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97-400: It is one of the "8 Scenes of Mokpo" and is a symbol of the city. At the summit, thousands of islands can be seen with several hills of strange looking rocks. The three highest peaks are called first, second and madang bawi(rock). Two monuments are found on or near the mountain; the first is a statue of General Yi Sun-sin , the other is of a famous singer Lee Nan-young . The city has initiated

194-499: A provincial level was de facto hereditary. In the early Joseon Dynasty, if no one from a noble family had held a government position for four generations, they were deprived of that position.  However, the government, which was short of budget due to the wars of the 16th century and the disasters caused by the Little Ice Age, issued a tool called Gongmyeongcheop, a means of purchasing and selling government positions, and

291-537: A Japanese double-agent plot nearly succeeded, resulting in every turtle ship and all but 13 panokseon being sunk. The turtle ships did not re-appear in battle until the Battle of Noryang . Turtle ships were mostly used to spearhead attacks. They were best used in tight areas and around islands rather than the open sea. One day, he told General Kim Gyeong-seo that the Japanese general Katō Kiyomasa would be coming on

388-521: A Korean victory, with Japanese losses of 59 ships – 47 destroyed and 12 captured. Several Korean prisoners of war were rescued during the fight. Admiral Wakisaka escaped due to the speed of his flagship. When the news of the defeat reached Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he ordered that the Japanese invasion forces cease all naval operations. On August 16, 1592, Yi Sun-sin led the fleet to the harbor of Angolpo , where 42 Japanese vessels were docked. In September 1592, Yi left his base at Hansan Island and attacked

485-493: A certain date with a great fleet for another attack on the south shores and insisted that Admiral Yi be sent to lay an ambush. General Kim agreed and sent the message to Field Marshal Gwon Yul (권율; 權慄; 1537–1599), Commander-in-Chief ( 도원수 ; 導元帥 ) of the Joseon military, who, in turn, sent the message to King Seonjo . King Seonjo , who was desperate for victories to loosen the Japanese grip on his kingdom, gave permission for

582-483: A contemporary tradition, Yi then spent three years out of the army upon hearing of his father's death. After his return to the front line, Yi led a string of successful campaigns against the Jurchen. However, his brilliance and accomplishments so soon in his career made his superiors jealous, and they falsely accused him of desertion during battle. The conspiracy was led by General Yi Il , who would later fail to repel

679-452: A difficult childhood because of his family's connections with Jo Gwang-jo (as depicted in the KBS TV series Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin ). However, recent studies suggest that this was not true, and Yi's family did not face any political persecution. One of the most important events of his early life was when Yi met and became friends with Ryu Seong-ryong , a prominent scholar who held

776-403: A few at a time. The north–south tidal flow reversed every three hours, limiting the time that the Japanese could mount an offensive. The strait was sufficiently narrow that it would prove impossible for the Japanese to flank or envelop the numerically inferior Joseon fleet. The deep shadows of the surrounding hillsides provided the Joseon ships with concealment. On that particular day there was also

873-527: A fleet of over 300 ships, confident in being able to defeat Admiral Yi. Elimination of the Joseon fleet would mean unrestricted movement of supplies and reinforcements from Japan for the offensive drive on land towards Hanseong and beyond. After careful study of potential battlefields, in October 1597 Admiral Yi lured the Japanese fleet into the Myeongnyang Strait , by sending a fast warship near

970-489: A former politician, retired when neo-Confucian reformer Jo Gwang-jo was executed in the Third Literati Purge of 1519 and moved to a village near where Jo was buried. Yi Sun-sin's father Yi Jeong ( 이정 ; 李貞 ) was likewise disillusioned with politics and did not enter government service as expected of a yangban (noble) family. It was a consistent belief among many Korean historians that Yi Sun-sin had

1067-451: A heavy mist, dramatically reducing visibility in favor of the Joseon fleet. Therefore, despite being vastly outnumbered, Admiral Yi used the terrain restrictions to neutralize the Japanese navy's staggering numerical advantage. The Japanese fleet of approximately 333 ships (133 warships, at least 200 logistical support ships) entered Myeongnyang Strait in groups. The Japanese ships that made it through were met by 13 Joseon warships obscured by

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1164-455: A large Japanese fleet was nearby. The following morning, the Korean fleet spotted the Japanese fleet of 82 vessels anchored in the strait of Gyeonnaeryang . Because of the narrowness of the strait and the hazard posed by the underwater rocks, Admiral Yi sent six ships to lure out 63 Japanese vessels into the wider sea, and the Japanese fleet followed. There the Japanese fleet was surrounded by

