Misplaced Pages

#130869

95-633: It is not known when the statues first began to be made; various theories exist for their origin. They possibly began to be made at latest 500 years ago, since the early Joseon period. There are either 47 or 48 original pre-modern statues that are known to exist; most of them are located on Jeju Island. The statues are traditionally placed in front of gates, as symbolic projections of power and as guardians against evil spirits. They were also symbols and ritual objects for fertility. They are now considered symbols of Jeju Island. Recreations of them in miniature and in full size have since been created. Dol hareubang

190-736: A persecution of Catholics . However, after the retirement and death of the Queen Dowager, the Norons were gradually ousted, while the Andong Kim clan of Kim Jo-sun , the father of the Queen Sunwon , gained power. Gradually the Andong Kims came to dominate the court. With the domination of the Andong Kims, the era of Sedo Politics began. The formidable in-law lineage monopolized the vital positions in government, holding sway over

285-421: A highly respected leader of a group loyal to Goryeo dynasty, and dethroned King Gongyang, exiling him to Wonju , and he ascended the throne himself. The Goryeo kingdom had come to an end after 474 years of rule. In the beginning of his reign, Yi Sŏng-gye, now ruler of Korea, intended to continue to use the name Goryeo for the country he ruled and simply change the royal line of descent to his own, thus maintaining

380-513: A historiographer or recorder. This would lead to yet another purge in which four Noron leaders were executed in 1721, followed by another purge with the executions of eight Noron members in 1722. Sukjong's accomplishments include tax reform (大同法), the creation of a new monetary system and currency ( Korean mun ), and the liberalization of civil service rules promoting the middle class and children of concubines into higher-ranking regional government positions. In 1712, Sukjong's government worked with

475-413: A kingdom led by ministers appointed by the king while Yi Bang-won wanted to establish an absolute monarchy ruled directly by the king. With Taejo's support, Jeong Do-jeon kept limiting the royal family's power by prohibiting political involvement of princes and attempting to abolish their private armies. Both sides were well aware of each other's great animosity and were getting ready to strike first. After

570-410: A nearly 200-year period of peace. Joseon witnessed the emergence of Silhak (Practical Learning). The early group of Silhak scholars advocated comprehensive reform of civil service examination, taxation, natural sciences and the improvement in agromanagerial and agricultural techniques. It aimed to rebuild Joseon society after it had been devastated by the two invasions. Under the leadership of Kim Yuk ,

665-753: A power in the court, placing her family in high court positions. Japan, after the Meiji Restoration , acquired Western military technology, and forced Joseon to sign the Treaty of Ganghwa in 1876, opening three ports to trade and granting the Japanese extraterritoriality. Port Hamilton was briefly occupied by the Royal Navy in 1885. Sukjong of Joseon Sukjong ( Korean :  숙종 ; Hanja :  肅宗 ; 7 October 1661 – 12 July 1720), personal name Yi Sun ( 이순 ; 李焞 ),

760-577: A quick campaign that was assisted by northern yangban who had supported Gwanghaegun, the Jurchens imposed a treaty that forced Joseon to accept "brotherly relations" with the Jurchen kingdom. Because Injo persisted in his anti-Manchu policies, Qing emperor Hong Taiji sent a punitive expedition of 120,000 men to Joseon in 1636. Defeated, King Injo was forced to end his relations with the Ming and recognize

855-403: A round hat. This round hat is said to make the statue phallic , and thus a symbol of fertility. They tend to have large eyes, closed mouths, and one shoulder raised higher than the other. Their expressions have been described as stern, dignified, or humorous. Some have big ears, and some have hands placed either in front, on their stomachs, or around their backs. The statues were often erected at

950-540: A small and medium-sized power at the time, were able to use this incident as an opportunity to lay a political foundation, and in particular, Jeong Do-jeon , a friend of Yi Sŏng-gye, wanted to use this incident as an opportunity to reform the corrupt nobles and the Buddhist community. He later killed King U and his son after a failed restoration and forcibly placed a royal named Wang Yo on the throne (he became King Gongyang of Goryeo ). In 1392, Yi eliminated Chŏng Mong-ju ,

1045-426: A woman was experiencing issues with infertility , she could secretly take parts of a statue's nose, grind it into a powder, then consume the powder to improve her fertility. Many statues reportedly have worn noses due to this belief. Some reportedly believe that touching the nose of the statue improves fertility. The origin of dol hareubangs is unclear, with at least three theories surrounding it. Records surrounding

SECTION 10

#1732794594131

1140-562: Is a term in the Jeju language , and means "stone grandfather". The term was reportedly not common until recently, and was mostly used by children. It was decided by the Jeju Cultural Property Committee in 1971 to make dol hareubang the official term for the statue, and this name has since become the predominant one. The statues have gone by a significant variety of names that were possibly regional and dependent on

