Bringing Korea to the K-12 Classrooms

Updating Korean History and Culture

(2333 B.C.E.-1910)

National Korean Studies Seminar

Copyright 2014 Mary Connor and Sung Kim

Bibliography

• California Department of Food and Agriculture (http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/statistics)

• Connor, Mary. Editor, Asia in Focus: The Koreas• Eckert, Carter, et al. Korea Old and New: A

History• Korean Culture and Information Service. Facts

about Korea (2010)• Korea Foundation. Masterpieces of Korean Art• Seth, Michael J. A Concise History of Korea:

From the Neolithic through the 19th century.

Korea and Its Neighbors

The Korean Peninsula

• Korea is 87,000 square miles

• Seventy percent of the Peninsula is mountainous

• Combined population of North and South, 74 million, 16th largest

Comparison: California and the Korean

Peninsula• California:163,696

square miles • Population: 38 million

• Korea: 87,000 square miles

• Population: 74 million

Comparison California and Korea

Neighbors: Oregon,Nevada, and Mexico

• Neighbors: Russia, China, and Japan

Comparison California and the Koreas

• California –• 38 million people

• 25% land used for agriculture

• Statehood - 1850

• South Korea - • 49 million people• 19% arable land

• North Korea - • 23 million people• 13% arable land

• Unified – 668• Divided - 1945

South Korea and North Korea• Capital – Seoul• Democratic republic• Three branches of gov’t• 98 % literacy• High school dropout rate in

1995 was 2.1%• 82% of high school graduates

go to college• Industry: consumer electronics,

semiconductors, automobiles, steel, ships, chemicals, and mobile communications

• Economy – 14th largest in the world

Capital – PyongyangHighly centralized communist

state99 % literacyHigh school graduate rate not

available, but only 20% are selected for college

Industry: military products, machine building, chemicals

Economy – the nation faces chronic economic problems and starvation is once again a major concern

Dangun, the legendary founder of Korea

• People began living on the Korean peninsula some 700,000 years ago. As the civilization began to form, numerous tribes appeared. The legend of Dangun (akaTangun) says that Dangun united the Korean people and established Gojoseon in 2333 B.C.E. No evidence supports the story, but this legend has contributed to the Korean sense of identify.

Memorial to Dangun, North Korea

Brief Overview of Pre-modern Korean History

The Three Kingdoms– Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla– Education involved learning Chinese thought and

culture.– The royal courts of the three kingdoms embraced

Confucianism as the ideal ethical-moral system, by which the youth were to study hard, memorize the classics, revere teachers, respect their elders, observe important rites, carry out important ceremonies, and govern righteously.

Three Kingdoms (Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla)

Goguryeo (37 BCE-668 CE) was

the first to mature into a kingdom and was situated along the middle course of the Yalu River.

Goguryeo Mural (Manchuria)

The Goguryeo People• The hunting scene of the Goguryeo warriors

shows that the people of this kingdom hunted tigers, boars, deer, and pheasants on foot with spears and on horseback with bows.

• The next slide shows that the Goguryeo people loved to sing and dance. The dancers often wore powder on their faces and wore red lipstick. The tomb murals depict various dance forms, show various musical instruments, and show early clothing similar to what became known as Korean traditional attire, such as the hanbok.

Updating Goguryeo• For a long time, Chinese scholars believed that

the history of the Goguryeo Kingdom was an integral part of Korea’s history. Chinese scholars have claimed fairly recently that this kingdom was a Chinese state.

• Korean scholars agree that part of Goguryeo was located within ancient China, but note that it also extended onto the Korean peninsula.

• Many Koreans fear that if North Korea collapses, China might absorb the northern peninsula based on its claims to Goguryeo.

The Baekje Kingdom• Baekje (18 BCE-660 CE)

grew out of a town-state in the vicinity of present day Seoul. Shortly after Buddhism arrived in Goguryeo, it came to Baekje. Some artifacts show Chinese influence, but others reveal a distinct Korean style. People from this kingdom sailed to Japan and brought Chinese characters, Buddhism, music, and art with them.

The Silla Kingdom• Silla (57 BCE-935 CE)

was geographically removed from Chinese influence and more open to non-Chinese practices and ideas than the other kingdoms. Silla is known for its beautiful gold crowns and jewelry and its remarkable ruler, Queen Sondok.

