level of historical accuracy to be quite interesting in a sense that it actually shows the Mongol army consisting of Goryeo (Korea), Jurchen (Manchuria) and the Mongolians themselves which explains their massive fleet, just as explained by the YouTube history channel of Kings and Generals.  Kings and Generals videos:

Mongols: Invasions of Japan 1274 and 1281 DOCUMENTARY  Real Ghost of Tsushima - Mongol Invasion of Japan DOCUMENTARY

I wouldn’t know of this anime if it wasn’t for a fellow Tumblr who recommended this to me! Check out the trailer below!

[release-info]

The history of Korea begins with the founding of Joseon (also known as “Gojoseon”, or Old Joseon, to differentiate it with the 14th century dynasty) in 2333 BCE by Dangun, according to Korea’s foundation mythology.[54][55] Gojoseon expanded until it controlled the northern Korean Peninsula and parts of Manchuria. Gija Joseon was purportedly founded in the 12th century BC, but its existence and role have been controversial in the modern era.[55][56] In 108 BCE, the Han dynasty defeated Wiman Joseon and installed four commanderies in the northern Korean peninsula. Three of the commanderies fell or retreated westward within a few decades. As Lelang commandery was destroyed and rebuilt around this time, the place gradually moved toward Liaodong. Thus, its force was diminished and it only served as a trade center until it was conquered by Goguryeo in 313.[57][58][59] Three Kingdoms of Korea During the period known as the Proto–Three Kingdoms of Korea, the states of Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye and Samhan occupied the whole Korean peninsula and southern Manchuria. From them, Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla emerged to control the peninsula as the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Goguryeo, the largest and most powerful among them, was a highly militaristic state,[60][61] and competed with various Chinese dynasties during its 700 years of history. Goguryeo experienced a golden age under Gwanggaeto the Great and his son Jangsu,[62][63][64][65] who both subdued Baekje and Silla during their times, achieving a brief unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea and becoming the most dominant power on the Korean Peninsula.[66][67] In addition to contesting for control of the Korean Peninsula, Goguryeo had many military conflicts with various Chinese dynasties,[68] most notably the Goguryeo–Sui War, in which Goguryeo defeated a huge force said to number over a million men.[69][70][71][72][73] Baekje was a great maritime power;[74] its nautical skill, which made it the Phoenicia of East Asia, was instrumental in the dissemination of Buddhism throughout East Asia and continental culture to Japan.[75][76] Baekje was once a great military power on the Korean Peninsula, especially during the time of Geunchogo,[77] but was critically defeated by Gwanggaeto the Great and declined.[78][self-published source] Silla was the smallest and weakest of the three, but it used cunning diplomatic means to make opportunistic pacts and alliances with the more powerful Korean kingdoms, and eventually Tang China, to its great advantage.[79][80] The unification of the Three Kingdoms by Silla in 676 led to the North South States Period, in which much of the Korean Peninsula was controlled by Later Silla, while Balhae controlled the northern parts of Goguryeo. Balhae was founded by a Goguryeo general and formed as a successor state to Goguryeo. During its height, Balhae controlled most of Manchuria and parts of the Russian Far East, and was called the “Prosperous Country in the East”.[81] Later Silla was a golden age of art and culture,[82][83][84][85] as evidenced by the Hwangnyongsa, Seokguram, and Emille Bell. Relationships between Korea and China remained relatively peaceful during this time. Later Silla carried on the maritime prowess of Baekje, which acted like the Phoenicia of medieval East Asia,[86] and during the 8th and 9th centuries dominated the seas of East Asia and the trade between China, Korea and Japan, most notably during the time of Jang Bogo; in addition, Silla people made overseas communities in China on the Shandong Peninsula and the mouth of the Yangtze River.[87][88][89][90] Later Silla was a prosperous and wealthy country,[91] and its metropolitan capital of Gyeongju[92] was the fourth largest city in the world.