1235-514: Is still a dispute about the nature and purpose of his group, which reflected the desire for a classless society and spread throughout Honam . He was subsequently accused of conspiracy to start a rebellion. Jeong Cheol , head of the Western faction, was in charge of investigating the case and used this event to affect the widespread purge of Easterners who had the slightest connection to Jeong Yeo-rip. Eventually 1000 Easterners were killed or exiled in

1330-485: The daimyō of Tsushima, Sadamori, capitulated to the Joseon court. In 1443, The Treaty of Gyehae was signed in which the daimyō of Tsushima was granted rights to conduct trade with Korea using fifty ships per year in exchange for sending tribute to Korea and aiding to stop any Waegu coastal pirate raids on Korean ports. On the northern border, Sejong established four forts and six posts to safeguard his people from

1425-759: The 1991 Soviet-South Korean summit on Jeju Island, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev was given a dol hareubang as a gift. In 2002, a statue was gifted to Laizhou in China, and in 2003 another was gifted to the city hall of Santa Rosa, California in the United States. [REDACTED] Media related to Dol hareubangs at Wikimedia Commons Joseon Joseon ( English: / ˈ tʃ oʊ s ʌ n / CHOH -sun ; Korean :  조선 ; Hanja :  朝鮮 ; MR :  Chosŏn ; [tɕo.sʰʌn] ), officially Great Joseon State ( 대조선국 ; 大朝鮮國 ; [tɛ.dʑo.sʰʌn.ɡuk̚] ),

1520-539: The Bukhak theory , which argued that Joseon should adopt Qing and Western culture through the Qing dynasty. Joseon scholars became intrigued by the sophisticated architectural technology of China, encompassing construction techniques, wagon utilization, and the ondol heating system. Particularly fascinated by brick, the proponents of Bukhak endeavored to popularize its usage across Joseon, and eventually succeeded. Bak Jiwon

1615-637: The Dopyeong Assembly , a council of the old government administration that held a monopoly in court power during the waning years of Goryeo , in favor of the State Council of Joseon , a new branch of central administration that revolved around the king and his edicts. After passing the subject documentation and taxation legislation, he issued a new decree in which all decisions passed by the State Council could only come into effect with

1710-662: The Jurchens , who later became the Manchus , living in Manchuria. In 1433, Sejong sent Kim Jong-seo , a government official, north to fend off the Jurchens. Kim's military campaign captured several castles, pushed north, and expanded Korean territory, roughly the current border between North Korea and China. During the rule of Sejong, Korea saw advances in natural science , agriculture , literature , traditional Chinese medicine , and engineering . Because of such success, Sejong

1805-526: The National Folk Museum of Korea in Seoul, there are 2 that were originally from Jeju City. It is reportedly not known with certainty when most of these statues were produced. The statues were reportedly moved around over time, which caused wear-and-tear and made it difficult to place where they were originally from. They also served other superstitious functions. One folk belief had it that, if

1900-728: The Qing Dynasty in China to define national borders between the two countries at the Yalu and Tumen Rivers. The Japanese government recognized Ulleung Island as Joseon's territory in 1696 (the South Korean government insists that Liancourt Rocks was also recognized, while the Japanese government disagrees). Sukjong's reign also saw agricultural development in remote provinces and increased cultural activity including publishing. He died after reigning for 46 years in 1720 at age 60. He

1995-463: The Tangpyeongchaek – a policy of maintaining balance and equality between the factions. The two kings led a second renaissance of the Joseon kingdom. Yeongjo's grandson, the enlightened King Jeongjo enacted various reforms throughout his reign, notably establishing Kyujanggak , a royal library to improve the cultural and political position of Joseon and to recruit gifted officers to run

SECTION 20

#1732794594131

2090-615: The deposed Queen Yun , who was forced to drink poison after poisoning one of Seongjong's concubines out of jealousy and leaving a scratch mark on Seongjong's face. When he was shown a piece of clothing that was allegedly stained with his mother's blood vomited after drinking poison, he beat two of Seongjong's concubines, who had accused Queen Yun to death, and pushed his grandmother, Grand Queen Dowager Insu , who died afterward. He executed government officials who supported Queen Yun's death along with their families. He also executed sarim scholars for writing phrases critical of Sejo's usurpation of

2185-482: The 19th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty . King Sukjong was a brilliant politician, but his reign was marked by some of the most intense factional fights in the Joseon dynasty. Sukjong frequently replaced faction in power with another one to strengthen the royal authority. With each change of government, which was called hwanguk ( Korean :  환국 ; Hanja :  換局 ), literally change/switching of

