Little China idea

Japanese: 小中華思想 - しょうちゅうかしそう

The idea that Korean Confucian scholars prided themselves on Korea being a "Little China" with cultural homogeneity with China, and viewed others as barbarians. It originally originated from the idea of "respecting China and expelling barbarians" in Confucius' "Spring and Autumn Annals." In the early Joseon period, the Ming was "Great China" to Korea, and there was a vassal relationship of "using the small to serve the great." However, when the Jurchen people, the Qing, destroyed the Ming and invaded Korea in 1627 and 1636 (the Byeongzi Rebellion), while politically they maintained a vassal relationship of "serving the great," they believed that China had become barbarians, and they prided themselves on Korea being the only Little China.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

朝鮮の儒者たちが，朝鮮を中国と文化的同質性をもった〈小中華〉と自負し，他を夷狄視した思想。本来は孔子の《春秋》における〈尊中華･攘夷狄〉の尊華攘夷思想に由来する。李朝前期には朝鮮にとって明は〈大中華〉であり，〈以小事大(小を以て大に事（つか）える)〉の事大＝宗属関係があったが，女真族＝清が明を滅ぼし，1627年，36年に朝鮮に侵入すると(丙子の乱)，政治的には清との事大＝宗属関係を維持しながら，精神的には中国は夷狄化したとし，朝鮮を唯一の小中華として自負した。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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