Review of the Description of the Mongol Empire in Japanese High School World History Textbooks

This paper analyzes the depictions of the Mongol-Yuan Empire in seven Japanese high school world history textbooks, dividing the analysis into several thematic categories. Japanese history textbooks receive significant attention from both the academic community and the general public in Korea, serving as important materials that reveal how Japan teaches historical facts. In particular, this study examines how recent research findings on the history of the Mongol-Yuan Empire have been reflected in these textbooks and identifies several notable characteristics in their descriptions.The textbooks actively incorporate the research achievements of Japanese academia in their discussions of topics such as the territory and expedition routes of the Mongol -Yuan Empire, Goryeo-Mongol relations, Tibet-Yuan relations, the four hierarchy system, the use of the term ‘Great Yuan Ulus,’ and the accounts of travelers during the Mongol-Yuan period. In particular, textbook maps clearly attempt to portray Goryeo as a state that was both part of the Mongol-Yuan Empire and maintained its own independence. However, in the main text, Goryeo is often described only as a vassal state, which is a noteworthy inconsistency. Furthermore, in their treatment of the four hierarchy system, the textbooks reflect recent Japanese scholarship and take a more nuanced stance, rather than emphasizing a discriminatory perspective such as ‘Mongol supremacy.’ Nevertheless, the descriptions of Tibet-Mongol relations are inconsistent, the use of ‘Great Yuan Ulus’ as a state name presents clear issues.The way the history of the Mongol-Yuan Empire is presented in Japanese high school world history textbooks, as examined in this study, also offers implications for the Korean academic community and its own textbook narratives. While the textbooks are proactive in incorporating the latest research findings, they also carry forward the limitations and gaps present in the scholarship itself. The analysis in this paper can provide guidance for improving future education on the Mongol-Yuan Empire and suggests the potential for comparative studies on how the history of the Mongol-Yuan Empire is portrayed in the textbooks of different countries.