2280-634: The Choe clan , an ally of the Queen and the Noron faction. Angry with the Southern faction's attempt to purge Westerners, Sukjong abruptly turned around to purge Southerners and brought the Western faction back to power. The Southern faction would never recover from this blow, also called Gapsul Hwanguk ( 갑술환국 ). Sukjong demoted Queen Jang to her previous title (Jang Hui-bin) and reinstated Queen Min. Consort Jang

2375-611: The Japanese together with the Koreans. During the war, Koreans developed powerful firearms and the turtle ships . The Joseon and Ming forces defeated the Japanese at a deep price. Following the war, relations between Korea and Japan were completely suspended until 1609. After the Japanese invasions, the Korean Peninsula was devastated. Meanwhile, Nurhaci (r. 1583–1626), the chieftain of the Jianzhou Jurchens ,

2470-467: The Joseon Dynasty , it was said that no official dared to receive a bribe or exploit the populace during this time because as Inspector General, he applied the law strictly. These radical reforms were very popular with the populace but were fiercely opposed by the conservative officials who had helped to put Jungjong on the throne. They plotted to cause Jungjong to doubt Jo's loyalty. Jo Gwang-jo

2565-456: The Joseon faced difficult external and internal problems. Internally, the foundation of national law and order weakened as a result of "Sedo Politics" (in-law government) by royal in-laws. The young Sunjo succeeded his father, King Jeongjo, in 1800. With Jeongjo's death the Noron seized power with the regency of Queen Dowager Jeongsun , whose family had strong ties to the faction, and initiated

2660-592: The Joseon period. By the late 14th century, the nearly 500-year-old Goryeo established in 918 was tottering, its foundations collapsing from years of war spilled over from the disintegrating Yuan dynasty . Following the emergence of the Ming dynasty , the royal court in Goryeo split into two conflicting factions, one favouring neutrality and the other wanting to retake the Liaodong peninsula , which many in Goryeo believed

2755-579: The Korean peninsula and saw the height of classical Korean culture, trade, literature, and science and technology. In the 1590s, the kingdom was severely weakened due to the two failed Japanese invasions of 1592 and 1598. Several decades later, Joseon was invaded by the Later Jin dynasty and the Qing dynasty in 1627 and 1636–1637 respectively, leading to an increasingly harsh isolationist policy, for which

2850-418: The Ming court was also requesting assistance. Gwanghaegun tried to maintain neutrality, but most of his officials opposed him for not supporting Ming China, which had saved Joseon during Hideyoshi's invasions. In 1623, Gwanghaegun was deposed and replaced by Injo of Joseon (r. 1623–1649), who banished Gwanghaegun's supporters. Reverting his predecessor's foreign policy, the new king decided to openly support

2945-605: The Ming dynasty as the center of the civilized world. Joseon intellectuals, who had political and cultural allegiances to the Ming dynasty, were forced to reexamine their state identity when the Qing overthrew the Ming, leading to an influx of Ming refugees into Joseon. As a result, Joseon created the Little China ideology , known as sojunghwa. According to Youngmin Kim, " it held that the Joseon embodied Chineseness authentically while other neighboring countries failed to do so in

Dol hareubang - Misplaced Pages Continue

3040-416: The Ming, but a rebellion led by military commander Yi Gwal erupted in 1624 and wrecked Joseon's military defenses in the north. Even after the rebellion had been suppressed, King Injo had to devote military forces to ensure the stability of the capital, leaving fewer soldiers to defend the northern borders. In 1627, a Jurchen army of 30,000 led by Nurhaci's nephew Amin overran Joseon's defenses. After

3135-482: The National Folk Museum of Korea in 1968. In recent years, the statue has become a symbol of Jeju Island. The first time a dol hareubang souvenir was created was reportedly in 1963, by sculptor Song Jong-Won. Song made a 25 cm (9.8 in) tall replica of a statue at the south gate of Jeju-mok. Tourist goods now widely feature the statues, with miniature to full-sized statues being sold. During

3230-533: The Noron collapsed when Sukjong deposed Queen Min (posthumously called Queen Inhyeon), who was supported by the Western faction, and named Consort Hui of the Jang clan (also called Consort Jang or Jang Hui-bin) as the new queen. She is widely thought to be one of the most beautiful women of Joseon, she was the only person recorded in Annals for her beautiful features. The Western faction angered Sukjong when it opposed

3325-479: The Qing as suzerain instead. Injo's successor Hyojong of Joseon (r. 1649–1659) tried to form an army to keep his enemies away and conquer the Qing for revenge, but could never act on his designs. Despite reestablishing economic relations by officially entering the imperial Chinese tributary system , Joseon leaders and intellectuals remained resentful of the Manchus, whom they regarded as barbarians, and regarded

