Week 7: Choson (Joseon) and Edo Period

7.1 Choson (Joseon)

Foundation and Leadership:

• Established in 1392 by General Yi Song Gye (King Taejo) after overthrowing the Kyoro dynasty.

• Adopted Neo-Confucianism as the state ideology, heavily influencing society and governance.

• Captial moved to Hanyang (present-day Seoul).

Relations and Stability:

• Became a tributary state to Ming and later Qing China, maintaining stability through diplomacy.

• Restricted trade with Japan, primarily through Tsushima Island, and conducted limited communication envoys.

Social Structure:

• Yangban: Aristocratic elite, holding powere through Confucian education and birth.

• Commoners (Yangin): Farmers and merchants making up the majority.

• Chungin (Middle People): Hereditary professionals like doctors, scribes, and diviners.

• Slaves: Positioned at the bottom, treated as chattel.

Intellectual and Cultural Achievements:

• Neo-Confucian education system emphasized civil service exams and classical studies.

• King Sejong (1418-1450) introduced Hangul, the Korean alphabet, and fostered scientific advancements.

• Development of Sirhak (“practical learning”) in the 17th century encouraged empirical approaches over Confucian traditions.

Challenges and Declines:

• Endured Japanese invasions (1592-1598), repelled with Ming support and naval hero Yi Sun Sin.

• Fell under Manchu domination after invasions in 1627 and 1636, becoming a tributary to Qing until 1895

7.2 Edo Japan

Establishment and Leadership:

• Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate in 1600 after the Battle of Sekigahara.

• The shogunate centralized power in Edo (modern-day Tokyo), governing through a bakufu (military government).

Governance and Control:

• Daimyo (regional lords) classified into three groups: Tozama (allied), Fudai (vassal), and Shimpan (related).

• Sankin-kotai (alternate attendance) system enforced to ensure daimyo loyalty by requiring them to reside periodically in Edo with families left as hostages.

• Sakoku (seclusion policy) limited foreign trade, allowing controlled contact with Dutch, Chinese, Koreans, and Ryukyu Islands.

Social Structure:

• Based on Confucian heirarchy: warriors (samurai) at the top, followed by peasants, artisans, and merchants.

• Samurai transitioned from military roles to bureaucratic and administrative positions.

Economic and Cultural Growth:

• Agricultural productivity doubled, supporting population growth from 18 to 30 million.

• Rise of urban centers (Edo, Osaka) fostered trade and a burgeoning merchant class.

• Genroku period (late 17th to early 18th century) saw cultural flourishing with kabuki theater, ukiyo-e woodblock prints, and haiku poetry.

Legacy and Challenges:

• The Tokugawa period set the stage for Japan’s eventual modernization and industrialization in the 19th century.

• Despite rigid structures, economic growth challenged traditional heirarchies, empowering merchants over samurai.