[93][94][95][96] Buddhism flourished during this time, and many Korean Buddhists gained great fame among Chinese Buddhists[97] and contributed to Chinese Buddhism,[98] including: Woncheuk, Wonhyo, Uisang, Musang,[99][100][101][102] and Kim Gyo-gak, a Silla prince whose influence made Mount Jiuhua one of the Four Sacred Mountains of Chinese Buddhism.[103][104][105][106][107] However, Later Silla weakened under internal strife and the revival of Baekje and Goguryeo, which led to the Later Three Kingdoms period in the late 9th century. Unified Dynasties 936, the Later Three Kingdoms were united by Wang Geon, a descendant of Goguryeo nobility,[108] who established Goryeo as the successor state of Goguryeo.[38][39][40][41] Balhae had fallen to the Khitan Empire in 926, and a decade later the last crown prince of Balhae fled south to Goryeo, where he was warmly welcomed and included into the ruling family by Wang Geon, thus unifying the two successor nations of Goguryeo.[109] Like Silla, Goryeo was a highly cultural state, and invented the metal movable type printing press.[49][50][51][52][53][110][111] After defeating the Khitan Empire, which was the most powerful empire of its time,[112][113] in the Goryeo–Khitan War, Goryeo experienced a golden age that lasted a century, during which the Tripitaka Koreana was completed and there were great developments in printing and publishing, promoting learning and dispersing knowledge on philosophy, literature, religion, and science; by 1100, there were 12 universities that produced famous scholars and scientists.[114][115] However, the Mongol invasions in the 13th century greatly weakened the kingdom. Goryeo was never conquered by the Mongols, but exhausted after three decades of fighting, the Korean court sent its crown prince to the Yuan capital to swear allegiance to Kublai Khan, who accepted, and married one of his daughters to the Korean crown prince.[116] Henceforth, Goryeo continued to rule Korea, though as a tributary ally to the Mongols for the next 86 years. During this period, the two nations became intertwined as all subsequent Korean kings married Mongol princesses,[116] and the last empress of the Yuan dynasty was a Korean princess. In the mid-14th century, Goryeo drove out the Mongols to regain its northern territories, briefly conquered Liaoyang, and defeated invasions by the Red Turbans. However, in 1392, General Yi Seong-gye, who had been ordered to attack China, turned his army around and staged a coup. Yi Seong-gye declared the new name of Korea as “Joseon” in reference to Gojoseon, and moved the capital to Hanseong (one of the old names of Seoul).[117] The first 200 years of the Joseon dynasty were marked by peace, and saw great advancements in science[118][119] and education,[120] as well as the creation of Hangul by Sejong the Great to promote literacy among the common people.[121] The prevailing ideology of the time was Neo-Confucianism, which was epitomized by the seonbi class: nobles who passed up positions of wealth and power to lead lives of study and integrity. Between 1592 and 1598, Toyotomi Hideyoshi launched invasions of Korea, but his advance was halted by Korean forces (most notably the Joseon Navy led by Admiral Yi Sun-sin and his renowned “turtle ship”)[122][123][124][125][126] with assistance from Righteous Army militias formed by Korean civilians, and Ming dynasty Chinese troops. Through a series of successful battles of attrition, the Japanese forces were eventually forced to withdraw, and relations between all parties became normalized. However, the Manchus took advantage of Joseon’s war-weakened state and invaded in 1627 and 1637, and then went on to conquer the destabilized Ming dynasty. After normalizing relations with the new Qing dynasty, Joseon experienced a nearly 200-year period of peace. Kings Yeongjo and Jeongjo particularly led a new renaissance of the Joseon dynasty during the 18th century.[127][128] In the 19th century, the royal in-law families gained control of the government, leading to mass corruption and weakening of the state, and severe poverty and peasant rebellions throughout the country. Furthermore, the Joseon government adopted a strict isolationist policy, earning the nickname “the hermit kingdom”, but ultimately failed to protect itself against imperialism and was forced to open its borders. After the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War, Korea was occupied by Japan (1910–45). At the end of World War II, the Japanese surrendered to Soviet and U.S. forces who occupied the northern and southern halves of Korea, respectively. http://bit.ly/2IoEQrx