3420-534: The Southern faction, but in 1680, Heo Jeok was accused of treason by Western faction, which led to the execution of Heo Jeok and Yun Hyu and purging of the Southern faction. This incident is called Gyeongsin Hwanguk  [ ko ] . Once in power, the Western faction split into the Noron (Old Learning) faction, led by Song Si-yeol , and the Soron (New Learning) faction, led by Yun Jeung. After nine years in power,

3515-531: The Western faction viewed the royal family as the first of the yangban class rather than a separate class for which different rules applied. The two factions were also in conflict over the issue of fighting the Qing Dynasty , which was considered barbaric country (as opposed to Ming Dynasty ) that threatened Joseon's national security. The Southern faction, led by Heo Jeok and Yun Hyu , supported war against Qing while Western factions wanted to focus first on improving domestic conditions. Sukjong at first sided with

3610-595: The Yuan dynasty weakened. The act caused an uproar among the Goryeo court, and General Ch'oe Yŏng seized the chance to argue for an invasion of the Ming-controlled Liaodong Peninsula . General Yi Sŏng-gye was chosen to lead the attack; he revolted, swept back to the capital Gaegyeong (now Kaesong ) and initiated a coup d'état , overthrowing King U of Goryeo in favor of his son, Chang of Goryeo (1388). Neo-Confucian scholars, who were

3705-534: The aftermath. Throughout Korean history, there was frequent piracy on sea and brigandage on land. The only purpose for the Joseon navy was to secure the maritime trade against the Waegu . The navy repelled pirates using an advanced form of gunpowder technologies including cannons and fire arrows in form of singijeon deployed by hwacha . During the Japanese invasions in the 1590s , Toyotomi Hideyoshi , plotting

3800-521: The approval of the king. This ended the custom of court ministers and advisors making decisions through debate and negotiations amongst themselves, and thus brought the royal power to new heights. Shortly thereafter, Taejong installed an office, known as the Sinmun Office , to hear cases in which aggrieved subjects felt that they had been exploited or treated unjustly by government officials or aristocrats . He kept Jeong Do-jeon's reforms intact for

3895-537: The aristocracy to maintain private armies. His revocation of such rights to field independent forces effectively severed their ability to muster large-scale revolts, and drastically increased the number of men employed in the national military. Taejong's next act as king was to revise the existing legislation concerning the taxation of land ownership and the recording of state of subjects. With the discovery of previously hidden land, national income increased twofold. In 1399, Taejong had played an influential role in scrapping

Dol hareubang - Misplaced Pages Continue

3990-473: The burdens of the people and solidify the basis of the nation's economy, he reformed the tax system. In 1871, U.S. and Korean forces clashed in a U.S. attempt at "gunboat diplomacy" following on the General Sherman incident of 1866. In 1873, King Gojong announced his assumption of royal rule. With the subsequent retirement of Heungseon Daewongun, Queen Min (later called Empress Myeongseong ) became

4085-540: The characteristics of the statues. Names including useongmok ( 우석목 ; 偶石木 ), museongmok ( 무성목 ; 武石木 ), ujungseok ( 옹중석 ; 翁仲石 ), beoksumeori ( 벅수머리 ), dolyeonggam ( 돌영감 ), sumunjang ( 수문장 ), janggunseok ( 장군석 ), dongjaseok ( 동자석 ), mangjuseok ( 망주석 ), and ongjungseok ( 옹중석 ). The name useongmok was possibly the most common. Each dol hareubang has different features and sizes, but they tend to share some commonalities. They are made of volcanic stone, and often depict figures wearing

4180-535: The chief minister of King Hyeonjong , the implementation of reforms proved highly advantageous both to state revenues and to the lot of the peasants. The co-existence system between Southerners and Westerners which were established after the Injo coup started to fall. After the Yesong debate, factional conflict grew particularly intense under the reigns of the kings Sukjong and Gyeongjong , with major rapid reversals of

4275-522: The conquest of Ming China with Portuguese guns, invaded Korea with his daimyōs and their troops, intending to use Korea as a stepping stone. Factional division in the Joseon court, inability to assess Japanese military capability, and failed attempts at diplomacy led to poor preparation on Joseon's part. The use of superior firearms by the Japanese left most of the southern part of the Korean Peninsula occupied within months, with both Hanseong (present-day Seoul ) and Pyongyang captured. The invasion

4370-490: The country became known as the " hermit kingdom " in Western literature . After the end of these invasions from Manchuria , Joseon experienced a nearly 200-year period of peace and prosperity, along with cultural and technological development. What power the kingdom recovered during its isolation waned as the 18th century came to a close. Faced with internal strife, power struggles, international pressure, and rebellions at home,

