[KS] History, Fact, and Fantasy:Shrimp squashed by Fighting Whales?

[Kye C Kim]

Hi,

I have some questions for the historians. Or maybe it is a question better
directed to literature specialist or linguists.

*Non-Korean source for 고래 싸움에 새우 등 터진다?*
What is the origin of the phrase "Shrimp is squashed in the Battle of
Whales," or "고래 싸움에 새우 등 터진 격."  I have to confess that stylistically, this
construction strikes me as relatively new, and possibly foreign in origin.
But I am probably wrong and wonder if anybody knows where this formulation
is first attested.  Is it possible that this is a translation/adaptation of
a foreign proverb, as is often the case with many English proverbs we think
of as being native?  I guess I am here thinking of how "한자가 죽어야 나라가 산다,'
which is often thought of as being purely Korean formulation when it fact
it is actually a 飜案/adapted form of Lu Xun's "漢字不滅，中國必亡/한자불멸 중국필망"

*"**고래 싸움에 새우 등 터진다" p**roverb as Argument?*
This is often classed as a proverb; and as often is the case, viewed as a
time tested general truth, it is often used as a statement or summary in
discussions and arguments in Korea.  It has great appeal and power, and
once the proverb is deployed, most discussants will stop arguing and find
themselves nodding their heads in thoughtful agreement, overwhelmed by the
proverbial wisdom and truth of the statement. End of discussion!

*韓國의 宗敎 帝國主義/Korea's Religion, Imperialism?
*"Korea's religion imperialism" is actually the title of an article by a
Korean historian.  I misread the title and found myself wondering about the
power and the role of the term *帝國主義/impersialism *in Korean intellectual
history and its role in the modern/current discourse.* *Pretty much all
public discourse is premised on this term or its corollary *植民主義**
/colonialism*(this appears to have been a Japanese 4LW during the colonial
times, occurring just once in 동아일보 before the end of WWII).  So we
have 文化/言語/知識
帝國主義/植民主義 as being the dominant, or pretty much the only, framework for
most discussions and reflections both politically and intellectually, thus
the popularity of such books as "英語 내 마음의 植民主義," itself sophistic given
that word count would rather suggest "日語 내 마음의 植民主義" or maybe more
comprehensively "植民主義 내 마음의 植民主義".  Is this a phenomenon peculiar to the
history of Korean intellectual discourse?*

What is the history of the companion term **事大主義?*
事大主義 with 主義 suffix for "ism" suggests that this too is a very new term.
Any good pointers?

Joobai Lee
12/14/2011

PS

I do wonder if Korea is a "Shrimp squashed by Fighting Whales"?  For all
the squashing it sure is going strong, 2000 years strong.

Looking at the 광주 thread, one gets the impression that the US may have been
"played" 한비자 style, even if ultimately not wise.

Sovereignty: It seems reasonable you get what you deserve and nations also
get what they deserve.  And Korea should surely be proud of their democracy
and success. I believe they earned it by the sweat of their own labor and
the blood of their own sacrifice.  I think it more secure and the future
more bright because nobody handed it to them. They took it and they are the
masters, and as it should be. And I don't think anyone can doubt that in
Korea Koreans are King, no matter what the story.  They are responsible, as
I see it, for all success and all failures.  They are the masters of their
own success and their failures, despite the rhetoric of shrimp caught
between the whales.
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