[philipcm]

The most recent books I've read:

Sacco and Vanzetti, Bruce Watson

The Last Princess of Manchuria, Lilian Lee

A Paper House: The end of Yugoslavia, Mark Thompson

[greatwar-1914]

Tsar Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias (1868 - 1918)

“What am I going to do? What is going to happen to me, to you, to Alix, to Mother, to all Russia?“

Nikolai Aleksandrovich Romanov was born on May 6, 1868, in the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoye Selo, south of St. Petersburg. He was the eldest son of his parents, Alexander Alexandrovich, the heir to the Russian throne, and Princess Dagmar of Denmark. Nicolas’s grandfather was the Tsar, Alexander II, known as the Liberator for emancipating Russia’s serfs in 1863. Their family, the Romanov dynasty, had ruled Russia for three hundred years. Nicholas would be the last emperor.

Unlike his soft-hearted, liberal grandfather, Nicholas’s father was a reactionary, whose conservative and religious values strongly influenced Nicholas’s beliefs. In 1891, Nicholas’s father acceded to the throne when Alexander II was murdered by an anarchist revolutionary. This murder convinced both Alexander III, and his son, against offering further reforms. Yet Nicholas’s education did not prepare him at all for his future role as Russian emperor.

Although he had a close relationship with his mother, Nicholas’s father believed his son to be silly and weak. Tsar Alexander III was a very strong ruler and saw no need to share a job with his uninterested heir. He refused to let him participate in any affairs of state; once, when Nicholas was twenty-five, a minister suggested that he be allowed to head a committee to supervise the completion of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Alexander III was incredulous. “Have you ever tried to discuss anything of consequence with him?” asked the Tsar about his son and heir. “He is still absolutely a child; he has only infantile judgements. How would he be able to become president of a committee?”

The Romanov family in 1893. From left to right: Tsarevich Nicholas, Grand Duke George, Empress Maria Feodorovna (Princess Dagmar of Denmark), Grand Duchess Olga, Grand Duchess Xenia, Grand Duke Michael, Tsar Alexander III seated.

In neither his education nor his temperament did Nicholas show much aptitude to be emperor. He enjoyed foreign languages and history, but struggled with economics and politics. In general he preferred sport to books, when older he delighted in the military and served for a year when he was nine-teen. In 1894 he married Princess Alexandra of Hesse-Darmstadt, a German noble, with whom he had four daughters and a son, Alexei. Alexandra was an assertive woman whose personality dominated the weaker Nicholas, and she strongly reinforced his belief in autocratic rule and his resistance to democratic reforms. In contrast to his political life, Nicholas’s home life was serene. He was a wonderful family man, a devout Orthodox Christian, and devoted to his wife and children.

The same year that he married, Nicholas became the Tsar when his father died of kidney disease. The newly-crowned emperor had not expected to be thrust into the role so soon, and he panicked about running the vast Russian empire all by himself. It was the moment, he wrote, that he “had dreaded all his life.” He confessed his fears to a cousin: “Sandro, what am I going to do? What is going to happen to me, to you, to Alix, to Mother, to all Russia? I am not prepared to be Tsar. I never wanted to become one. I know nothing of the business of ruling. I have no idea of even how to talk to ministers.”

Nicholas determined to uphold the status quo as Tsar, but unfortunately evens abroad and at home forced his hand. Hoping not to be left out of the imperial scramble, Russia grew its industry in the Far East, and forced concessions from China in Manchuria. Yet Russian’s expansion provoked the Japanese, who attacked Russia’s eastern border in 1904, beginning the Russo-Japanese War. Europeans were convinced that the white Russians would easily triumph over the “yellow” Japanese, but the Japanese embarked on a series of victories ending in the total destruction of the Russian fleet at the Battle of Tshushima in 1905.