1261-523: A letter written " ...your servant still doth have twelve warships under his command and he is still alive, that the enemy shall never be safe in the West Sea (the Yellow Sea being the closest body of water to Hanseong )." Emboldened after their victory at Chilchonryang, Japanese admirals Kurushima Michifusa , Todo Takatora , Kato Yoshiaki , and Wakisaka Yasuharu sailed out of Busan Harbor with

1358-574: A project called "city of light," in which nightlights are placed around its flora. This has been criticized for creating more light pollution. An environmental association in Gwangju and Jeollanamdo selected this incident as the 10th worst attack on the environment in 2006. Yudal Mt. Flower festival is held annually in April or May. The spectacle can be seen when climbing to the summit to look over Dadohaehaesang National Park with hundreds of islands within

1455-528: A squadron to counter the Korean navy. Eventually Admiral Wakizaka completed his preparations, and his eagerness to win military honor pushed him to launch an attack against the Koreans without waiting for the other admirals to finish. The combined Korean navy of 70 ships under the commands of Admirals Yi Sun-sin and Yi Eok-gi was carrying out a search-and-destroy operation because the Japanese troops on land were advancing into Jeolla Province . Jeolla Province

1552-519: A young boy, Yi played war games with other local boys, showing excellent leadership talent at an early age, and constructed his bow and fletched his own arrows as a teenager. He spent his adolescence and early adulthood years before passing the military examination in Asan , where his mother's relatives lived. His family was part of the Deoksu Yi clan. His grandfather Yi Baek-rok ( 이백록 ; 李百祿 ),

1649-403: Is a continuing debate as to whether the turtle ship had two decks or three; historians still have no definitive answer. Whichever is the case, it is clear that the turtle ship employed multiple decks to separate the rowers from the combat compartment. This enabled the turtle ship to be very mobile since wind and manpower could be used simultaneously. Most support the argument of two decks since that

1746-651: Is based mostly on military and party alliances. Yangban were the Joseon period equivalent of the former Goryeo nobles who had been educated in Buddhist and Confucian studies. With the succession of the Yi generals in the Joseon dynasty, prior feuds and factions were quelled through a decisive attempt to instill administrative organization throughout Korea and create a new class of agrarian bureaucrats. The individual yangban included members of this new class of bureaucrats and former Goryeo nobility. While ostensibly open to all,

1843-701: Is one of the most renowned historical figures in Korea, with multiple landmarks, awards, and towns named after him, as well as numerous films and documentaries centered on his exploits. His seven-year personal records of the war, collectively known as the Nanjung Ilgi , are listed as part of UNESCO 's Memory of the World initiative. Yi was born in Geoncheon-dong street ( 건천동 ; 乾川洞 ), Hanseong (present-day Inhyeon-dong , Jung District , Seoul ). As

1940-457: The Battle of Danghangpo . In response to the Korean navy's success, Toyotomi Hideyoshi recalled three admirals from land-based activities: Wakizaka Yasuharu , Kato Yoshiaki , and Kuki Yoshitaka . They were the only ones with naval responsibilities in the entire Japanese invasion force. However, the admirals arrived in Busan nine days before Hideyoshi's order was actually issued, and assembled

2037-486: The Battle of Myeongnyang and the Battle of Hansan Island are the most famous battles. In 1592, Toyotomi Hideyoshi gave the order to invade Korea and use it as a forward base to conquer Ming China. After the Japanese attacked Busan , Yi began his naval operations from his headquarters at Yeosu . Despite never having commanded a naval battle in his life, he won the Battle of Okpo , Battle of Sacheon , and several others in quick succession. His string of victories made

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2134-493: The Battle of Myeongnyang , where he successfully led a Korean fleet of 13 ships against a Japanese fleet of at least 133. Yi died from a gunshot wound at the Battle of Noryang , the last major battle of the Imjin War, on December 16, 1598. Yi is regarded as one of the greatest naval commanders in history, with commentators praising his strategic vision, intelligence, innovations, and personality (see military evaluation ). He

2231-488: The Korean Confucian form of a " scholarly official ". They were largely government administrators and bureaucrats who oversaw medieval and early modern Korea's traditional agrarian bureaucracy until the end of the dynasty in 1897. In a broader sense, an office holder's family and descendants, as well as country families who claimed such descent, were socially accepted as yangban . In contemporary Korean language,

2328-579: The yangban have been replaced by the Korean ruling class, i.e., an elite class of business and government elites, who dominate the country through their wealth, power and influence channeled through their familial and social networks. (This applies to North and South Korea, though the North's elite class is largely military-based.) The word is also used, at least in South Korea, as a common reference (sometimes with distinctly negative connotations, reflecting

