WORLD HISTORY
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OUTLINE—KOREA
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ANCIENT KOREA In ancient times (around 4,000 BC) people lived in Korea.
Their society was organized by clans. They were animists who believed that
all things have a soul. Their main deity was the sun and ancestor worship
was included in their beliefs.
BRONZE AGE (800-900 BC) Koreans used bronze tools, cultivated rice,
lived in pit dwellings—larger than in the earlier age. Tombs were above
ground, often using large slabs of rock (some of which weighed up to 70
tons).
OLD CHOSON (400 BC) By this time there were walled towns and the
Choson were members of a confederation of towns in the area around
Pyongyang. Iron was introduced from China and used for farming
implements and weapons of war. Chariots and horses were also evident at
this time, and Chinese coins circulated. Home construction changed—above
ground homes with below-the-floor heating systems. Ch’in and Han
Dynasties from China conquered Korea. A Choson leader (Wiman) drove the
Chinese out, and extended the empire to include Manchuria. Then the Han
re-conquered Choson, but their influence was mostly economic, not political.
TWO KINGDOMS (100BC-100AD)
A. KOGUYRO was a kingdom along the Yalu River that extended southward.
It was often at war with China.
B. CHIN HAN was a kingdom in the southern part of the peninsula. Kings
were chosen by clan leaders (the Taega) who were the real leaders.
Eventually, the kings were able to dominate the Taega. The laws were
simple and punishments were severe. (Under the Choson, there had been
only eight laws). Political power was separate from religious power—
religion was tied to farming and the agricultural calendar. Ancestor
worship continued.
THREE KINGDOMS
A. KOGUYRO continued and grew. Kingship was by inheritance. Queens
were always chosen from the same clan.
B. PAEKCHE had a government by a the Clan leaders (aristocracy). They
conquered some of the Koguyro land, and thus ruled most of the
peninsula. (371)
C. SILLA was created through alliances (550) and development of
technological advances, gradually becoming more powerful.
D. ALL THREE benefitted from trade and cultural tied from China—Buddhism
came about this time from China. However, there were frequent wars with
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China and Japan was a convenient occasional ally in those wars. From
598-645, Koguyro and Silla teamed up to dominate Chinese armies of the
T’ang Dynasty. The Military made up the highest social class. There was
a close connection between the military and religion. There were also
many essentially enslaved laborers ruled by a wealthy land-owning class.
E. CHINESE CHARACTERS were used by the Koreans, but eventually, the
system was modified to fit their language. This became the current
HANGUL writing system.
F. CONFUCIAN ethics were consciously adopted to support the social
system. BUDDHISM supported a strong central government, so was often
favored over Confucian influences.
THREE KINGDOMS PERIOD ENDS
A. Silla made an alliance with the T’ang Dynasty against Paekche, which was
destroyed. Then the Chinese tried to rule over all korea, but Silla drove
them out of most of the peninsula—this became the foundation for modern
Korea.
B. Later KOGURYO was eliminated, then Silla ruled part of it’s former lands.
The Northern part of Koguryo became Parhae, which was independent of
both China and Silla. The Silla were ruled by former Koguryo nobles.
C. In the 600’s the Kim family controlled the kingship of Silla and the king
became more absolute as rivals were killed, and the kings relocated
conquered people.
D. There were several sects of Buddhism under the Silla among the common
people and among the nobles. Confucianism was still the philosophy of
the Civil Service Exam system, though many jobs always went to people
with a certain birth lineage.
E. About 890 there were many local revolts. This eventually led to the
formation of new kingdoms Paekche and T’aebong.
KORYO finally was able to dominate all others in the peninsula.
A. Confucianism became the dominant philosophy through their emphasis
on education, and the use of the Civil Service Exams. There was
considerable upward mobility. The new kings created a new bureaucracy
of qualified men who were loyal to the king.
B. A distinctively Korean form of Geomancy developed which was a
combination of Yin-Yang, Taoism, and Five Element theories. Land was
“auspicious” or not for temples, grave sites, etc. Buddhism was
influenced by Zen thinking—more about meditation than text study.
C. MILITARY all military ranks—even the lowest—were hereditary. Soldiers
were given land with two families to work it for them. The military was
divided according to function (army, navy, garrison duty, etc.). Eventually,
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slave class men were used to fill the ranks, and honor given to the military
declined. They built al “long wall” across northern Korea, E. to W.
D. LAND = WEALTH Rents could be 25-50%. Grain was stored and loaned
out at high interest. Coins were minted in 996 & 1102, but not circulated
very much. The wealthiest used silver vases for large transactions.
E. SOCIAL CLASSES
a. Royalty
b. Nobles
c. Military
d. Commoners
e. Laborers (in certain occupations)
f. Slaves
g. Outcasts (butchers, wicker workers, entertainers)
F. Confucianism grew in importance, and Buddhism faded in importance.
Confucianism was based more on rationalism, and less on belief.