4465-570: The country, and by large-scale invasions by Japan and Manchu which nearly toppled the kingdom. The Sarim faction had suffered a series of political defeats during the reigns of Yeonsangun, Jungjong, and Myeongjong , but it gained control of the government during the reign of King Seonjo . It soon split into opposing factions known as the Easterners and the Westerners by their political or philosophical masters. Easterners mainly followed

4560-500: The crown, and psychologically exhausted from the death of his second wife, King Taejo abdicated and immediately crowned his second son Yi Bang-gwa as King Jeongjong . One of King Jeongjong's first acts as monarch was to revert the capital to Gaegyeong, where he is believed to have been considerably more comfortable, away from the toxic power strife. Yet Yi Bang-won retained real power and was soon in conflict with his disgruntled older brother, Yi Bang-gan, who also yearned for power. In 1400,

4655-452: The entrance of fortresses (and thus at the boundaries of settlements), facing each other. They often had grooves in them for placing wooden logs in. The position of these logs signaled whether entrances were open or closed to passersby, as per the jeongnang system used around Jeju. The statues projected images of power and security, and also served superstitious function in warding off bad spirits. Some people reportedly paid their respects to

4750-520: The face of the barbarian domination of the center of the civilized world." A set of standardized rites and unifying symbols were developed in Late Joseon Korea to maintain that sense of cultural identity. Long after submitting to the Qing, the Joseon court and many Korean intellectuals kept using Ming reign periods , as when a scholar marked 1861 as "the 234th year of Chongzhen ". After invasions from Japan and Manchuria, Joseon experienced

4845-533: The façade of continuing the 500-year-old Goryeo tradition. After numerous threats of mutiny from the drastically weakened but still influential Gwonmun nobles, who continued to swear allegiance to the remnants of the Goryeo and to the now-demoted Wang clan , the consensus in the reformed court was that a new dynastic title was needed to signify the change. In naming the new kingdom, Taejo contemplated two possibilities – "Hwaryeong" (his place of birth) and "Joseon". After much internal deliberation, as well as endorsement by

SECTION 50

#1732794594131

4940-587: The first form of constitutional law in a written form in Korea. Sejo undermined much of the foundation of many existing systems, including the Jiphyeonjeon which his predecessors, Sejong and Munjong, had carefully laid down. He cut down on everything he deemed unworthy and caused countless complications in the long run. Many of these adjustments were done for his own power, not regarding the consequences and problems that would occur. The favoritism he showed toward

5035-488: The fortress's west, south, and east gates. Some scholars argue the earliest known dol hareubang in their current form were created in 1754. There is a record that dol hareubang (called ongjungseok ) statues were built in 1754 in Jeju-mok. The creation of the statues was reportedly motivated by a belief that, after several famines in the reigns of kings Sukjong and Yeongjo , vengeful spirits were roaming and tormenting

5130-412: The kingdom declined rapidly in the late 19th century. The Joseon period has left a substantial legacy to modern Korea; much of modern Korean culture , etiquette, norms, and societal attitudes toward current issues, along with the modern Korean language and its dialects , derive from the culture and traditions of Joseon. Modern Korean bureaucracy and administrative divisions were also established during

5225-434: The living. The head of Jeju-mok then ordered that the statues be built. It is not clear whether these were the earliest occurrences of the statues. During the 1910–1945 Japanese colonial period , the statues were reportedly disregarded and moved around. This pattern reportedly continued into the rapid urban development after the liberation of Korea . Research on the statues occurred in the 1960s, and two of them were moved to

5320-484: The ministers who aided him in taking the throne led to increased corruption in the higher echelon of the political field. Sejo's weak son Yejong succeeded him as the eighth king, but died two years later in 1469. Yejong's nephew Seongjong ascended the throne. His reign was marked by the prosperity and growth of the national economy and the rise of neo-Confucian scholars called sarim who were encouraged by Seongjong to enter court politics. He established Hongmungwan ,

5415-422: The most part. In addition, Taejong executed or exiled many of his supporters who had helped him ascend the throne to strengthen his own royal authority. To limit the influence of in-laws, he killed all four of his wife 's brothers and Shim On , the father-in-law of his son Sejong . Taejong remains a controversial figure who killed many of his rivals and relatives to gain power and yet ruled effectively to improve

5510-414: The most to assisting his father's rise to power, Chief State Councillor Jeong Do-jeon and Nam Eun used their influence on the king to name Yi Bang-seok, his eighth son (second son of Queen Sindeok ), as crown prince in 1392. This conflict arose largely because Jeong Do-jeon, who shaped and laid down ideological, institutional, and legal foundations of the new kingdom more than anyone else, saw Joseon as

5605-420: The mourning period for Queen Insun. The Southern faction claimed that the mourning period should last one year while the Western faction argued for a nine-month mourning period. A one-year mourning period meant that Hyojong of Joseon was considered the eldest son while 9-month period would suggest that Hyojong was considered not the eldest son, following the rules that governed the yangban class. In other words,

