Joseon Dynasty

Approaching the end of the 14th century, the world seemed ready to move on from the dominance of the once-mighty Mongol Empire. One by one, the sons of Genghis Khan and their khanates fell from grace. In the East, the famous Yuan Dynasty had fallen by 1368, leaving power vacuums across East Asia. The Korean Goryeo Kingdom, once under the dominion of the Yuan Dynasty, was crumbling at the same time. A new Korean dynasty would replace the Goryeo, a five-hundred-year kingdom of great cultural and technological significance to world history. This was the Joseon Dynasty, the last Korean Dynasty.

Joseon Dynasty Time Period

The Joseon Dynasty ruled Korea from 1392 to 1910. Remarkably, the Joseon Dynasty's five-century-long reign began in the Medieval Era (5th century to 15th century), continued throughout the Early Modern Period (1450-1750), and continued into the Modern Period (approximately 1750 to the present). Indeed, in the year of this article's publication (2022), the Joseon Dynasty's reign is over twice as long as the existence of the United States of America.

Fig. 1- Flag of the Joseon Dynasty.

Joseon Dynasty Timeline

The following timeline provides a brief progression of important events in the history of the Joseon Dynasty:

• 1392 CE: Yi Seong-gye (aka Taejo) dethroned the last Goryeo monarch and placed himself on the throne, officially beginning the Joseon Dynasty.
• 1398-1400: Yi Bang-won (aka Taejong of Joseon), the third son of Taejo, initiated the two Strife of Princes to solidify his claim to the Joseon throne.
• 1418: Sejong the Great, son of Taejong, ascended to the throne.
• 1446: Sejong created the Hangul writing system and made it the official writing system of the Joseon Kingdom.
• 1476: Yeonsangun of Joseon, often considered to be the worst tyrant in Joseon history, began his reign.
• 1560 to 1630: internal political strife and invasions from Japan and Manchuria weakened the Joseon Kingdom.
• 1640-1840: The Joseon Dynasty experienced 200 years of relative peace and prosperity.
• 1897: The Joseon name is discarded as the last Joseon King, King Gojong, declared himself emperor of Korea in defiance of pressure from China and Japan.
• 1910: Korea is annexed by Japan, officially ending the Joseon Dynasty.

Joseon Dynasty History

The Joseon Dynasty was established in 1392 by Yi Seong-gye, also known as Taejo, during a period of war in East Asia. The fall of the Yuan Dynasty caused a factional split within the Goryeo Dynasty of Korea. Some in Korea supported the falling Yuan Dynasty; others supported the new Ming Dynasty. Tensions rose, culminating in Korean general Yi Seong-gye deposing the Goryeo ruler. After multiple unsuccessful attempts at placing others on the throne, Taejo took it for himself in 1392, beginning his reign as the first Joseon king.

Fig. 2- Photograph of a judicial court held during the Joseon Dynasty in Korea.

The Rise of the Joseon Dynasty

The name "Joseon" was intentionally chosen from "Gojosean", the first and oldest Korean kingdom, to create the impression that the new regime was simply a continuation of the old kingdom, a return to Korea's ancient form. Although the kingdom's legitimacy may have been secured in the public eye, the Joseon throne struggled to find a secure leader. Battle-weary Taejo was reluctant to lead, but his chosen successors were one by one defeated by his fifth son, Yi Bang-won, in the two Strife of Princes. Taejong (the very same Yi Bang-won) would succeed his father, becoming the third ruler of the Joseon Dynasty.

Taejong's was considered to be a harsh ruler. Under the new Joseon regime, Neo-Confucianism became the state religion. The Buddhism of the former Yuan Dynasty was often deplored within the Joseon Dynasty, its monks and practitioners subjugated by Joseon rule. Taejong's rise to power was through assassination and political subversion and he continued his reign with bloody hands, killing relatives and friends who were too close to claiming the throne for themselves. However, Taejong's reign solidified the Joseon Dynasty and paved the way for his son Sejong the Great to rule (we'll cover him in a bit).

Entering the 16th century, the Joseon Dynasty had yet to face its greatest challenges. Pressure from China in the west, Manchuria in the North, and Japan and the East pushed the Korean kingdom to its limits. Despite the political division, relative military weakness, and military technological inferiority, the Joseon Koreans managed to fend off the invading Japanese mainly due to the effectiveness of their navy.

The Fall of the Joseon Dynasty

For two centuries after their successful defense against Japan, the Joseon Dynasty would experience great cultural and technological growth during a period of relative peace and prosperity. But their old enemy, the Japanese, was meanwhile preparing to become their own imperial force to rival the militaries of Western Europe.

Fig. 3- Japanese soldiers marching in Korea during the Russo-Japanese War.

After the fallout of the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, Japan was revealed to be the dominant force in the Pacific, more powerful than Russia, China, and Korea. Without allies and its political officials continually assassinated, Korean resistance to Japanese intrusion diminished. Even after King Gojong declared himself Emperor of the Korean Empire in 1897 (effectively ending the Joseon Dynasty in name), Korea could not withstand pressure from Russia. By 1910, Japan had officially annexed Korea.

Joseon Dynasty Culture

As mentioned above, during the reign of Sejong the Great, Joseon Korea experienced much cultural development.

Joseon Dynasty Language

In 1446, Sejong the Great reportedly created and introduced the Hangul writing system to his kingdom. The writing system was impressively simple, utilizing a 24-letter alphabet of basic characters rather than a system of thousands of traditional characters that made learning often difficult and inaccessible. Hangul was easy to learn and implement, made to increase state literacy rather than gatekeep it to members of higher social status. The system is still praised to this day and is the official written language of modern-day South Korea and North Korea.

Joseon Dynasty Art

Korean art during the Joseon Dynasty turned toward realism, adopting more western techniques in recreating artistic renditions of actual sights within Korea. Portraits of government officials were also popular. White and blue porcelain pottery and Confucianism-inspired literature were hallmarks of Joseon art.

Fig. 4- 15th-century Joseon painting by Seo Munbo.

Joseon Dynasty Achievements

The Joseon Dynasty of Korea lasted an impressive five centuries during a transitory time in world history. It bridged the gap between the Medieval and Modern Era for Korea, bearing fruits of intellectual curiosity and artistic development during centuries of conquest by foreign powers. Its origin and downfall were beset by the wars and strife of foreign powers, but the achievements of the Joseon Dynasty are still felt today in the shape of Korea's politics and culture.