2425-406: The yangban legacy of patronage based on common educational experiences, teachers, family backgrounds, and hometowns continues in some forms, officially and unofficially. In South Korea, the practice exists among the upper class and power elite, where patronage among the conglomerates tends to predictably follow blood, school, and hometown ties. In North Korea, a de facto yangban class exists that

2522-645: The "civil service exams" ( 과거 ) catered to the lifestyle and habits of the yangban , which created a semi-hereditary meritocracy, as yangban families overwhelmingly possessed the minimum education, uninterrupted study time and immense financial resources to pass such exams. The yangban, like the Mandarins before them, dominated the Royal Court and military of pre-Modern Korea and often were exempt from laws including those relating to taxes. There were at most 100 positions open with thousands of candidates taking

2619-574: The Gyeongsang Province Western Fleet & Commander of the Jeolla Province Ground Forces. They advised that Admiral Yi be arrested. As a result, in 1597, Yi was relieved of command, placed under arrest, and taken to Seoul in chains to be imprisoned and tortured. Yi was tortured almost to the point of death by using simple torture tactics such as whipping, flogging, burning, the cudgel, or even

2716-416: The Japanese generals suddenly wary of the threat at sea. Yi never lost a battle during the Imjin War. A Japanese invasion force landed at Busan and Dadaejin, port cities on the southern tip of Joseon. The Japanese, without meeting any naval resistance, quickly captured these ports and began a lightning march north. They reached Seoul in just nineteen days, on May 2, 1592, due to the military inefficiency of

2813-557: The Japanese in Busan harbor . Yi withdrew his forces from Busan harbor after the battle due to the absence of a landing force. In 1593, Admiral Yi was appointed to command the combined navies of the three southern provinces with the title Naval Commander of the Three Provinces ( 삼도수군통제사 ; 三道水軍統制使 ) which gave him command over the Right and Left Navies of Jeolla province, the Right and Left Navies of Gyeongsang province, and

2910-506: The Japanese invasion at the Battle of Sangju . This tendency to sabotage and frame professional adversaries was very common in the later years of the Joseon military and government. Yi was stripped of his rank, imprisoned, and tortured. After his release, Yi was allowed to fight as an enlisted soldier. After a short period of time, however, he was appointed as the commander of the Seoul Hunryeonwon (a military training center) and

3007-535: The Japanese naval base and luring the Japanese fleet out of anchorage. The Japanese assumed that this was a Joseon scouting ship and that pursuing it would lead to the location of Admiral Yi, giving them an opportunity to destroy the remnants of the Joseon fleet. What they did not know was that they were being lured into a masterfully devised trap. There were several reasons why Admiral Yi decided on this location for battle. Myeongnyang Strait had currents, eddies, and whirlpools so powerful that ships could only enter safely

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3104-517: The Japanese navy during the Imjin war in the Joseon period. The exact number of naval engagements conducted by Admiral Yi against the Japanese is a subject of historical debate. However, he is widely believed to have seen combat in at least 23 victorious naval engagements during the war. In most of these battles, he was outnumbered and lacked the necessary supplies. His most famous victory occurred at

3201-413: The Japanese ships and finished them off with artillery bombardments. The Koreans spotted five more Japanese vessels that night, and managed to destroy four of them. The next day, the Koreans approached 13 Japanese ships at Jeokjinpo , as reported by their intelligence. In the same manner as the previous success at Okpo, the Korean fleet destroyed 11 Japanese ships – completing the Battle of Okpo without

3298-460: The Japanese to eagerly pursue the Korean fleet with their 12 vessels. With the Japanese ships drawn out of the safety of the harbor, the Korean navy countered, and with the turtle ship leading the charge, they successfully destroyed all 12 ships. Admiral Yi was shot by a bullet in his left shoulder, but survived. On July 10, 1592, the Korean fleet destroyed 21 Japanese ships at the Battle of Dangpo . On July 13, they destroyed 26 Japanese warship at

3395-432: The Japanese were unable to respond effectively to the Korean's tactics. The tightness of Noryang Strait hindered lateral movement, and Yi's maneuvers prevented the Japanese fleet from boarding their enemies' vessels, their primary naval tactic. As the Japanese retreated, Admiral Yi ordered a vigorous pursuit. During this time, a stray arquebus bullet from an enemy ship struck Admiral Yi, near his left armpit. Sensing that