Nicholas and Alix’s engagement photo, 1894.

The defeat was a stunning humiliation for Russian prestige. At home it sparked outrage and crisis that turned to strikes and riots. In January 1905, Russian troops opened fire on demonstrators in front of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, killing many. Outrage turned to outright revolution, and eventually the Tsar was forced to grant concessions in a constitution, as well as establish an elected parliament, the Duma.

Despite some elements of democratic reform, Nicholas tightened his autocratic rule. Secret police crushed revolutionary elements in the cities, and voting laws prevented the election of radicals. A travel guide for foreigners published in 1914 warned against taking photos in rail stations - offenders would be arrested.

The Tsar’s most pressing crisis, however, was at home. His son and heir, the Tsarevich Alexei, had hemophilia, the scourge of interbred European royal families. Nicholas and Alexandra despaired for their child and sought any means to help him. They turned to an unlikely source, a disheveled mysticfrom Siberia named Grigori Rasputin. Rasputin’s monasticism belied his true character, that of a debauched womanizer and con-man. Russian noble society despised him, but Alexandra especially confided in him, and Rasputin strengthened her belief in Nicholas’s divine right to rule. His influence steadily eroded the trust Russian people felt for their Tsar.

Nicholas (left) with his cousin King George V of England. They are wearing German military uniforms while on a visit to Berlin. Despite their likeness, George refused to help Nicholas or offer him asylum during the Russian Revolution, fearing that he might be toppled as well.

Nicholas’s failing popularity received a boost in 1914, when Russia went to war against Germany and Austria. Although Nicholas was close to his cousin, the Kaiser (they wrote to each other as “Nicky” and “Willy”), Russians enlisted en masse and displayed loyalty and love for their royal family. Yet endless failures at the front burst newfound support for the Tsar, especially when Nicholas took over from his cousin as supreme commander in 1915, a position in which he demonstrated no talent. The unending string of military disaster was now firmly pinned on him. Worse, economic deprivations at home soon turned into crisis. Russia was deeply in debt and many were starving. Approval of the royal family soured; they were thought to be living in luxury while ordinary Russians died at the front or starved at home.

In March 1917 (February of the old Russian calendar), demonstrations in St. Petersburg (now Petrograd) again turned to revolution. This time, Nicholas had no army to turn to - the military was in a state of collapse, with many soldiers deserting to go back home and take part in the revolution. Helpless, Nicholas abdicated on March 15, 1917. He hoped to go to England for asylum, but the British government (fearing he might provoke the British left) refused his request. Five hundred years of Russian Tsardom ended with NIcholas.

A shaky liberal-socialist Provisional Government was set up to replace the monarchy, but the war continued to go badly. Nicholas went into house arrest in the Urals with his family. His situation worsened in the fall of 1917, when a radical communist party, the Bolsheviks, ousted the Provisional Government. Civil war began in Russia between the Bolshevik “Reds” and the “Whites”, a complex mix of warlords and political parties who opposed the Bolsheviks.

The Russian royals played no role in the Civil War, but the Bolsheviks feared that the Tsar and his family could become a symbol for the White armies to rally around. Nicholas, Alexandra, and their children were transported to a house in Yekaterinburg for safe-keeping, but in the summer of 1918 the war was going poorly for the Reds and the Czech Legion, a unit of the White army, was rapidly advancing towards Yekaterinburg.

Nicholas in captivity at Tsarskoye Selo. This is one of the last photos taken in his life.