Silla Gold Crown

• Silla gold crowns often in the shape of deer antlers or trees reaching toward heaven, reflected shamanistic beliefs.

Queen Sondok: Golden Age Ruler (reigned 632-647)

• Queen Sondok was the first woman ever to ascend the throne in Korea. Known as a kind, respectful, wise, and farsighted leader, she ruled at a time when there was intense rivalry between Silla and the kingdoms of Goguryeo and Baekje.

• By initiating a policy with Tang China, the queen paved the way for the eventual reunification of the Korean peninsula (Unified Silla in 676). She also improved conditions for her people and supported cultural advancement.

Unified Silla: A Golden Age• Unified Silla (668-935

CE) survived for nearly three centuries and for a time, along with Tang China, was more advanced than probably any area of Europe except for the Byzantine Empire

• Balhae (Parhae) was established by the people of Goguryeo and existed from 698-926 until overthrown by the Khitan.

Unified Silla (668-935)• Unified Silla laid the foundation for the historical

development of the Korean people.• Once unified, Silla achieved rapid development

in the arts, religion, commerce, education, printing techniques, and other fields. Trade flourished with Tang China and Japan, and Silla ships came to dominate the maritime trade lanes in East Asia. Silk Road trade contributed to a golden age for Silla.

• Gyeongju, the capital of Silla, became the center of learning and creativity.

Traditional Map of the Silk Road:Routes do not Include Korea or

Japan Connections

Northern & Southern Silk Road Routes with Korea, Japan and Maritime Connections (Updated Map)

Gyeongju Tombs Today

Bulguksa, Korea’s most famous temple,

was constructed during Unified Silla

Seokguram Grotto, another great achievement of Unified Silla

Trends in Pre-Modern Period(Three Kingdoms to the 20th century)

• 1) Korea became increasingly homogeneous. In terms of language, cultural identity, and shared values and traditions, the Koreans became one people.

• 2) Koreans continued absorbing Chinese notions of government, religions, ethics, art, music, family structure, and fashions. Korea was a distinctive component of East Asian civilization that was centered in China.

• 3) Korea gradually expanded its northern territory to the present boundary on the Yalu and Tumen rivers.

Goryeo (Koryŏ) Dynasty (918-1392)

Key Developments during Goryeo

• After a long period of political instability, General Wang Geon seized control of Korea and founded a dynasty that lasted nearly 500 years.

• He named it Goryeo from which the modern name of Korea is derived.

• Wang Geon implemented a policy of northern expansion, and put into place a Chinese form of centralized government.

Influence of Buddhism• Buddhism was at its height in the 10th and 11th

century in Goryeo, played a major role in social life, and acted as a principal force in cultural achievements.

• Hundreds of temples were built throughout Korea.

• One of the most famous temples is Haeinsa which had its origins in the 9th century. It is considered one of Korea’s most beautiful temples.

Haeinsa

Haeinsa

Goryeo Achievements

• One of the great achievements was the publication of the entire Buddhist scriptures on woodblocks in 1087.They were later destroyed by the Mongols; however, 81,000 blocks were completed in 1251 and are stored at Haeinsa. They can still print 320,000 pages of text from these woodblocks.

The Tripitaka (Buddhist Scriptures) at Haeinsa

• It is possible to see the second set of woodblocks when touring Haeinsa.

• These woodblocks are the finest examples of some twenty Tripitaka carvings created in East Asia.

The Invention of Movable Type

• By 1234, if not earlier, Goryeo had also invented movable metal type, two centuries before Gutenberg. Goryeo’s use of this printing method is the earliest in the history of the world.

• The oldest existing book printed with metal type was printed in a Korean temple in 1377 and is now preserved in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris.

Celadon

• Celadon articles with delicate colors, graceful curves, elegant shapes, and exquisite inlaid designs of flowers or animals rank among the finest accomplishments in earthenware in the world and are considered the crowning glory of Goryeo’s artistic achievements.

Joseon (Chosŏn) Dynasty1392-1910

Joseon and Neo-Confucianism• Society- Confucianism contributed to a rigid class

structure with the upper class being the yangban who were educated in the Confucian classics and served in government.

