ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses the similarity and differences between official historical narratives in patriotic education and fan discourse. It focuses on the antagonism among fans caused by the controversial historical narratives in Korean television dramas. The chapter discusses the narratives of war in modern Chinese history textbooks. The war history of East Asia involves a complicated relationship between China, Japan and Korea. However, in the Chinese history textbook, the account of wars that involve the Korean peninsula adopt similar narratives. Textbooks, media and tourism of historical resorts are the main methods to conduct patriotic education. Official patriotic education indoctrinates historical narratives that serve political purposes depicting a peaceful ancient China and a victim from the Second World War onwards. Fan writings and critiques are also very important for the empowerment of fans in terms of freeing them from politics and economics based on official narratives. Alternative historical narratives could develop new perceptions of East Asian civilisations other than the China-centered perception.
