A History of the Early Korean Kingdom of Paekche, together with an annotated translation of The Paekche Annals of the Samguk sagi
A History of the Early Korean Kingdom of Paekche, together with an annotated translation of The Paekche Annals of the Samguk sagi

Author: Jonathan W. Best

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2020-03-17

Total Pages: 584

ISBN-13: 1684174236

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"This volume presents two histories of the early Korean kingdom of Paekche (trad. 18 BCE–660 CE). The first, written by Jonathan Best, is based largely on primary sources, both written and archaeological. This initial history of Paekche serves, in part, to introduce the second, an extensively annotated translation of the oldest history of the kingdom, the Paekche Annals (Paekche pon’gi). Written in the chronicle format standard for the traditional official histories of East Asia, the Paekche Annals constitutes one section of the Histories of the Three Kingdoms (Samguk sagi), a comprehensive account of early Korean history compiled under the editorial direction of Kim Pusik (1075–1151). Although these two representations of Paekche history differ markedly, the underlying problem faced by both the twelfth-century and the twenty-first-century historian is essentially the same: fashioning a responsible, encompassing, and reasonably coherent history of the kingdom from meager, and often disparate and fragmentary, evidence. Included in the volume are 22 appendixes on problems in Paekche history; a concordance of proper names, official titles, omens, and weights and measures; a glossary of geographical names; and six historical maps of the kingdom showing its changing boundaries."

A History of the Early Korean Kingdom of Paekche
A History of the Early Korean Kingdom of Paekche

Author: Jonathan W. Best

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 592

ISBN-13:

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This book presents two histories of the early Korean kingdom of Paekche (trad. 18 BCE-660 CE). The first, written by Best, is based largely on primary sources. This initial history serves, in part, to introduce the second, an extensively annotated translation of the oldest history of the kingdom, The Paekche Annals (Paekche pon'gi).

A History of Korea
A History of Korea

Author: Kyung Moon Hwang

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2021-11-30

Total Pages: 310

ISBN-13: 1350932787

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Dynamic and meticulously researched, A History of Korea continues to be one of the leading introductory textbooks on Korean history. Assuming no prior knowledge, Hwang guides readers from early state formation and the dynastic eras to the modern experience in both North and South Korea. Structured around episodic accounts, each chapter begins by discussing a defining moment in Korean history in context, with an extensive examination of how the events and themes under consideration have been viewed up to the present day. By engaging with recurring themes such as collective identity, external influence, social hierarchy, family and gender, the author introduces the major historical events, patterns and debates that have shaped both North and South Korea over the past 1500 years. This textbook is essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students of Korean or Asian history. The first half of the book covers pre-20th century history, and the second half the modern era, making it ideal for survey courses.

A Study of Korean Pagodas
A Study of Korean Pagodas

Author: Go Yuseop

Publisher: Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism

Published:

Total Pages: 647

ISBN-13:

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A Study of Korean Pagodas, a monumental work of research in which Korean pagodas are described by focusing on their stylistic history, is considered as the archetype of this field. In Buddhist art history this work is a classic that set the stylistic standard for studying stone pagodas, the periods of classification, and the basic framework of analysis. The theories first presented in this book have exerted a great influence to the present day. The author Go Yuseop 高裕燮 (1905–1944), a representative scholar in the field of Korean art history, studied at Gyeongseong Jedae 京城帝大, the only university during the colonial period, and served as director of Gaeseong Museum and professor at Yeonhui Professional School and Ewha Womans Professional School. His research was based on the direct exploration of scenic spots, historical remains, and Buddhist temples. In addition to A Study of Korean Pagodas, Go Yuseop left Songdo gojeok 松都古蹟 (Historical Remains at Songdo), Joseon misulsa nonchong 朝鮮美術史論叢 (A Collection of Studies on History of Korean Art), and other writings. A Study of Korean Pagodas explains that Korean pagodas originated from wooden and brick pagodas of the Three Kingdoms period; their size was reduced during the early period of the Unified Silla dynasty, in which the typical style was established; during the middle to the end of the Unified Silla dynasty, the atypical pagoda appeared. Go Yuseop explains the arrangement of buildings in temples in the Three Kingdoms period and its variations on the basis of the relationship between the main hall, Geumdang金堂, and pagodas. Although criticism and alternative theories have been advanced, his explanation is still valid to understand the emergence of the monastery arrangement with twin pagodas. The base text for this translation is the published edition by Eulyoo Munhwasa (1948), but references are made to other editions, including those of Donghwa Chulpan (1975), Tongmungwan (1993), and Yeolhwadang (2010).

Reconstructing Ancient Korean History
Reconstructing Ancient Korean History

Author: Stella Xu

Publisher: Lexington Books

Published: 2016-05-12

Total Pages: 249

ISBN-13: 1498521452

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This book examines the contested re-readings of “Korea” in early Chinese historical records and their influence on the formation of Korean-ness in later periods. The earliest written records on “Koreans” are found in Chinese documents produced during the Han dynasty, from the third century BCE to the third century CE. Since then, these early Chinese records have been used as primary sources for writing early Korean history in Korea, China, and Japan. This study analyzes the various reinterpretations and utilizations of these early records that became more diverse by the late nineteenth century, when the reconstruction of ancient history became a crucial part of the formation of Korean national consciousness. Korea’s modern historiography was complicated by a thirty-five year colonial experience (1910–1945) under Japan. During this period, Japanese colonial scholars attempted to depict Korean history as stagnant, heteronymous, and replete with factional strife, while Korean nationalist historians strove to construct an indigenous Korean nation in order to mobilize Koreans’ national consciousness and recover political sovereignty. While focused on Korea and Northeast Asia, the links between historiography and political ideology investigated in this study are pertinent to historians in general.

