Talk:조선족

The term "Joseonjok (조선족; 朝鲜族)" is not a shorthand for "Joseon minjok (조선민족; 朝鲜民族)"; it specifically refers to ethnic Koreans who hold Chinese nationality. Another common misconception about "Joseonjok (조선족; 朝鲜族)" arises when researchers study historical documents from before the establishment of the People's Republic of China. They encounter the term "Joseonin (조선인; 朝鲜人)" and interpret it with the contemporary concept, mistakenly thinking that it refers not to the ethnic group within China, but to non-Chinese. Additionally, some scholars argue that since the term "Joseonjok (Chaoxianzu)" as a national ethnic designation came into use only after the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the history of the Korean minority in China must be counted starting from 1949. This view is erroneous because it overlooks the historical fact that the standardization of ethnic names in China occurred after the ethnic identification work was conducted.[1] Strategicasian (talk) 18:26, 6 November 2023 (UTC)

@Strategicasian OK, but that's about usage in the PRC. Thank you for the information, so the "China" label has already been moved to the second definition. On the other hand, with respect to usage in the DPRK, I have found three quotes where 조선족 is used by DPRK novelists to refer 1) rather anachronistically to Koreans in the Goryeo period or 2) to Koreans in the USSR without much difficulty. I will concede your point that it does seem to tend to refer to diaspora populations in the DPRK and even move the order of definitions.--Saranamd (talk) 18:35, 6 November 2023 (UTC)

Thank you for engaging in this informative discussion. I appreciate the adjustments you've made regarding the term "Joseonjok (조선족; 朝鲜族)." It's crucial to clarify that the Sino-Korean word "Joseonjok(조선족)" was indeed formalized by the PRC government in the period of 1949-1953 during the ethnic identification initiative known as "Ethnic Recognition (민족식별공작)." Prior to the 1940s in the Republic of China, while there were "조선민족" organizations, entities designated as "Joseonjok(조선족)" did not exist, as corroborated by historical records [2].

Moreover, it is important to acknowledge that North Korean sources, such as "Joseon DPRK Today 조선의 오늘" [3] and "Rodong News 로동신문" [4], consistently use "Joseonminjok 조선민족" to refer to the North Korean people, not "Joseonjok(조선족)" This distinction underlines that "Joseonjok(조선족)" is not an official term for North Koreans but is rather a specific designation for ethnic Koreans in China, coined by the Chinese government.

Thus, it's important for us to recognize that "Joseonjok(조선족)" has a specific historical and geopolitical context, and its use should be accurately applied to reflect that it is a term of Chinese origin, pertaining to the Korean community within China, and not a self-referential term used by the North Korean state or its citizens. Strategicasian (talk) 18:52, 6 November 2023 (UTC)

The Joseonjok (조선족; 朝鲜族), since their migration into Northeast China, have undergone a transformation from being referred to as "Joseon people(in) (조선인; 朝鲜人)" to "Joseonjok (조선족; 朝鲜族)," ultimately becoming one of the ethnic groups within the great family of the Chinese nation. These changes for the Joseonjok, amid the struggles against imperialism and feudalism as well as the development and construction of the northeastern frontier, are the inevitable result of continuously absorbing Chinese national culture and gradually establishing the ethnic boundaries of the Joseonjok "ethnic group." Successive Chinese regimes have embraced a concept of governance as vast as the seas, managing the Joseonjok as "Chinese nationals," which played an undeniable role in integrating them as members of the great family of the Chinese nation. However, as one of the more typical transnational ethnic groups in our country, the Joseonjok inevitably exhibit characteristics of multiple identities. The Joseonjok (조선족; 朝鲜族), as a typically transnational ethnic group in Northeast China, have gone through various periods, including the Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China, the Japanese puppet state, and the civil war era, until after the establishment of the People's Republic of China, when they were officially named "Joseonjok (조선족; 朝鲜族)" during the ethnic identification work in 1953. It must be pointed out that the Sino-Korean "Joseonjok," both in terms of nomenclature and connotation, are distinct from "Joseon people (朝鲜人)," "Korean people (한인; 韩人)," "Manchurian Joseon people (재만조선인; 在满朝鲜人)," "Joseon minjok (조선민족; 朝鲜民族)," and "overseas Koreans (Joseon people) Jokyo (조교; 朝侨)." They have their specific "ethnic group boundaries" and refer exclusively to those of Korean ethnic lineage who live within the borders of China and possess the nationality of the People's Republic of China. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the Joseonjok (조선족; 朝鲜族) were designated as one of the minority ethnic groups of the country, and thereby obtained citizenship, which was not by chance but a historical inevitability. The Joseonjok began migrating in large numbers to Northeast China since the latter half of the 19th century, undergoing a transformation from the social status of "Joseon people (조선인; 朝鲜人)" to "Joseonjok (조선족; 朝鲜族)." In this sense, the transition from "Joseon people" to "Joseonjok" was in fact a pursuit by the "Joseon people" to actively acquire a legitimate social status within China. During the Republic of China period, the nomenclature for the Joseonjok began to diversify, including not only Joseon "settlers (垦民)" but also "Joseon people (조선인; 朝鲜人)," "Jokyo (조교/朝侨)" and "Hankyo (한교/韩侨)." Correspondingly, their social status also underwent changes, with those "naturalized or registered" gaining legal status.

Source: the thesis from Peking University titled "The Construction of Joseonjok 'Ethnic Group' Boundaries and Multiple Identities."[5]

Please read above. Thanks. Strategicasian (talk) 19:14, 6 November 2023 (UTC)