G. CEERAMIC WARE was influenced by Song Dynasty ware, but all
acknowledged that the Korean goods were superior. It was green,
delicate & beautiful—it was meant for materialistic display more than for
actual use.
MONGOL INVASION (1231) The Mongols invaded when they also invaded
China. They destroyed fields, reducing the food supply. Food was
demanded by the new government. Peasants lost hear & hope. The Koryo
Kings intermarried with Mongol princesses.
NEW CHOSON DYNASTY (about 1380)
A. Yi Song-gye defeated the last Koryo king (who was a puppet of the
Mongols), started land reform, moved the capital to Seoul. Confucian
studies were revived.
B. The Yi Dynasty was built upon the Confucian Civil Service Exams. Even
military advancement was by this method. The Yang ban were the ones
who wrote the exams, and the real power of the land. They instituted
farming improvements (fertilizer, better seed, etc) and life for the peasants
improves—but they were still tied to the soil. Taxes were based on the
fertility of the soil.
C. The Yi tried to remain on friendly relations with Ming China, and they
allowed limited trade with Japan.
D. HANGUL was a distinctively Korean alphabet with 28 characters. It was
first issued in 1446. The Yang ban resisted it at first, but the king ordered
a huge number and variety of books to be translated into the new system,
including both Buddhist and Confucian texts, farming manuals, medical
texts, Chinese writings and more.
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E. The New Choson Dynasty had many new inventions—clocks, calendars,
moveable type in various fonts, gunpowder weapons, farming
technologies, medical manuals, etc.
F. Buddhism was repressed—their land was taken, most of their temples
were closed, no Buddhist exams were allowed, so there were no new
priests. The Yang ban grew wealthier, owning more land—and the
peasant class grew poorer. There were new Yang ban groups, and the
“neoConfucianists” slowly rose in power over the others as they conducted
rural schools and developed local leaders.
JAPAN INVADED 1592 (Heidioshi Invasion 1592-1598)
A. KOREAN NAVY gained control of the seas—they had new ships that had
recently been built which were armored.) Guerilla land forces within Korea
fought Japanese forces, and Ming China was an ally against Japan.
Finally, the Japanese were forced out of the country.
B. DEVESTATION in Korea resulted, especially along the coasts. Ming
China was also weakened by the fighting.Japan was influenced by Korean
learning (neo Confucianism) and Korean prisoners influenced Japanese
pottery. In Manchuria, the Jurchen tribes were encouraged to attack
China in its weakened condition.
CATHOLICISM entered Korea through Ming Chinese connections in the early
1600’s. Catholicism was known as “western learning” and was studied for
purely intellectual reasons. The first Catholic converts were not noticed until
1784 and was studied mostly as a means to correct political & economic
abuses in Korea. There was a “Catholic Persecution” in 1801, but by the
1850’s large numbers of Koreans considered themselves to be Catholic.
JAPAN FORCED KOREA TO OPEN 3 PORTS in 1876 As a result, Korea lost
control over its own economy. Japan engineered the REFORM OF 1894
which intended to end class strife in Korea and stabilize the economy.
Aspects of this reform, strengthened Japanese influence. By 1905, Korea
was a virtual protectorate of Japan with no real sovereignty.
RIGHTEOUS ARMIES of Koreans fought Japanese forces in 1895 & 19071910. They were not successful in weakening Japanese influence and by
1910, Korea was a colony of Japan. This Korean revolution had been fueled
by religious fervor among Confucians, Buddhists and Protestant Christians.
They shared a strict moral standard, emphasis on education and a strong
nationalist patriotism. “Western learning” was very popular. The Bible and
hymn books were translated into Hangul. Patriotic songs were written to
western hymn tunes.
MARCH 1ST MOVEMENT (1919) In 1919, a Declaration of Independence
was written and supported by Buddhists and Protestants. The Japanese
responded in violence and the movement was crushed, but a democratic
government in exile was formed in Shanghai, China. World opinion turned
against Japanese policy in Korea. About 1942, Japan ordered all magazines
& other publications to be printed only in Japanese. It was to be the only
language of education, and Japanese was ordered to be the language
spoken in Korean homes. Even family names were converted to Japanese
names. Korean farmers were impoverished, labor unrest increased. Women
were abducted from Korea and used as “comfort women” for the Japanese
army. Anarchists and Communists gained strength as a violent reaction to
the Japanese.
XV. JAPAN WAS DEFEATED in 1945 as the result of WW2. Russia occupied
northern Korea and the U.S. occupies the south—divided at the 38th parallel.
Eventually, both countries withdrew, leaving Koreans in charge—Communist
in the north, Sygman Rhee in the south. Rhee was a strong dictator who
altered the constitution and used political favors to keep himself in power.
XVI. Korean war (more on this later)
XVII. By 1960, the people had had enough of Rhee and he was forced to resign,
and democratic reforms followed