Sourcebook of Korean Civilization

Auteur

Edited by Peter H. Lee

Texte du rabat

This anthology is the most ambitious, comprehensive, and authoritative English-language sourcebook of Korean civilization ever assembled. Encompassing social intellectual, religious, and literary traditions from ancient times through World War II, this collection reveals the grand corpus of thought, beliefs, and customs unique to the Korean people. Volume I features three major periods of Korean history: the Three Kingdoms and Unified Silla (57 B.C.--935), Koryo (918--1392), and Early Choson (1392-1600). Each section begins with a broad historical introduction to provide context and perspective, and contains representative writings from the era, with commentary, background, and analysis.

Résumé
The first of a two-volume sourcebook of the Korean civilization, which emcompasses social, intellectual and religious traditions from Neolithic times to the present day. It focuses on the following dynasties: Three Kingdoms, Koryo, Early Choson, Late Choson and Modern.

Contenu
Part 1 Three kingdoms and unified Silla: origins of Korean culture - the foundation myth, Korea in the Chinese dynastic histories, founders of tribal federations; the rise of the three kingdoms - development of the three kingdoms, Wonch Uk and the consciousness-only school, belief in the pure land, divination ceremonies, copying scriptures; poetry and song; local clans and the rise of the meditation school; the rise of local chiefs, establishment of the meditation school, geomancy. Part 2 Koryo: introduction; early Koryo political structure - founding of the kingdom, expansion of Confucian polity, Koryo's foreign relations; Koryo society - the Confucian scholar, life of the aristocrat, the scholar and Buddhism, the family, development of agriculture, political thought, tribal councils, social structure; ancient customs and religion - ancient customs, the introduction of Buddhism, Koguryo Buddhism, Paekche Buddhism, Silla Buddhism, Maitreya and esoteric Buddhism, rapprochement between Buddhism and shamanism, the Hwarang; consolidation of the state - unification of the three kingdoms, Confucian political thought, Confucian learning, Chinese learning and the growth of the educated class, Taoism; the rise of Buddhism - Wonhyo's Buddhist philosophy, Uisang and the flower garland school, social change, peasants and slaves; military rule and late Koryo reform - establishment of military rule, civilians under military rule, peasant and slave unrest, relations with the Mongols, late Koryo reforms; Buddhism - the Ch'ont'ae and Chogye schools - Buddhism in early Koryo, Buddhism and Koryo society, resurgence of Buddhism, Chinul and the Chogye school, publication of the Tripitaka; popular beliefs and Confucianists - native beliefs, geomancy, Taoism and shamanism, neo-Confucianism, history. Part 3 Early Choson: introduction; founding the Choson dynasty; political thought in early Choson - ruling the new dynasty, new government, the kingly way, the way of principle, on sage learning; culture - invention of the Korean alphabet, education and scholarship, the recruitment examinations, compilation of history, printing books, science and technology, invention and use of rain gauges, compilation of medical books; social life - Confucian protests against Buddhism, the role of rites, funerary and ancestral rites, the position of women, propagation of Confucian values; economy - the land system, promotion of agriculture, wealth and commerce, circulation of currency, precious metals, development of rural markets; thought - Kwon Kun, Kyongdok, Yi Onjok, Yi Hwang, the four-seven debate, Yi I; Buddhism.