5700-464: The naming of Consort Jang's son as crown prince. The Southern faction, who supported Consort Jang and her son, regained power and drove out Western faction, executing Song Si-yeol in revenge. This is called Gisa Hwanguk ( 기사환국 ). Five years later in 1694, as the Southern faction planned another purge of the Western faction, accusing them of conspiracy to reinstate the deposed Queen, Sukjong began to regret deposing Queen Min and favored Consort Suk of

5795-452: The nation. King Jeongjo also spearheaded bold social initiatives, opening government positions to those who would previously have been barred because of their social status. King Jeongjo had the support of the many Silhak scholars. King Jeongjo's reign also saw the further growth and development of Joseon's popular culture. At that time, the group of Silhak scholars encouraged the individual to reflect on state traditions and lifestyle, initiating

SECTION 60

#1732794594131

5890-417: The natural boundaries at the rivers of Amnok and Tuman through the subjugation of the Jurchens . During its 500-year duration, Joseon encouraged the entrenchment of Confucian ideals and doctrines in Korean society. Neo-Confucianism was installed as the new state's ideology. Buddhism was accordingly discouraged, and occasionally Buddhists faced persecutions. Joseon consolidated its effective rule over

5985-429: The neighboring Ming dynasty's emperor, Taejo declared the name of the kingdom to be Joseon, a tribute to the ancient Korean state of Gojoseon . He also moved the capital to Hanseong (modern Seoul ) from Gaegyeong (modern Kaesong). When the new dynasty was brought into existence, Taejo brought up the issue of which son would be his successor. Although Yi Bang-won , Taejo's fifth son by Queen Sinui , had contributed

6080-465: The number and location of the statues from before 1914 are reportedly sparse. One theory has it that a sea-faring people brought the statues to Jeju. A second theory argues that the statues developed from jangseung or beoksu ( 벅수 ) statues. Around 1416 (during the Joseon period), 6 dol hareubang in three pairs reportedly existed on the island. By 1754, there were reportedly 48 statues; 24 of these were at Jeju-mok (now Jeju City), with 4 pairs each at

6175-476: The people, sought to reduce the gap between the rich and poor with a land reform that would distribute land to farmers more equally and limit the amount of land and number of slaves that one could own, promulgated Confucian writings with vernacular translations widely among the populace, and sought to trim the size of government by reducing the number of bureaucrats. According to the Veritable Records of

6270-444: The political scene, and intervening in the succession of the throne. These kings had no monarchic authority and could not rule over the government. The other aristocratic families, overwhelmed by the power exercised by the royal in-laws, could not speak out. As the power was concentrated in the hands of the royal in-law lineage, there was disorder in the governing process, and corruption became rampant. Large sums were offered in bribes to

6365-598: The populace's lives, strengthen national defense, and lay down a solid foundation for his successor Sejong's rule. In August 1418, following Taejong's abdication two months earlier, Sejong the Great ascended the throne. In May 1419, King Sejong, under the advice and guidance of his father Taejong, embarked upon the Gihae Eastern Expedition to remove the nuisance of waegu (coastal pirates) who had been operating out of Tsushima Island . In September 1419,

6460-430: The powerful lineages to obtain positions with nominally high rank. Even the low-ranking posts were bought and sold. This period, which spanned 60 years, saw the manifestation of both severe poverty among the Korean population and ceaseless rebellions in various parts of the country. Externally, Joseon became increasingly isolationist . Its rulers sought to limit contact with foreign countries. In 1863, King Gojong took

6555-437: The royal library and advisory council composed of Confucian scholars, with whom he discussed philosophy and government policies. He ushered in a cultural golden age that rivaled Sejong's reign by publishing numerous books on geography, ethics, and various other fields. He also sent several military campaigns against the Jurchens on the northern border in 1491, like many of his predecessors. The campaign, led by General Heo Jong ,

6650-457: The ruling faction, known as hwanguk (換局; literally change in the state of affairs ), being commonplace. During the early reign of Sukjong , the southerners managed to become a ruling faction and made westerners lose power. But the southerners' rise to power was temporary. Sukjong , who believed that political faction would weaken the king's power started rapid reversals of the ruling faction, which resulted in bloody killings between factions. After

6745-553: The seat of royal authority. From 1862 to 1864, an insurgency movement driven by Donghak followers and religious leader Choe Je-u gathered a peasant army to take over southern parts of Korea until Choe was executed in 1864. During his reign, the power and authority of the in-law families such as the Andong Kims sharply declined. To get rid of the Andong Kim and Pungyang Jo clans, he promoted persons without making references to political party or family affiliations, and to reduce

