Posted: June 12th, 2015

Main Religious and ideological systems in early/ traditional Korea, and how they influenced Korean politics, society and culture/art.

Korea

  1. Main religious and ideological systems in early traditional Korea, and how they impacted Korean politics, society and culture/art?

 

Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion based on samsara, Karma and rebirth. This rose in India and spread to China and came into Korea in 372 through its Buddhist scripture and statue of Buddha.

Koryo:

  • Korean politics/society: In Koryo period, the governors made the policy to respect Buddhism because Buddhism was used to handle the devastated public sentiment from the long-lasting war with China. Also, it was used to gather people as one from urban area to rural area by celebrating the Buddhist ceremonies every year at the same period. This was celebrated without the limitations by the social classes.
  • Culture/art: Buddhist texts translated into Chinese from India allowed the Chinese characters to spread into Korea. This was the first path where the Chinese characters first approached to Korea.

 

Silla:

  • Political: Strong native religions and local aristocratic power based country. The King was treated as one of the better aristocrats who can be replaced anytime. King as the Buddha was better than the King as the Sun-God. Therefore, King Pophung established Buddhism in Silla in 528.
  • Society: Buddhism worked as a unifying force in post three kingdom period. The massive cultural exchange with other countries began
  • Cultural/arts: automatically development by the cultural transformation

 

Confucianism

Choson Dynasty (1392-1897)

Chu Hsi brought neo-Confucianism into Choson Dynasty in 15th century and reached in its religious level in 18th century. It was based on the values such as worshipping their ancestors, distinction between the genders, a status system and respecting elders. This theory dominated Korea and strongly influenced Choson to create a firm social classes such as Yangban and Chunmin.

  • Political: Only Yangban was allowed to have chance to participate in politics through the exam called ‘guaker’. They regulated the laws within the teaching of the neo-Confucianism.
  • Society: neo-Confucianism slowly lost its original ideas and became harsh for women. According to neo-Confucianism, the social customs changed.
  • Commemorations rituals was done only for men’s ancestors.
  • Prohibiting re-marriage of women
  • Loss of women’s inheritance rights(after 16th)
  • Culture: Yangban->sangmin->Nobi
  • Yangban: they owned their land and nobi as their prosperity and lived in tile roofed house called ‘kiwajib’. Women worked inside the house caring their children
  • Sangmin: They had to work on the field and devote the outputs to their landlords. They were allowed to participate the exam for the success but normally they rarely received chances to be educated.
  • Nobi: they were considered as a prosperity of Yangban. They were traded between Yangbans even cheaper than the horses. They did not have rights as human.

 

Yin-Yang Philosophy

Yin stands for shadow and night-time etc. and Yang stands for light, daytime and the sun etc. “A woman’s proper place is the inside a man’s proper place is the outside. The proper placing of men and women fulfils the grand principle of heaven and earth” I-Ching[Book of changes]

  • Society: Yangban’s house: They divided their places between, men, women and ancestral shrine. The rooms for women were placed inner side of the house for their safety, independent life from the customers coming to their house and o take care of their ancestor’s shrine at the back of their house.

 

 

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