3492-698: The Jeolla fleet sailed to an arranged location where Admiral Won Gyun (원균; 元均; 1540–1597) was supposed to meet them, and met the admiral on June 15. The augmented flotilla of 91 ships then began circumnavigating the Geoje Island , bound for the Gadeok Island, but scouting vessels detected 50 Japanese vessels at the harbor of Okpo. Upon sighting the approaching Korean fleet, some of the Japanese who had been busying themselves with plundering returned to their ships and began to flee. The Korean fleet encircled

3589-541: The Joseon Dynasty, men's clothing varied in form depending on their social status, occupation, and circumstances. Generally, men wore jeogori (jackets), baji (pants), and po (outer garments) as basic attire. Commoners and lower-class individuals typically wore simple garments made of plain-colored cotton or hemp, while the upper class, such as the Yangban, utilized luxurious materials and colors. The attire of

3686-491: The Joseon army, especially at the Battle of Sangju and the failure to defend Joryeong Pass. After capturing Hanseong and Pyongyang , the Japanese planned to cross the Yalu River into Chinese territory, and use the waters west of the Korean peninsula to supply the invasion. However, Yi Sun-sin was able to stay informed on all his enemy's activities. Yi had never officially studied naval warfare in his limited time in

3783-518: The Joseon fleet consisted of 82 panokseon and three turtle ships , with 8,000 soldiers under Admiral Yi. The Ming fleet consisted of six large war junks , 57 lighter war galleys and two panokseon given to Chen Lin by Admiral Yi, with 5,000 Ming soldiers of the Guangdong squadron and 2,600 Ming marines who fought aboard Joseon ships . The battle began at two o'clock in the early morning of December 16, 1598. Like Admiral Yi's previous battles,

3880-475: The Joseon naval artillery. Admiral Yi was astonishingly able to rout a force that outnumbered him more than 25 to 1 in ships alone. About 31 of the 333 Japanese ships that entered the Myeongnyang Strait were destroyed or damaged. Joseon losses on the other hand were around ten casualties and no ships lost. Kurushima Michifusa was killed on his flagship by Joseon archers; his body in its ornate armor

3977-572: The Korean War on June 25, the influence of the Yangban class and discrimination against the common people persisted. In modern-day Korea, the yangban as a social class with legal status and landed wealth no longer exists either in the north or the south. Nevertheless, those who are well-connected in Korean society are sometimes said to have " yangban " connections. Though these claims may have some merit, such references are not usually intended to suggest any real yangban lineage or ancestry. Today,

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4074-533: The Korean fleet in a semicircular formation called the "crane wing" ( 학익진 ) by Admiral Yi. With at least three turtle ships (two of which were newly completed) spearheading the clash, the Korean vessels fired volleys of cannonballs into the Japanese formation. Then the Korean ships engaged in a free-for-all battle with the Japanese ships, maintaining enough distance to prevent the Japanese from boarding; Admiral Yi permitted melee combat only against severely damaged Japanese ships. The Battle of Hansan Island ended in

4171-847: The Kosarijin Garrison in Pyeongan province, Commander of the Manpo Garrison, also in Pyeongan province, and the Commander of the Wando Garrison, in Jeolla province, before finally receiving the appointment as Commander of the Left Jeolla Naval District. The royal court was in a state of confusion over the possibility of a war with Japan, now unified under the rule of Toyotomi Hideyoshi , and

4268-545: The Navy of Chungcheong province. One of Yi's greatest accomplishments was resurrecting and improving the turtle ship . With his creative mind and the support of his subordinates, Yi was able to devise the geobukseon , or Turtle Ship. Contrary to popular belief, the turtle ship was not actually invented by Admiral Yi; rather, he improved upon an older design that had been suggested during the reign of King Taejong . The turtle ships designed by Yi held eleven cannons on each side of

4365-523: The Southern Expansion Policy, and sometimes even benefited from them, allowing them to accumulate wealth more than other social strata. However, they did not receive the same treatment as the Japanese aristocracy under Japanese rule. There were limitations as both social classes and businesses remained dependent on Japan, and the profits flowed back to the Japanese upper class. Unlike popular narratives in Korean minjung scholarship, after

4462-399: The Yangban class featured intricate details, materials, and accompanying accessories which reflected the wearer's societal status. Each attire differed based on their jobs and titles, their attire was also a reflection of the respect to be given to them and their family lineage. The Hanbok of Yangban is beyond the general hanbok style and is known as po ( 포 ). Po has multiple variations but

4559-504: The admiral did nothing wrong. Yi would stay under General Gwon Yul's command for a short while until Won Gyun's death at the Battle of Chilchonryang , which would lead to his reinstatement. With Yi stripped of influence and negotiations breaking down in 1596, Hideyoshi again ordered an attack on Joseon. The second Japanese invasion landed in the first month of 1597 with a force of 140,000 men transported on 1000 ships. In response, Ming China sent thousands of reinforcements to aid Joseon. With