6840-482: The state , the losing faction was completely driven out of politics with executions and exiles. Nevertheless, the chaotic changes of government did not affect the general populace significantly, and his reign is considered one of more prosperous times. In the early years of Sukjong's reign, the Southern faction and Western faction clashed over the Royal Funeral Dispute, a seemingly minor issue regarding

6935-898: The statues whenever they passed. The statues have been compared to jangseung , traditional wooden totem poles around Korea whose function was to ward off bad spirits. There is some commonalities shared between the dol hareubang of three Joseon -era historical regions of Jeju, although there is still intra-region variance. Dol hareubang in Jeju-seong and Jeongeuihyeon-seong tend to be standing on stone platforms called giseok ( 기석 ; 基石 ), but those in Daejeonghyeon-seong do not. There are reportedly either 47 or 48 extant pre-modern dol hareubang . In Jeju City , there are 21. In Seongeup-ri in Seogwipo , there are 12. Across Inseong-ri, Anseong-ri, and Boseong-ri there are 12. In

7030-418: The studies of Korea that addressed its history, geography, epigraphy and language. During the late Joseon period of the 18th and 19th centuries, Joseon started to change its perceptions of the Qing dynasty. The shift in perceptions commenced through the introduction of Qing dynasty culture to Joseon society by Yeonhaengsa, Korean envoys to the Qing dynasty. Progressive-thinking Joseon intellectuals advocated

7125-409: The sudden death of Queen Sindeok, while King Taejo was still in mourning for his second wife, Yi Bang-won struck first by raiding the palace and killed Jeong Do-jeon and his supporters as well as Queen Sindeok's two sons (his half-brothers) including the crown prince in 1398. This incident became known as the "First Strife of Princes". Aghast at the fact that his sons were willing to kill each other for

7220-765: The teachings and philosophy of Yi Hwang and Jo Sik while the Westerners followed the philosophy of Yi I and Song Hon. Within decades the Easterners themselves divided into the Southerners and the Northerners ; in the seventeenth century the Westerners also permanently split into the Noron and the Soron . Factions in the Joseon dynasty were formed based on their different interpretations of Confucian philosophy, which mainly differed according to who their master

7315-429: The tensions between Yi Bang-won's faction and Yi Bang-gan's camp escalated into an all-out conflict that came to be known as the "Second Strife of Princes". In the aftermath of the struggle, the defeated Yi Bang-gan was exiled to Dosan while his supporters were executed. Thoroughly intimidated, King Jeongjong immediately invested Yi Bang-won as heir presumptive and voluntarily abdicated. That same year, Yi Bang-won assumed

7410-510: The three bloody hwanguk, the Southerners lost their influence in the central government, and the ruling Westerners were divided into hard-line Noron who rejected the Southerners and moderate Soron who were friendly to the Southerners. This shift resulted in political radicalism which viewed other factions as the ones that should be eliminated. In response, the next kings, Yeongjo (r. 1724–1776) and Jeongjo (r. 1776–1800), generally pursued

7505-411: The throne of Joseon as King Taejong , third king of the dynasty. In the beginning of Taejong's reign, the former King Taejo refused to relinquish the royal seal that signified the legitimacy of any king's rule. Regardless, Taejong initiated policies he believed would prove his qualification to rule. One of his first acts as king was to abolish the privilege enjoyed by the upper echelons of government and

7600-507: The throne, Sejo executed the six ministers and also killed Danjong in his place of exile. King Sejo enabled the government to determine exact population numbers and to mobilize troops effectively. He also revised the land ordinance to improve the national economy and encouraged the publication of books. Most importantly, he compiled the Grand Code for State Administration , which became the cornerstone of dynastic administration and provided

7695-544: The throne. Yeonsangun also seized a thousand women from the provinces to serve as palace entertainers and appropriated the Sungkyunkwan as a personal pleasure ground. He abolished the Office of Censors, whose function was to criticize inappropriate actions and policies of the king, and Hongmungwan. He banned the use of hangul when the common people used it on posters to criticize the king. After twelve years of misrule, he

7790-528: The throne. His father, Heungseon Daewongun , ruled for him until Gojong reached adulthood. During the mid-1860s the Regent was the main proponent of isolationism and the instrument of the persecution of native and foreign Catholics, a policy that led directly to the French Campaign against Korea in 1866. The early years of his rule also witnessed a large effort to restore the dilapidated Gyeongbokgung ,

7885-414: Was theirs . Goryeo remained a neutral third-party observer in the conflict between the Yuan and the Ming and had friendly diplomatic relations with both. In 1388, a Ming messenger came to Goryeo to demand that territories of the former Ssangseong Prefectures be handed over to Ming China. The tract of land was taken by Mongol forces during the invasion of Korea , but had been reclaimed by Goryeo in 1356 as

