The Origins of Chosŏn

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

The Chosŏn Dynasty was founded in 1392. A watershed moment in Korean history, this new dynasty oversaw momentous changes in Korean politics, society, and religion, shaping the contours of what is generally thought of as "traditional Korean" culture today.

Chosŏn is the longest-lasting royal dynasty in Korean history. It was founded in 1392 after the collapse of the Mongol empire and the previous Koryŏ dynasty. As the last royal dynasty in premodern Korea, it shaped modern Korean notions of social status, ritual practices, and other aspects of lifestyle. These issues can be seen in the transformation from the Mongol-dominated and Buddhism-influenced…
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Before Chosŏn was established, Koryŏ (918-1392) ruled the Korean peninsula with a Buddhist national ideology. Internal strife and Mongol invasions weakened Koryŏ, making it possible for a powerful general, Yi Sŏnggye, to overthrow Koryŏ and establish Chosŏn as its first king. Confucianism was important to the Koryŏ state, but it did not become the dominant social ideology until the founding of the…
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This comic provides a visual representation of the relationship between Jeong Do-Jeon and Yi Songgye based on the evidence offered by David M. Robinson in his introduction to his translation ofSeeking Order in a Tumultuous Age: The Writings of Chŏng Tojŏn, a Neo-Confucian, and the subsequent chapters that zoom in on Jeong Do-Jeon's text. From this context, it focuses on three instances spanning…
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The Chosŏn Dynasty (1392--1910) has long been characterized as a loyal adherent of Confucianism. It has even been described as a "blind follower" of Chinese culture for adopting Confucian traditions that originated in China. However, just because Confucian traditions were practiced in Chosŏn did not mean the Chosŏn court identified with all the political and cultural practices in China or that…
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The Chosŏn Dynasty (1392 - 1910) was a society ruled by Confucian elites. Although the Chosŏn Dynasty was a classist society, some aspects can appear to have been quite progressive by modern standards: women could participate in lawsuits and it could accommodate a diversity of cultural and religious practices, with both shamanism and Buddhism being prominent among the larger lower-class…
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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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