4656-427: The attack. When General Kim gave Admiral Yi his orders, the admiral refused to carry them out, for he knew that the location given was studded with sunken rocks and was thus extremely dangerous. Admiral Yi also refused because he did not trust the words. When General Kim informed the king of Admiral Yi's refusal, the admiral's enemies at court quickly insisted on his replacement by General Won Gyun , former commander of

4753-426: The belief that the turtle ship had three decks. Turtle ships were the most famous part of Admiral Yi's fleet; however, he never deployed more than five in any one battle. Joseon used cannons as its primary offensive naval weapon. Historically, they had often used guns and cannons against Japanese pirates as early as the 1390s. The Joseon navy did not implement the ship-boarding strategy that the Japanese navy did, so it

4850-506: The bureaucratic position of yangban was granted by law to yangban who meritoriously passed state-sponsored civil service exams called gwageo ( 과거 ; 科擧 ). This exam was modeled on the imperial examinations first started during the Goryeo dynasty of Korea. Upon passing these exams—which tested knowledge of the Confucian classics and history with poetry—several times, yangban

4947-466: The city. Nearby, the halls for ecology and oriental orchids are open to public. 34°48′N 126°22′E  /  34.800°N 126.367°E  / 34.800; 126.367 Yi Sun-sin Yi Sun-sin ( Korean :  이순신 ; Korean pronunciation: [i.sʰun.ɕin] ; April 28, 1545 – December 16, 1598 ) was a Korean admiral and military general famed for his victories against

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5044-413: The classic technique of leg breaking torture. King Seonjo wanted to have Yi killed, but the admiral's supporters at court, chiefly the minister Jeong Tak (정탁; 鄭琢; 1526–1605), convinced the king to spare him due to his past service record. The prime minister, Yu Seong-ryong , who was Yi's childhood friend and his main supporter, remained silent during this deadly hour. Spared the death penalty, Admiral Yi

5141-429: The court — after purging their rival factions and other rival clans in their own political faction the Joseon bureaucracy degenerated into corruption. At this level the exceptionally powerful families could be more properly referred to as sedoga ( 세도가 ; 勢道家 ) instead of mere yangban , which by then came to include shades of classes other than the grandees. From the sixteenth century and increasingly during

5238-473: The descendants of once high-ranking officials. As more of the population aspired to become yangban and gradually succeeded in doing so in the late Joseon period by purchasing the yangban status, the privileges and splendor the term had inspired slowly vanished. It even gained a diminutive connotation. Unlike noble titles in the European and Japanese aristocracies, which were conferred on a hereditary basis,

5335-432: The enemy, Won was stunned to find a Japanese fleet of 500 to 1000 ships which immediately closed for melee combat, denying the Joseon ships the advantages of superior seamanship and cannon fire. The exhausted Joseon sailors were reduced to fighting boarding actions while heavily outnumbered and slaughtered en masse. The Joseon fleet was decimated with only 13 warships surviving under Admiral Bae Seol , who fled before battle

5432-408: The entire naval force of Joseon at his disposal; a fleet consisting of 150 warships operated by 30,000 men that had been carefully assembled and trained by Admiral Yi. Won Gyun left anchor at Yeosu with the fleet and sailed into waters marked by treacherous rocks where the Japanese ambushed the Joseon fleet in the Battle of Chilchonryang on August 28, 1597. Ignorant of the strength and disposition of

5529-603: The exams. Competition that was originally supposed to bring out the best in each candidate gave way to the importance of familial relationships. Because the Joseon Court was constantly divided among the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western faction members (the eccentric geographical naming derived from the location of each leader's house in Seoul which were divided into subsections), a divided system resulted where corruption

5626-398: The existing caste system collapsed.  As a result, genealogy, rather than official position, became a means of proving one's status as a nobleman, and the status of Yangban changed to a hereditary form. It was customary to include all descendants of the office holders in the hyangan ( 향안 ; 鄕案 ), a document that listed the names and lineages of local yangban families. The hyangan

5723-607: The fashion of the Yangban class during the Joseon Dynasty, it reveals that their attire was more than just a question of personal preference, but a reflection of complex society systems and beliefs profoundly rooted in Confucian ideas. As highlighted by Lee Youngjae, the portrayal of Hanbok in Shin Yun-Bok's paintings offers invaluable insights into the attire of the ruling-class during this period. These garments, detailed in vivid colors and luxurious fabrics, symbolized not only