7980-585: Was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom was founded following the aftermath of the overthrow of Goryeo in what is today the city of Kaesong . Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul . The kingdom's northernmost borders were expanded to

8075-543: Was among the first to construct brick Chinese-style buildings in Anui, Gyeongsang Province, and Gyedong, Seoul, towards the end of the 18th century. Following the establishment of the Suwon Hwaseong Fortress , which was influenced by Qing construction technology and techniques, Qing-style architectural style and techniques started to become more widespread in Joseon society. After the death of King Jeongjo,

8170-451: Was and what they believed in. The alternations in power among these factions were often accompanied by charges of treason and bloody purges, initiating a cycle of revenge with each change of regime. One example is the 1589 rebellion of Jeong Yeo-rip , one of the bloodiest political purges of Joseon. Jeong Yeo-rip, an Easterner, had formed a society with a group of supporters that also received military training to fight against Waegu . There

8265-580: Was eventually executed by poison for cursing the Queen. The Soron faction supported Crown Prince Yi Yun, Consort Jang's son, while the Noron faction supported Consort Choe 's son, Prince Yeoning (Yi Geum), later to become Yeongjo of Joseon . The late Queen Inhyeon and the newly installed Queen Kim (posthumously known as Queen Inwon) were both childless. In 1718, Sukjong allowed the crown prince, soon to be Gyeongjong of Joseon , to rule as regent. Sukjong died in 1720 supposedly after telling Yi Yi-myoung to name Prince Yeoning as Gyeongjong's heir - in absence of

8360-460: Was executed, and most of his reform measures died with him in the resulting third literati purge . For nearly 50 years afterward, the court politics were marred by bloody and chaotic struggles between factions backing rival consorts and princes. In-laws of the royal family wielded great power and contributed to much corruption in that era. The middle Joseon period was marked by intense and bloody power struggles between political factions that weakened

8455-436: Was finally deposed in a coup which placed his half-brother Jungjong on the throne in 1506. Jungjong was a fundamentally weak king because of the circumstances that placed him on the throne, but his reign also saw a period of significant reforms led by his minister Jo Gwang-jo , the charismatic leader of sarim. He established a local self-government system called hyangyak to strengthen local autonomy and communal spirit among

8550-457: Was given the title "Sejong the Great". The most remembered contribution of King Sejong is the creation of Hangul , the Korean alphabet, in 1443. Rejected in its time by the scholarly elite, the everyday use of Hanja in writing was eventually surpassed by Hangul in the latter half of the 20th century. After King Sejong's death, his son Munjong continued his father's legacy but soon died of illness in 1452, just two years after his coronation. He

8645-429: Was slowed when Admiral Yi Sun-shin destroyed the Japanese invasion fleet. The guerrilla resistance that eventually formed also helped. Local resistance slowed down the Japanese advance and decisive naval victories by Admiral Yi left control over sea routes in Korean hands, severely hampering Japanese supply lines. Furthermore, Ming China intervened on the side of the Koreans, sending a large force in 1593 which pushed back

8740-492: Was succeeded by his twelve-year-old son, Danjong . In addition to two regents, Princess Gyeonghye also served as Danjong's guardian and, along with the general Kim Jong-seo, attempted to strengthen royal authority. Danjong's uncle, Grand Prince Suyang , gained control of the government and eventually deposed his nephew to become the seventh king of Joseon himself in 1455, taking the name Sejo. After six ministers loyal to Danjong attempted to assassinate Sejo to return Danjong to

8835-529: Was successful, and the defeated Jurchens, led by the Udige clan (兀狄哈), retreated to the north of the Yalu River . King Seongjong was succeeded by his son, Yeonsangun , in 1494. Yeonsangun is often considered the worst tyrant in Joseon's history, whose reign was marked by literati purges between 1498 and 1506. His behavior became erratic after he learned that his biological mother was not Queen Junghyeon but

8930-649: Was the 19th monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea . A skilled legislator, he caused multiple changes in political power throughout his reign, by switching among the Namin (Southerners) , Seoin (Westerners) , Soron and Noron political factions. King Sukjong was born on October 7, 1661, to King Hyeonjong and Queen Myeongseong at Gyeonghuigung . His given name was Yi Sun. He became the Crown Prince Myeongbo in 1667 at age 6, and in 1674, at age 13, he became

9025-474: Was unifying the Jurchen tribes of Manchuria into a strong coalition that his son Hong Taiji (r. 1626–1643) would eventually rename the "Manchus". After he declared Seven Grievances against Ming China in 1618, Nurhaci and the Ming engaged in several military conflicts. On such occasions, Nurhaci required help from Gwanghaegun of Joseon (r. 1608–1623), putting the Korean state in a difficult position because

#130869