Women and Literacy in Chosŏn Korea

7 Entries | Curated by UCLA Korean History and Culture Digital Museum

I created a three-dimensional pop-up artwork that illustrates the importance of women in late Chosŏn period (1600s–1800s) literature and writing. I was inspired by Ksenia Chizhova’s monograph, The Kinship Novels of Early Modern Korea (Columbia University Press, 2021), to show that writing in the Korean Peninsula were not always in Classical Chinese, nor were they written solely by elite males.
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The purpose of this piece is to highlight the impact that Korean Kinship novels had on Korean history. As described in Ksenia Chizhova’s book Kinship Novels of Early Modern Korea “Lineage novels are vernacular Korean texts transcribed by elite women and circulated through kinship networks.” (Chizhova 21) However, these novels were more than just written documents. To simply call them texts…
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The Chosŏn dynasty, which ruled Korea from 1392 to 1910, observed Confucian values and principles. Its establishment marked a period of cultural reform, establishing traditions and ideologies that can still be seen in Korea today. This regime’s new vision of Korean society limited the role of Chosŏn women; even so, women were still able to contribute to society on a cultural and intellectual…
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During the Chosŏn dynasty (1392-1910), Neo-Confucian values dominated society and culture. Stemming from Confucian teachings were the principles of filial piety, chastity, and heavenly virtue. To pursue Confucian cohesiveness in society, the Chosŏn dynasty went further than other East Asian states to reform according to these ideas. It was during this creation of one philosophical hegemony that…
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These panels are an interpretation of the life of Yi Pinghogak (1759-1824). She was the author of one of the first extant cookbooks in Korea, contributing to women’s literacy and expanding women’s role in society. The influence of Yi’s family and upbringing will be discussed as a significant…
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During the Chosŏn Dynasty in Korea (1382-1897), women's roles were drastically redefined by Neo-Confucianism. Women were expected to "display chastity, obedience, and faithfulness," (Seth 79). These values restricted women's behavior to their husband's needs and wants. Additionally, women lost the…
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