5820-517: The former and increasingly lost its legal exactitude. Throughout Joseon history, the monarchy and the yangban existed on the slave labor of the lower classes, particularly the sangmin , whose bondage to the land as indentured servants enabled the upper classes to enjoy a perpetual life of leisure—i.e., the life of "scholarly" gentlemen. These practices effectively ended in 1894 during the Korean Empire of Gwangmu Reform . In today's Korea,

5917-492: The government exams and become a yangban . In reality, only the upper classes—i.e., the children of yangban —possessed the financial resources and the wherewithal to pass the exams, for which years of studying were required. These barriers and financial constraints effectively excluded most non- yangban families and the lower classes from competing for yangban status, just like scholar-officials in China . Yangban status on

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6014-437: The greatly reduced Joseon fleet. Admiral Yi located the 13 warships and rallied the 200 surviving sailors. Together with his flagship, Admiral Yi's entire fleet totaled 13 ships, none of which were turtle ships. In the belief that the Joseon fleet would never be restorable, King Seonjo , sent an edict to Admiral Yi to abandon the warships and take his men to join the ground forces under General Gwon Yul. Admiral Yi responded with

6111-525: The help of the Ming, the Joseon army was able to halt the Japanese offensive and push it back during the winter of 1597, before the Japanese were able to reach the Joseon capitol of Hanseong . On the high seas, Yi's successor Won Gyun failed to respond to reports from his scouts and allowed the Japanese to land critical reinforcements at Sosang Harbor for their land offensive unopposed. Without adequate reconnaissance or planning, Won Gyun decided to attack with

6208-466: The key official position of Dochaechalsa ( 도체찰사 ; 都體察使 ), and was in command of the military during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598) . In 1576, Yi passed the military examination ( 무과 ; 武科 ). He is said to have impressed the judges with his archery, but failed to pass the test when he broke a leg during the cavalry section. After he re-entered and passed the examination, he

6305-540: The loss of a single ship. About three weeks after the Battle of Okpo, Admirals Yi and Won sailed with a total of 26 ships (23 under Admiral Yi) toward the Bay of Sacheon upon receiving an intelligence report of a Japanese presence. Admiral Yi had left behind his fishing vessels that used to make up most of his fleet in favor of his newly completed turtle ship . Admiral Yi ordered the fleet to feign withdrawal , which caused

6402-403: The middle that covered the bun to symbolize uniformity. The top bun was in egg shape and used a hairpin known as 빈녀 ( binyeo ) to maintain its structure. The tightness with which 망건 ( mang-geon ) is tied was associated with the level of fashion a Yangban was knowledgeable in. 망건 Mang-geon is tied to a button-like stone on the either sides near the ears known as 관자 ( kwan–ja ). These kwan–ja played

6499-514: The military academy, and neither he nor his subordinates had experience in naval combat before the Japanese invasion. On the June 13, 1592, Admiral Yi and Admiral Yi Eok-gi (이억기; 李億祺; 1561–1597), the commander of the Right Jeolla navy, set sail with 24 panokseons , 15 small warships, and 46 boats (i.e. fishing boats), and arrived at the waters of Gyeongsang Province by sunset. The next day,

6596-522: The modern day watch, an accessory of Yangban that was always seen in their hands was a hand fan known as 부채 ( bu-chae ), of which many different types and designs symbolized rank and various other elements of social hierarchy. Hats were also a huge part of Yangban fashion. Hats known as 갓 ( gat ), shaped in a round and big cylindrical top that covered their hair, featured a brooch on the top known as 정자 ( jung-ja ). The hat also featured some fashionable elements such as string with beads and elements depended on

6693-411: The most popular is known as dopo ( 도포 ), a long gown with an additional section that covers the lower back and features a slit that gives wavy design. Layering was also a feature of Yangban Hanbok based on the weather or season and was often colorful. Their hair was tied into an up-top bun and the temple was daunted with a band known as 망건 ( mang-geon ), which had a stone known as 풍잠 ( pung-jam ) in

6790-426: The negative impression the class system and its abuses left on Koreans as a whole) to an older, sometimes cantankerous/stubborn man. Over the course of many years, Yangban has waned compared to previous eras; however, akin to nobles in other regions, they still maintain a formidable presence thanks to the remnants of their superiority and vestiges of privilege, standing significantly above the common populace. During

6887-487: The privileged yangban class, comprising largely those who did not actively resist Japan because of the pro-Japanese policies, gained advantages. They ventured into various industries such as printing, textiles, rubber, clothing, and brewing. Accumulating wealth, they expanded their ventures into sectors requiring technological expertise, including machinery, chemicals, automobiles, and shipbuilding. These individuals were less affected by Japanese policies such as land surveys and