A Companion to Korean Art
A Companion to Korean Art

Author: J. P. Park

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2020-06-30

Total Pages: 568

ISBN-13: 1118927001

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The only college-level publication on Korean art history written in English Korean pop culture has become an international phenomenon in the past few years. The popularity of the nation’s exports—movies, K-pop, fashion, television shows, lifestyle and cosmetics products, to name a few—has never been greater in Western society. Despite this heightened interest in contemporary Korean culture, scholarly Western publications on Korean visual arts are scarce and often outdated. A Companion to Korean Art is the first academically-researched anthology on the history of Korean art written in English. This unique anthology brings together essays by renowned scholars from Korea, the US, and Europe, presenting expert insights and exploring the most recent research in the field. Insightful chapters discuss Korean art and visual culture from early historical periods to the present. Subjects include the early paintings of Korea, Buddhist architecture, visual art of the late Chosŏn period, postwar Korean Art, South Korean cinema, and more. Several chapters explore the cultural exchange between the Korean peninsula, the Chinese mainland, and the Japanese archipelago, offering new perspectives on Chinese and Japanese art. The most comprehensive survey of the history of Korean art available, this book: Offers a comprehensive account of Korean visual culture through history, including contemporary developments and trends Presents two dozen articles and numerous high quality illustrations Discusses visual and material artifacts of Korean art kept in various archives and collections worldwide Provides theoretical and interpretive balance on the subject of Korean art Helps instructors and scholars of Asian art history incorporate Korean visual arts in their research and teaching The definitive and authoritative reference on the subject, A Companion to Korean Art is indispensable for scholars and academics working in areas of Asian visual arts, university students in Asian and Korean art courses, and general readers interested in the art, culture, and history of Korea.

The Three Kingdoms of Korea
The Three Kingdoms of Korea

Author: Richard D. McBride II

Publisher: Reaktion Books

Published: 2024-07-06

Total Pages: 184

ISBN-13: 1789149053

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An expansive and accessible introduction to the history of Korea during the first millennium CE. Korea’s Three Kingdoms period is a genuine “lost civilization,” during which ancient realms vied for supremacy during the first millennium CE. Nobles from this period’s feuding states adopted and adapted Buddhism and Confucianism through interactions with early medieval Chinese dynasties. It was not until the mid-seventh century that the aristocratic Silla state, with the assistance of the mighty Chinese Tang empire, unified the Three Kingdoms of Korea by conquering the kingdoms of Koguryo and Paekche. Weaving together legends of ancient kings with the true histories of monks, scholars, and laypeople, this book sheds new light on a foundational period that continues to shape Korean identity today.

The Diary of 1636
The Diary of 1636

Author: Na Man’gap

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2020-08-04

Total Pages: 210

ISBN-13: 0231552238

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Early in the seventeenth century, Northeast Asian politics hung in a delicate balance among the Chosŏn dynasty in Korea, the Ming in China, and the Manchu. When a Chosŏn faction realigned Korea with the Ming, the Manchu attacked in 1627 and again a decade later, shattering the Chosŏn-Ming alliance and forcing Korea to support the newly founded Qing dynasty. The Korean scholar-official Na Man’gap (1592–1642) recorded the second Manchu invasion in his Diary of 1636, the only first-person account chronicling the dramatic Korean resistance to the attack. Partly composed as a narrative of quotidian events during the siege of Namhan Mountain Fortress, where Na sought refuge with the king and other officials, the diary recounts Korean opposition to Manchu and Mongol forces and the eventual surrender. Na describes military campaigns along the northern and western regions of the country, the capture of the royal family, and the Manchu treatment of prisoners, offering insights into debates about Confucian loyalty and the conduct of women that took place in the war’s aftermath. His work sheds light on such issues as Confucian statecraft, military decision making, and ethnic interpretations of identity in the seventeenth century. Translated from literary Chinese into English for the first time, the diary illuminates a traumatic moment for early modern Korean politics and society. George Kallander’s critical introduction and extensive annotations place The Diary of 1636 in its historical, political, and military context, highlighting the importance of this text for students and scholars of Chinese and East Asian as well as Korean history.

The God Susanoo and Korea in Japan’s Cultural Memory
The God Susanoo and Korea in Japan’s Cultural Memory

Author: David Weiss

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2022-01-13

Total Pages: 354

ISBN-13: 1350271209

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This book discusses how ancient Japanese mythology was utilized during the colonial period to justify the annexation of Korea to Japan, with special focus on the god Susanoo. Described as an ambivalent figure and wanderer between the worlds, Susanoo served as a foil to set off the sun goddess, who played an important role in the modern construction of a Japanese national identity. Susanoo inhabited a sinister otherworld, which came to be associated with colonial Korea. Imperialist ideologues were able to build on these interpretations of the Susanoo myth to depict Korea as a dreary realm at the margin of the Japanese empire that made the imperial metropole shine all the more brightly. At the same time, Susanoo was identified as the ancestor of the Korean people. Thus, the colonial subjects were ideologically incorporated into the homogeneous Japanese “family state.” The book situates Susanoo in Japan's cultural memory and shows how the deity, while being repeatedly transformed in order to meet the religious and ideological needs of the day, continued to symbolize the margin of Japan.