On the night of July 16-17, as the Czechs neared, Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin ordered the execution of the royal family. What actually happened is still shrouded in some state secrecy, but what is known is that a truckload of local Bolsheviks and foreign soldiers entered the house and ordered the ex-Tsar and his family to the basement. The Empress asked for chairs for her and thirteen-year-old Alexei to sit upon. The Red commander brought in two chairs, and then informed the stunned Tsar that he had been condemned to death. “What? What?” asked the Tsar. The executioners brought out revolvers and began shooting the family. The four daughters, between twenty-two and seven-teen years old, had been hiding some of their jewels in their clothes which deflected the bullets. The Bolshevik shooters stabbed them with bayonets and shot them in their heads, and stabbed to death their maid, who had shielded herself with a pillow full of jewels.

The executioners burnt, dismembered, and buried the bodies. In 1976 a team of investigators found their grave, but did not release the information until the collapse of the Soviet Union. Rumors had long abounded that one of the daughters, seven-teen year-old Anastasia, had survived and escaped the massacre, which were put to rest. In 2000 the Russian Orthodox Church canonized the family as saints; today the place where they were buried is the site of a church.

[1358456]

Considering everything, do you blame the Qing Dynasty for the occupation of Korea? As a Chinese, it is still quite ridiculous that the Qing Dynasty was very behind in technology and weak but albeit needed for the Xinhai Revolution.

Do I blame Qing (淸)? No. It goes MUCH further back. The occupation was a result of Korea just being flat out weaker than Japan.

Beware. MASSIVE rant.

The TL;DR version is that the existence of China itself f*cked us over, so there's no one single pin-pointing. I believe I once said that Korean history is basically just one disaster after another. ... That's quite accurate.

During the Han (��) Dynasty, Korea had its own three kingdoms era. Unlike the Chinese one that lasted... 100 years (and that's being generous), the Korean one lasted... what, 700 years? And the way I see it, that is when the tragedy began, and Korea was set to be f*cked non-stop ever since then.

Of the three Korean kingdoms, the northern one had most of current day Manchuria and the strongest army. The southeastern one had STRONG influence in Japan. And the southwestern one had nothing. And because THAT particular kingdom unified Korea (year... 713?), Japan now claims that THEY had influence on the southeastern Korean kingdom, and China now claims that the northern Korean kingdom is actually Chinese history, thus all territory owned by that kingdom should belong to China. That includes a vast majority of current day North Korea. And all that bullsh*t began with pretty much the Chinese Tang (唐) Dynasty, which was... what, 1400 years ago?

And the real tragedy is this. Because that weak Korean kingdom unified Korea with the help of the Tang Dynasty, China claimed superiority over Korea. If Korea ever refused anything ordered by China, here comes the f*cking endless waves of soldiers down from our literally ONLY border. Which also means, if China orders an attack on Japan, Korea is forced to tag along and lose pretty much every soldier to the tidal waves and hurricanes that occur frequently thanks to Japan's unstable-as-sh*t tectonic placement. There's a reason why Japanese suicide troops are called kamikaze (神風). God wind. They believed that a wind god protected them from invaders. And when any "enemy of China" seeks to attack China, we're also targeted.

So what does that mean? Korea is forced to accept China as a superior. Everything China is superior. Everything non-China is worthless or savage. When Mongolia attacked China, they also attacked Korea because we were forced to take China's side. When Ming (明) Dynasty began to rise to drive out the "savages" (元), Korea also had the rise of the latest dynasty (1392). And immediately were forced to accept China as superior. Again. It's like Canada - US relations, but a LOT worse.

Why was Korea always forced to serve China? Because if we don't they attack. Remember when I said that there's nothing I hate more than someone or something being super arrogant and rude because they think they're stronger than you? Guess where that originated from. Some low ass ranking Chinese f*ck standing tall while every high ranking Korean officials have to grovel as that Chinese guy demands bribes and bitches about how the "last bribes" were "not up to expectations"...