6984-402: The regional navy, which was later used to confront the Japanese invasion force. He subsequently began to strengthen the province's navy with a series of reforms, including the construction of the turtle ship . Yi is remembered for his numerous victories fighting the Japanese during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598) , also referred to as the Imjin War. Among his twenty-three victories,

7081-468: The remainder of the battle, Yi Wan wore his uncle's armor and continued to beat the war drum to encourage the pursuit. Yangban The yangban ( Korean :  양반 ; Hanja :  兩班 ) were part of the traditional ruling class or gentry of dynastic Korea during the Joseon period. The yangban were mainly composed of highly educated civil officials and military officers—landed or unlanded aristocrats who individually exemplified

7178-412: The role of assessing a Yangban's rank based on the material and size of it. For example, a big golden kwan–ja meant the person belonged to higher class. Another feature are the accessories. Earrings were worn by Yangban from the early Joseon dynasty and by people of all ages up until the 14th Joseon King, San-Jo, banned wearing earrings due to the discrimination by other countries during war. Similar to

7275-613: The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, high-ranking offices were monopolized by a few grandee families based in Seoul or the Han River Valley, therefore blocking any chance of gaining high-ranking posts by many provincial families of pedigree. However, provincial magnates began to refer themselves as yangban whether they held government offices or not. As more families claimed to be yangban and exercised provincial influences through local institutions, such as local council, pedigree acknowledgment and Confucius school ( seowon ),

7372-408: The shadows of the surrounding hills, ready with archers and cannons, and the melee-based Japanese found themselves unable to fight effectively and break through the superior Joseon ranged fire. The unpredictable current eventually wreaked havoc on the Japanese; their ships found themselves unable to maneuver and collided with each other when the tide reversed, while also presenting a perfect target for

7469-448: The ship, with two each at the stern and the bow. The ship's figurehead was in the shape of a dragon. The figurehead itself held up to four cannons, and emitted a smokescreen that, in combination with its fierce appearance, was meant to be used as psychological warfare . The sides of the turtle ship were dotted with smaller holes from which arrows, guns, and mortars could be fired. The roof was covered with planks and spikes. The purpose of

7566-445: The spikes was to prevent the ship from being boarded by the enemy. The larger Japanese ships' sides were higher than the turtle ships' and thus, the spikes prevented boarders from jumping down onto the roof without risking impalement. There were two masts that held two large sails. The turtle ship was also steered and powered by twenty oars, each of which were pulled by two men during fair conditions and five in foul seas or combat. There

7663-512: The term yangban can be used either as a compliment or insult. Yangban literally means "two branches" of administration: munban ( 문반 ; 文班 ) which comprises civil administrators and muban ( 무반 ; 武班 ) which comprises martial office holders. The term yangban first appeared sometime during late Goryeo but gained wider usage during the Joseon period. However, from the sixteenth century onward yangban increasingly came to denote local wealthy families who were mostly believed to be

7760-584: The term lost its original meaning and became a sort of social status that had a confusing legal standing. Its economic and cultural domain was clear, though. A landlord who studied classics at seowon ( 서원 ; 書院 ) could be easily looked upon as yangban by the local populace. People could now purchase yangban status by paying to procure lower government posts or jokbo ( 족보 ), the noble pedigree. Nearly all yangban of upper-high ranking grandee to lower-ranking provincial landlord status suddenly lost their ancient political, social and economic power during

7857-413: The twentieth century. The legality of yangban was abolished in 1894. Subsequently, their political and administrative role was replaced by Japanese colonial government and its administrators, although some yangban maintained their wealth and power by cooperating with the Japanese. However, the erosion of an idea of complete and exclusive power was irreversible. During the period of Japanese colonial rule,

7954-526: The unstable situation in Manchuria where a young Jurchen chieftain named Nurhaci was gathering strength. Nurhaci 's descendants would become masters of China as founders of the Qing Dynasty in a few decades, after invading Korea in 1627 and 1637 . Yi assumed his new post at Yeosu on the 13th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1591 (March 13, 1591). From there, he was able to undertake a buildup of

8051-410: The view. The height gives a great view of the sunset and has gained fame for its sunset views. Another famous attraction on the mountain is the first sculpture-theme park in South Korea. In 1982, the park was created for the outdoor exhibition to attract donations or to lease sculptures from the artists. In 2008, the subjects of 'Nature, Culture and Sculpture' were chosen to represent Mokpo as emblems of

