Korean History: Stone Age to Chosŏn Dynasty Quiz

1. [Stone Age and Old Chosŏn] Neolithic people in the Korean peninsula invented (____) pottery to cook and store food.

A) Chŭlmun (comb-pattern)

2. [Stone Age and Old Chosŏn] Which statement about the Stone Age in the Korean peninsula is INCORRECT?

D) Farming started in the Paleolithic Age.

3. [Stone Age and Old Chosŏn] The prevalence of koindols (dolmens) indicates social stratification in which age?

B) Bronze

4. [Stone Age and Old Chosŏn] What is the Korean underfloor heating system that transfers heat from wood smoke to stones beneath the floor?

C) Ondol

5. [Stone Age and Old Chosŏn] Which statement about Old Chosŏn is FALSE?

B) It was founded in the Neolithic Age.

6. [Stone Age and Old Chosŏn] According to the Tangun myth, how many days did the bear need to become human?

B) 21 days

7. [Stone Age and Old Chosŏn] Which interpretation of the Tangun myth is INCORRECT?

C) The bear's role indicates leadership rotated among chieftains of allied clans.

8. [Stone Age and Old Chosŏn] Which was NOT one of the three major religious traditions discussed in "Spirits and Syncretism in Korean Myth"?

D) Taoism

9. [Three Kingdoms] Which oldest surviving historical document contains the Tangun myth, and who wrote it?

D) Samguk yusa — Iryŏn

10. [Three Kingdoms] Which king (391-413) expanded Koguryŏ over much of Manchuria and the Korean peninsula?

D) Kwanggaeto

11. [Three Kingdoms] Which statement about Koguryŏ (37 BC-668) is INCORRECT?

B) In 313 it reclaimed much of Old Chosŏn by occupying Hyŏndo, the last Han commandery.

12. [Three Kingdoms] What sacred town in the Han federations was governed by a chŏngun (religious leader) and protected fugitives?

B) Sodo

13. [Three Kingdoms] Which rank was at the top of Silla's kolpum (bone-rank) system?

D) Sŏnggol (sacred bone)

14. [Three Kingdoms] What was Silla's top executive office created in 531?

B) Chipsabu

15. [Three Kingdoms] Which was Silla's national Confucian academy?

A) Kukhak

16. [Three Kingdoms] What instrument was made by Urŭk of Kaya in the sixth century?

C) Kayakŭm

17. [Three Kingdoms] In the film Mudang, what is the twig held by the deceased son's mother to connect to his soul called?

C) Spirit pole

18. [Three Kingdoms] According to Daniel Kister, which is NOT a main characteristic of Korean shamanist rituals?

D) Monotheistic

19. [Parhae and Unified Silla] Which statement about Parhae (Balhae) is INCORRECT?

B) It declined from the late ninth century due to continued Malgal revolts.

20. [Parhae and Unified Silla] Which statement about political change after Silla unification is INCORRECT?

B) Hwabaek became more powerful than Chipsabu.

21. [Parhae and Unified Silla] Who played a major role in popularizing Buddhism among commoners in Unified Silla?

C) Wŏnhyo

22. [Parhae and Unified Silla] Which group most weakened centralized government in late Silla?

D) Hojok (local gentry)

23. [Parhae and Unified Silla] Who ran Chonghaejin and dominated East Asian maritime trade?

A) Chang Po-go

24. [Parhae and Unified Silla] Which statement is NOT relevant to the historical significance of the Dharani Sutra woodblock print?

B) It proves a significant expansion of readership in Silla.

25. [Parhae and Unified Silla] Which statement about Confucianism in Silla is INCORRECT?

C) It was central to moral and spiritual education of the general populace.

26. [Parhae and Unified Silla] Which structure demonstrates remarkable astronomical knowledge in Silla?

B) Chŏmsŏngdae

27. [Koryŏ Dynasty] Which measure was NOT used by Taejo (Wang Kŏn) to cement authority?

D) Dispatching capital officials to local districts.

28. [Koryŏ Dynasty] Which statement about Koryŏ's relations with Chinese dynasties is INCORRECT?

A) Koryŏ fell to Yuan and lost its sovereignty.

29. [Koryŏ Dynasty] Which was NOT an achievement of Kings Kwangjong and Sŏngjong?

