Korean Confucianism is the form of Confucianism developed in Korea. One of the most substantial influences in Korean intellectual history was the introduction of Confucian thought as part of the cultural exchange from China. Today the legacy of Confucianism remains a fundamental part of Korean society, shaping the moral system, the way of life, social relations between old and young, high culture, and is the basis for much of the legal system. Confucianism in Korea is sometimes considered a pragmatic way of holding a nation together without the civil wars and internal dissent that was inherited from the Goryeo dynasty, and before. Korea refers to South Korea and North Korea together, which were a unified country until 1948. ... [edit] Confucius (traditionally September 28 551 BCE–479 BCE) was a famous thinker and social philosopher of China, whose teachings have deeply influenced East Asia for centuries. ... Sage Confucius——孔子 Confucianism (Chinese: 儒家, Pinyin Rújiā, The School of the Scholars; or, less accurately, 孔教 Kŏng jiào, The Religion of Confucius) is an East Asian ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the early Chinese sage Confucius. ... The Goryeo (also Koryo) kingdom ruled Korea from the fall of Silla in 935 until the founding of Joseon in 1392. ...

Introduction

From its location, Korea has always been greatly influenced by China, the big neighbour to the west and south. The influence of Buddhism in the Korean educational, moral, and political systems was the first major intellectual import; Confucianism came to Korea in the Three kingdoms period alongside of Buddhist teaching. Korea refers to South Korea and North Korea together, which were a unified country until 1948. ... The Three Kingdoms period (Simplified Chinese: 三国; Traditional Chinese: 三國; Pinyin Sānguó) is a period in the history of China. ...

The Goguryeo Kingdom was inspired and strengthened by Chinese culture and Confucianism, but initially maintained its own customs and traditions. The Baekje Kingdom, on the other hand, adopted Confucianism. This shaped the administrative system and the culture and arts. Silla was the last kingdom to accept the Confucian way of life at the highest levels of administration. Goguryeo (37 BC-668) was an empire in Manchuria and northern Korea. ... Baekje was a kingdom that existed in southwestern Korea from 18 BCE to 660 CE. In Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla, it is known as one of the Three Kingdoms. ... Silla (also denoted as Shilla) was one of the three kingdoms of ancient Korea. ...

King Seingjong was a key figure in establishing Confucianism. This was facilitated by the establishment in 1398 of Sungkyunkwan University—a national university with a Confucian curriculum—and the building of an altar at the palace, where the king would worship his ancestors. Events Glendalough monastery, Wicklow Ireland destroyed. ... Sungkyunkwan University, in Seoul, is one of South Koreas most prestigious institutions of higher learning. ...

Goryeo Dynasty Confucianism

To a great extent, two figures have lasting influence concluding the Goryeo dynasty: Jeong Dojeon (1324-1398) and the monk, Gihwa (1376-1433) who assisted the transition from Buddhism to neo-Confucianism with tremendously interesting debate.

Jeong, in his Bulssi Japbyeon or "Array of Critiques of Buddhism" summed up critiques of Seon Buddhism brought by Hanyu, the Cheng brothers, and Zhuxi. Gihwa answered with his Hyeonjeong non or "Exposition of the Correct", a polite defence of buddhism, but at the same time an aggressive taking to task of neo-Confucian wavering between ideal and execution. Texts are cited at length in external links below.

Neo-confucianism in the Joseon dynasty

Under Joseon neo-confucianism, or seongrihak, there was even greater encouragement of Confucian ideas and ideals such as ch'ung or loyalty; hyo or filial piety; in or benevolence; and shin or trust. Joseon or Chosun (Korean: 조선; Hanja: 朝鮮; Revised: Joseon; McCune-Reischauer: Chosŏn; Chinese: Cháoxiǎn; Japanese: Chōsen) is a name for Korea, as used in the following cases: As part of the name of several ancient kingdoms (including Gojoseon, Gija Joseon, and Wiman Joseon); During most of the Joseon... Neo-Confucianism (理學 Pinyin: Lǐxué) is a term for a form of Confucianism that was primarily developed during the Song dynasty, but which can be traced back to Han Yu and Li Ao in the Tang dynasty. ...