Many years later, when Japan unified their lands (1590) and immediately attacked Korea with 200 000 troops armed with western weapons (1592), the lord of Tsushima (which was always Korean territory, but since it was so far away from mainland Korea, no one lived there, so Japanese pirates took over and is now Japanese territory) came to Korea to warn of the invasion. But Korean king was forced to avoid meeting that messenger because China considered Japan to be worthless savages, and if Korea dealt with Japanese people, they'd also consider us to be equal worthless savages. And here comes endless waves again. Result? Korea remained unaware of the invasion, and... a 7 year's war that resulted in the total loss of a sh*tload of historic structures including the main palace. And the Chinese "reinforcements" that came refused to fight and instead tried to work out a peace treaty that involved Korea giving up half of its territory to Japan. Yes. So very f*cking helpful. So very helpful that we should repay in kind.

When Ming Dynasty was ending thanks to "savages", they forced Korea to help. The Korean king that tried to "help" like China did ("observe the situation and help only if Ming will win the war. If Ming appears to be losing, then just return home and let things take their course") got deposed and the idiot next king tried to help Ming. So, when Ming died out very quickly and the "savages" of 金 (soon to be 淸) took over, we were immediately on hostile terms. And they attacked. Twice. And we were forced to serve them. Then the Japanese Empire came along and... the late 1800s began which resulted in the end of the Korean dynasty in 1910.

Why was China behind in tech? Because they considered everything non-Chinese to be uncultured and barbaric. So they never even bothered with western people. And Korea, being forced to accept China as the only superior (in fact, Korean officials had to know EVERYTHING about Chinese history to be even considered educated), we were also forced to reject westerners. So when Japan came along armed with western stuff, we're f*cked. But since Korea is much smaller and has far less people, AND we happened to be smack in the middle between China and Japan, we're the ones that got royally f*cked.

And here's the more annoying part. After two nuclear detonations in 1945, Japan was f*cked. They were econonically totally screwed. You know what saved them and helped them become #2 strongest country in the world (at the time)? The Korean War in 1950. Our misery f*cking helped them. You know what else happened at that time? South was winning thanks to General McArthur. The war was almost over and we could've had a unified Korea again. Then the Chinese came to help the North with the f*cking endless waves. It's like another stabbing from one side, and a severe insult to injury from the other. And thanks to that, we now have North Korea and a potential nuclear disaster if they ever decide "f*ck it". Again, we're the ones that got f*cked. The only consolation is that North Korea seems to like aiming the missiles at Japan. Japan already experienced three nuclear explosions (two nuclear strikes in 1945 and that one cesium reactor that went kablooey). Surely a fourth can be handled.

So basically, Korean history in a nutshell is a small country that has a HUGE fat one constantly bullying it, and another not-nearly-as-big-but-stronger one in the other side constantly trying to stab the fat one, but stabbing us instead. 大韓民國? Try 大恨民國. Maybe that's why the Korean language has SO MANY CURSES. The rage of our ancestors lie within our language. If Korea can't fight back, then at least we can out-swear China and Japan. Especially Japan since they don't really have any curses. What are they going to do? Call us an idiot? Pff.

Heh. Still makes me laugh when I think about that one Chinese girl who was SO SURE that Korea was always a friend to China. Though to be fair, back when I hadn't actually looked at Korean history, I thought Korea and China were on good terms too. Then I actually read some history, and... damn. Friends, huh? What a joke.

Heh. "Friends" mean that the stronger one does NOT send people to the weaker one every f*cking year demanding hefty bribes, treating everyone like dirt, and then demanding dozens of Korean girls to take back to China as concubines. Before coming back next year to demand more. And more. And more. Repeat for 1400 years. And the forcefully dragged Korean girls never see their family or home country ever again. Gee, I wonder why Korean population never really increased.

Oh, a new year? Korea has to send a VERY high ranking messenger to say "Happy New Year!" (pretty much) to the Chinese emperor. Who then in return sends a very LOW ranked messenger who demands bribes and Korean girls. And in return for that, we have to send another high ranking messenger to deliver a "thank you". Whenever Korea appoints a queen, crown prince, princess, or a king succeeds the predecessor? We have to get PERMISSION first. Friends, huh? Bullsh*t. They treated us worse than dirt and everyone knew it.