• Government- Confucianism influenced the growth of the Chinese examination system. Passing the exam was the means for gaining important governmental positions and status.

• Economy- Perpetuated an agricultural society. Commerce was looked down upon as being self-serving

and divisive.• The arts were also influenced by Confucianism.

White Porcelain• Modesty and humility

were stressed by Confucianism.

• It was felt that colors were associated with emotion and thus “impure,” so simple white porcelain was highly valued by the upper class and for offerings on the ancestral altars.

Neo-Confucian Beliefs• Stressed the importance of education and veneration for

learning• Respect for age and status. Hierarchical beliefs• Loyalty between ruler and subjects, family, and friends• The young are to respect their elders, their parents (filial

piety), and pay homage to ancestors• Emphasis of the group (family, nation) over the individual• Everyone in a family has a distinct role to play• Women are to respect their husbands and mothers-in-

law, to care for the children, and be responsible for their children’s success in school.

• Decisions are familial, not personal

Confucian Academy, Andong, South Korea

Updating Confucianism in America

• Educational achievement is a high priority (A not A-). Success for the group (family) more important than individual recognition. Role fulfillment. Work ethic.

• Success in one’s studies has historically been a path for social mobility.

• Hierarchy – get into the best colleges.• Korean mothers are traditionally “the education moms”

and are judged by their children’s success or lack of it.• Respect for teachers, elders, authority• Conforming to Confucianism varies by generation • Koreans in the U.S. may be more Confucian than their

contemporaries in Korea

King Sejong (1418-1450) and a Golden Age for Korea

• Became Korea’s greatest monarch by bringing stability and prosperity to the nation.

• His rule was based on the Confucian classics and was known for good government, the creation of hangul, economic development, scientific discovery, and technological innovation.

• He showed concern for the peasants and published books on agriculture and medicine.

Buncheong Ware The highly refined celadon of

the Goryeo dynasty fell out of favor with the Neo-Confucianists, and a new distinctly Korean style arose. Buncheong was not only used by the royalty, but also across all levels of society. In the 15th century, these wares were exported to Japan, where practitioners of the tea ceremony admired their simple, humble beauty. When Japan invaded Korea in the 16th century, it seized Buncheong wares and the ceramicists who made them.

The Imjin War (Japanese Invasion of Korea)1592-98

• After Hideyoshi reunified Japan, he wanted to expand to Korea, China, and the rest of the known world.

• Nearly all of Korea suffered pillage and slaughter. Poverty and sickness was everywhere. Over 185,000 Korean heads were taken to Japan. Buildings, works of art, and historical records were destroyed. Korea did not recover for nearly 100 years.

• The war weakened Korea, and the nation was forced to accept the suzerainty of the Qing (Manchu) dynasty.

• The great hero of the war, who ultimately stopped the advance of the Japanese, was Admiral Yi Sun-sin.

The Turtle Boat• The Korean War Museum

in Seoul houses a replica of Admiral Sunsin’s famed turtle boat.

• Koreans are proud of the fact that their use of iron on battleships predated the ironclad ships of the American Civil War by over 250 years.

Folk Art• In the 18th and 19th

centuries, a vibrant folk painting tradition emerged. One of the most beloved was the depiction of “The Tiger and the Magpie.” The image was hung at New Year to protect homes from evil and bring good luck for the coming year.

Late 19th/Early 20th Century Events

By the late 19th century, China and Korea were weak, and Japan’s power (Meiji Restoration) was on the rise.

Korea in the late 19th century became increasingly the center of rivalry among England, Russia, China, and Japan.

Western nations (Great Britain, France, Russia, and the U.S.) and a modernized Japan actively pursued policies to secure wealth in Asian markets.

Korea attempted to reform, but it was too late.

End of Joseon Dynasty

Korea began to sign “unequal treaties” with foreign powers, such as the Shufeldt Treaty with the U.S. in 1882. The Shufeldt Treaty was Korea’s first unequal treaty with a Western nation.

Japan defeated China in the late 19th and Russia in the early 20th century, and murdered Korea’s Queen Min.

In 1910 Korea became a colony of Japan and remained occupied until 1945.