To a great degree the harmonic Confucian ideals of familial, local, regional, and national development in a peaceful way gave the Joseon dynasty both its strength, and its long reign of peaceful relations with its neighbours. But such Korean benevolence also made it both naive and vulnerable against bellicose states such as Japan which had no such moral restrictions after the decline of the samurai realpolitik and the limitless expansionism after the Meiji restoration. Realpolitik (German for realistic politics) is foreign politics based on practical concerns (political expediency) rather than theory or ethics. ... The Meiji Restoration (Japanese: 明治維新, Meiji-ishin), also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to a change in Japans political and social structure. ...

During the Joseon Dynasty, from 1392 on, Confucianism was the primary system of belief amongst the scholarly yangban classes and generals. Koreans historically have found religions natural and easy, and have maintained an overlap between all religions - the Yi family generals, thus restrained buddhism, maintained shamanism in rural areas, but encouraged Confucianism for its use in administration and social regulation; as well as integrating a civilised society very fast on the Chinese bureaucratic models to increase cultural transference from China. The Joseon Dynasty (also Chosun, Hangul: 조선왕조, Hanja: 朝鮮王朝) was the final ruling dynasty of Korea, lasting from 1392 until 1910. ... The Yangban were a well educated scholarly class of male Confucian scholars who were part of the ruling elite within Korea prior to 1945 and the republics period of Korean history. ...

Korean Confucian schools were built, all of which had foreign educated scholars, large libraries, patronage of artisans and artists, and a curriculum based on Confucian ideals. Thus by the time of King Sejong (r. 1418 - 1450), all branches of learning were rooted in this way of thinking although branches of Korean buddhism were still let to grow outside of the major political centres in a tolerance of other kinds of worship. The Korean Confucian curriculum of 13 to 15 major works, and exegetical commentary was extensive, and requires time which we do not have here. King Sejong the Great (May 6, 1397 - May 18, 1450), born I Do, was the fourth ruler of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea from 1418 to 1450. ... Events May 19 - Capture of Paris by John, Duke of Burgundy September - Beginning of English Siege of Rouen Mircea the Old, ruler of Wallachia dies and is succeeded by Vlad I Uzurpatorul. ... Events March - French troops under Guy de Richemont besiege the English commander in France, Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, in Caen April 15 - Battle of Formigny. ... The grounds of Koreas Buryeongsa Temple. ... The Korean Confucian curriculum was grounded the Chinese educational system which had 15 or so primary works, and a large number of exegetical works (all in Chinese), along with graded exams that were on set topics. ...

Confucianism in Joseon Korea flourished most notably in the 16th century, under the guidance of the country's two most prominent Confucian scholars. Yi Hwang (1501-1570) and Yi I (1536-1584)—who are often referred to by their pen names "Toegye" and "Yulgok" respectively —are commemorated today on South Korea's 1,000- and 5,000-Won notes respectively, and in the names of major thoroughfares in central Seoul. (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... Yi Hwang(李滉 1501-1570) was one of the two most prominent Korean Confucian scholars of the Joseon Dynasty, the other being his younger contemporary Yi I (Yulgok). ... // Events Alexander becomes King of Poland. ... Events January 23 - The assassination of regent James Stewart, Earl of Moray throws Scotland into civil war February 25 - Pope Pius V excommunicates Queen Elizabeth I of England with the bull Regnans in Excelsis May 20 - Abraham Ortelius issues the first modern atlas. ... Yi I (26 December 1536-1584) was one of the two most prominent Korean Confucian scholars of the Joseon Dynasty, the other being his older contemporary, Yi Hwang (Toegye). ... Events February 2 - Spaniard Pedro de Mendoza founds Buenos Aires, Argentina. ... 1584 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... World Opponent Network or WON was an online gaming service, created by Sierra Games as the Sierra Internet Gaming System (SIGS). ... Seoul (서울, listen â–¶(?)) is the capital of South Korea and is one of the most populous cities in the world, located in the northwestern part of the country on the Han River. ...