I'm actually very certain that China has caused FAR more damage to Korea than Japan did. And Japan caused a LOT of f*cking damage in the 1900s. And the only reason why that is sort of ignored is because the most recent incident was the Japanese occupation, so Korea just hates Japan more. The Korean War is a bit... ambiguous in that regard because it was technically US vs. Russia that just f*cked us over and not anyone else.

... Sigh. History rambles... This is why whenever I read a Korean history book, I stop reading after a certain point. Reading beyond that just makes my blood boil.

But of course, what's important now is... what do I think? Do I hate Chinese people or Japanese people? No. I hate the countries, definitely. China still keeps f*cking us over every year with the freaking sand/smog storm that originates from China that reaches us in spring time but doesn't quite reach Japan (...). The least it could've done was f*ck Japan too, but nope. As always, it just f*cks us. And Japan is still trying to inch their way into taking more Korean territory. But the people... no. It all depends on my first impression on them, and I don't have negative experiences with either people. I'm staying away from Chinese markets and restaurants though. No need to ruin the impression. I've heard from my mom how unbearably rude Chinese people can be. And I've also read plenty of cases in the history books. But I haven't personally experienced it and I'd rather not. And for Japanese, I've only ever met one and she was really nice. Though I guess it's a bit inaccurate since she was born in Canada.

[stackingalfred-blog]

The Way of Kicking and Punching

Tae Kwon Do (TKD) is still just a legitimate fighting weapon, and also a legitimate fighting art. It originated in Korea. This had been the primary fighting form to its Korean army. TKD is just one of the hottest martial arts on the planet. Back in TKD you'll find lots of diverse aspects with from the art, like the emotional toughness, and also the physical strength. You'll find two chief sorts with the covert style. There's game tae-kwon-do and there's additionally kukkiwon. In other hand you've got vintage or classic tae kwon sport and do tae-kwon-do. There lots of tae kwon perform methods, including kicking, punching and TKD throw. TKD is largely famous because of their flying jump kicks and turning jump kicks.

 From the Beginning

 The Fighting artwork was launched in Korea throughout the Koguryo Dynasty (37 BC - 668 AD) and that there are a few very early signs of this fighting art dating back overly 3 A D. Archeologist has paintings on the walls of horn with guy fighting the kukkiwon style will be the oldest sing of tkd. The fighting art has evolved and changed through the centuries out. It was not till 918 that tae-kwon-do became the principal training pattern to its military team of Korea. Princess and championships also adored the TKD game, also might have lots of championships known as Subakki, they'd even offer awards to the winners. From 1392 and end at 1910 that the yi dynasty would turn TKD in just two a federal game plus so they maintain several customs living.

 Modern influences

 Throughout the job Of Korea in world war , Japan people tried two banished Korean coulters, banning from food and parties plus so they tried two evaporating Korean background. Subsequent to the warfare Korean martial arts schools called Kwans, that they had lots of diverse influences, together with fighting arts in china, Japan, Manchuria. Back in 1971 TKD was officially known net as Korea's national style. It mightn't be till the 1950s that most TKD schools are merged under one platform. Now we understand that this system two be described as a killing martial-art. TKDis practiced in 123 countries and now there are 30 million students, and 3 million black straps net wide. TKD and judo would be the only two Asian martial arts which is a portion of their Olympic Games.

 Last ideas

 TKD Is Apparently An ever-flowing flow of strength and beauty, taekwondo is more than a game -- it's actually a craft of merit, and a boat of excellence. Tae Kwon do shows great control and superb percussion, it takes Many up on a long time two perfect that this spectacular art. Tae-kwon-do. "that the Means of hitting and kicking."