A) Hopae (ID tags)

30. [Koryŏ Dynasty] Which statement about Koryŏ class structure is INCORRECT?

A) Kwagŏ was the only path to government positions.

31. [Koryŏ Dynasty] Which statement about the economy of Koryŏ is INCORRECT?

D) The king was the sole owner of all land in the dynasty.

32. [Koryŏ Dynasty] Which was NOT a Koryŏ social welfare program in the quiz?

B) Hwangok (grain lending)

33. [Koryŏ Dynasty] What private grain-lending relief program operated by temples and aristocrats became exploitative?

A) Changsaenggo

34. [Koryŏ Dynasty] What oldest surviving Korean history book was written by Kim Pu-sik in 1145?

A) Samguk sagi

35. [Koryŏ Dynasty] What is the unique inlay technique of Koryŏ celadon called?

B) Sanggam

36. [Koryŏ Dynasty] Which statement about Koryŏ Buddhism is INCORRECT?

C) Buddhism continued to decline because Confucianism governed.

37. [Late Koryŏ and Early Chosŏn] Which was NOT a contributing factor to the rise of military rule in Koryŏ?

A) Threats from neighboring countries.

38. [Late Koryŏ and Early Chosŏn] Which was NOT among Choe Chung-hŏn's Ten Injunctions?

E) Restoring freedom to those forced into slavery by local gentry.

39. [Late Koryŏ and Early Chosŏn] Who led an early anti-slavery uprising and questioned why generals and ministers differed from common people?

C) Manjŏk

40. [Late Koryŏ and Early Chosŏn] What is the oldest surviving book printed with movable metal type?

B) Chikchi

41. [Late Koryŏ and Early Chosŏn] Which rising literati group drove radical reform and the founding of Chosŏn?

B) Sadaebu

42. [Late Koryŏ and Early Chosŏn] Which statement about Yi Sŏng-gye's land reforms is INCORRECT?

D) The reforms were intended to benefit the royal family.

43. [Late Koryŏ and Early Chosŏn] Which radical Neo-Confucian helped establish Chosŏn and was killed by Bang-wŏn?

D) Chŏng To-jŏn

44. [Late Koryŏ and Early Chosŏn] Which was NOT among King Taejong's measures to consolidate royal power?

C) Recruiting talented scholars to advance scientific knowledge.

45. [Late Koryŏ and Early Chosŏn] Which was NOT an achievement of King Sejong?

B) Abolishing private armies and confiscating Buddhist temple lands.

46. [Late Koryŏ and Early Chosŏn] Which uncle seized the throne from his nephew Tanjong?

B) Suyang

47. [Late Koryŏ and Early Chosŏn] What ideology described Chosŏn's relationship with Ming as "serving the great"?

A) Sadae

48. [Chosŏn Society and Culture] Which national academy prepared Chosŏn youths for the final kwagŏ examination?

D) Sŏnggyungwan

49. [Chosŏn Society and Culture] Which statement about Chosŏn Confucianization is INCORRECT?

D) Widows were allowed to remarry.

50. [Chosŏn Society and Culture] Which statement about the Buddhist thinker Kihwa (Gihwa) is WRONG?

D) He converted to Buddhism to oppose Chosŏn's suppression of the religion.

51. [Chosŏn Society and Culture] What was the most important base of support for local Neo-Confucian literati surviving factional purges?

B) Sŏwŏn (private academy)

52. [Chosŏn Society and Culture] Which was NOT a consequence of the late-16th-century Japanese invasions of Chosŏn?

C) Disintegration of Chosŏn society

53. [Chosŏn Society and Culture] Which statement about 18th-19th-century Chosŏn class changes is INCORRECT?

B) Economic crises caused many farmers to lose land and fall into slavery.

54. [Chosŏn Society and Culture] What 1614 work by Yi Su-kwang encouraged pride in Korean history and introduced Catholicism?

B) Chibong yusŏl

55. [Chosŏn Society and Culture] What intellectual movement emphasized practical learning and openness to new ideas in 17th-century Chosŏn?

C) Sirhak

56. [Chosŏn Society and Culture] Which crown prince was held hostage by Qing and brought back Western science and Catholic texts?

B) Sohyŏn

57. [Chosŏn Society and Culture] Which hangŭl novel by Hŏ Kyun features a talented sŏja who becomes a bandit leader?

B) Hong Kil-tong chŏn