As the Joseon dynasty lasted more than five centuries, a rough division of the progression of Korean confucianism is this:

• First century, governmental administration confucianized
• Second century, golden age of Confucian philosophers
• Third century, development of patrilineal lineage system based on power wielded by the eldest son
• Fourth century, Confucian mysticism and seeking of sage-like qualities in ruling classes
• Fifth century, Confucian system breaks down when faced with western encounters, collapse of Q'ing dynasty, and Japanese invasions; Confucianism goes underground, to await a revival in the sixth century republican period.

Contemporary society and Confucianism

By 2005, with almost 50% of the Korean population putting themselves down as Christians, the landscape of Confucian schools, temples, places of ancestral worship, and scholarship have been minimized, if not put to the side as historical artefacts worthy only of tourists, scholars, or neglected preservation. However, Confucian values arguably still immensely influence the psyche of Korean people. Moreover, Confucianism may also not be regarded as a religion, therefore allowing one to be a Taoist, Christian, Muslim, Shintoist or Buddhist and still profess Confucianist beliefs.

This despite strong elements of the thought that still exist in day to day administrative and organizational hierarchies, but without the fixtures and services which brought these into being. Taken out of the school curricula, and taken out of the daily life of Koreans, the sense that something essential to Korean history is missing has led to a rebirth of Confucianism in the late 1990s, as well as an interest in foreign scholars on seeing Korean Confucianism as an over-riding element within governance, and maintenance of the new elites within Korea dependent on all the cohesive devices of confucianism from the 14th century onwards.

Culturally, the arts still maintain great traditions: Korean pottery, the Korean tea ceremony, Korean gardens, and Korean flower arrangement follow Confucian principles and a Confucian aesthetic. Scholarly calligraphy and the most serious poetry again continue in much fewer numbers this heritage. In films, school stories of manners and comic situations within educational frames fit well into the satires on Confucianism from earlier writings. Loyalty to school, and devotion to teachers is still an important genre in popular comedies. Korean pottery appeared later than south Chinese pottery, and required a reasonably stable village culture before domestic Korean potters wheels and kilns could be produced. ... A typical setting for a Korean tea ceremony disregarding a contemporary tiled rather than paper covered floor The Korean tea ceremony is a unique form of tea ceremony practiced in Korea for more than a thousand years. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Korean flower arrangement is being revived as an indoor art, and most often uses simple Joseon dynasty whiteware to highlight various kinds of Korean flowers and tree branches in elegant but unforced natural arrangements. ...

Korean confucian art

See also: Korean art, Korean pottery

Korean Confucian art and Korean Confucian philosophy had great and deep effects on the Korean culture. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Korean pottery appeared later than south Chinese pottery, and required a reasonably stable village culture before domestic Korean potters wheels and kilns could be produced. ... Korean Confucian art took strong hold with the Yi generals who set in place the Joseon dynasty which distinguished itself in many ways by promoting Korean Confucian philosophy as the basis for a new national vision. ...

Confucian ceremonials

The most important ceremonies of Korean Confucianism were those that celebrated the coming of age, marriage, death, as well as the anniversary of the death of the ancestors. Funerals had the greatest impact on the lives of ordinary people. Although Confucianism is no longer the ruling ideology, its influence on the contemporary Korean society are not difficult to spot.

The future of Korean confucianism

Contemporary Confucianists are attempting to bring back a Confucian based college or university that will educate a new generation of scholars. In many cases older temples are being restored by cities for tourist purposes.

External link

• Charles Muller's introduction and translation of Jeong and Monk Gihwa's texts in English; may require Korean font-faces for web-browsers

See also

• List of Korea-related topics
• Korean culture