Korea and China

• Temporary Chinese conquest of northern Korea during Han Dynasty & colonization by Chinese settlers

• Bitter rivals

• Korea generally maintained political independence

• Korea participated in Chinese’s tribute system

• Korea wanted to copy Chinese administrative techniques

• Confucianism, brought by the Chinese, was studied in Korea

• Negative impact on Korean women

• Examination system never caught on

  Regarding Women:

  • Korean women originally had children and stayed with their families

  • Unfair for widowed women (no remarriage, divorce, property rights)

  • Men were allowed to have several wives

• Chinese culture had little influences outside of aristocracy

• Korea had many slaves; 1/3rd of population

  • Buddhist monasteries used slaves to cultivate land