8148-571: The wearer's personal preference and hierarchical rank. In the royal family, the number of strings on a hat adorned by the king or prince determined their ranks. Shoes worn by Yangban were of two kinds low-ankle shoes known as 혜 ( hye ) and high-cut shoes known as 화 ( hwa ). These two were strictly worn by the elite class. Footwear was also divided based on the material. For example, Commoners wore wooden clogs or straw shoes daily whereas Yangban and royal families wore leather shoes known as 갓신 ( gatsin ) with beautiful patterns and colors. While exploring

8245-417: The wearer's social standing but also adherence to Confucian ideals. Yi et al. (2007) further emphasizes the significance of traditional Korean outfit, demonstrating how apparel acted as a visible depiction of one's social status, with minor distinctions designating rank and connection. The colorful garments were exclusive to the Yangban class. From an economic standpoint, red was a highly luxurious item during

8342-447: The wound was fatal, and fearing a repeat of the Battle of Chilchonryang, the admiral uttered, " The war is at its height – wear my armor and beat my war drums. Do not announce my death. " He died moments later. Only two people witnessed his death: Yi Hoe , Yi's eldest son, and Yi Wan , his nephew. Admiral Yi's son and nephew struggled to regain their composure and carried the admiral's body into his cabin before others could notice. For

8439-405: Was again demoted to the rank of a common infantry soldier under General Gwon Yul . This penalty was worse than death for Joseon generals at that time, since they lived by honor. However, Yi responded to this humiliation as a most obedient subject, quietly going about his work as if his rank and orders were appropriate. Despite his low rank, many officers treated him with respect, since they knew that

8536-571: Was fished out of the water and his severed head was put on display to further demoralize the Japanese fleet. On December 15, 1598, a huge Japanese fleet under the command of Shimazu Yoshihiro , was amassed in Sachon Bay, on the east end of Noryang Strait. Shimazu's goal was to break the allied forces' blockade on Konishi Yukinaga , join the two fleets, and sail home to Japan. Admiral Yi, meanwhile, knew exactly where Shimazu was, after receiving reports from scouts and local fishermen. At this time,

8633-403: Was fully engaged to save the warships under his command. After the destruction of the Joseon fleet, Won Gyun and Yi Eok-gi , another Joseon commander, fled to an island with a band of survivors but were killed by waiting Japanese soldiers from the nearby fort. When King Seonjo and the royal court learned of the catastrophic defeat, they hurriedly pardoned and reinstated Admiral Yi as commander of

8730-410: Was imperative that their warships "stand off" from Japanese vessels. Admiral Yi made it a strategic priority to avoid hand-to-hand combat, in which the Japanese navy specialized. The turtle ship was developed to support his tactic against Japanese fleets. Turtle ships were first used in the 1592 Battle of Sacheon and were used in nearly every battle until the devastating Battle of Chilchonryang , when

8827-482: Was later transferred to a small county, to be its military magistrate . Yi's efforts in northern Korea were rewarded when he was assigned as Commander of the Jeolla Province ( 전라 좌도 ; 全羅左道 ) Left Naval District. Within the span of a few months in late 1590, he received four military appointments, in rapid succession, with each subsequent post carrying greater responsibility than the last: Commander of

8924-942: Was maintained on blood basis, and one could be cut off from it if members of the family married social inferiors, such as tradesmen. Although the hyangan was not legally supported by government acts or statutes, the families listed in it were socially respected as yangban . Their householders had the customary right to participate in the hyangso ( 향소 ; 鄕所 ), a local council from which they could exercise influence on local politics and administration. By reserving and demanding socio-political power through local instruments such as hyangan and hyangso , yangban automatically passed down their status to posterity in local magnate families, with or without holding central offices. These provincial families of gentility were often termed jaejisajok ( 재지사족 ; 在地士族 ), which means "the country families". while legally, yangban meant high-ranking officials, in reality it included almost all descendants of

9021-614: Was posted to the Bukbyeong (Northern Frontier Army) military district in Hamgyeong province. However, he was the oldest junior officer at the age of thirty-two. There, Yi experienced battles defending the border settlements against the Jurchen marauders and quickly became known for his strategic skills and leadership. In 1583, he lured the Jurchen into battle, defeated the marauders, and captured their chief, Mu Pai Nai . According to

9118-399: Was the only Korean territory to be untouched by a major military action, and served as home for the three admirals and the only active Korean naval force. The admirals considered it best to destroy naval support for the Japanese to reduce the effectiveness of the enemy ground troops. On August 13, 1592, the Korean fleet sailing from Miruk Island at Dangpo received local intelligence that

9215-451: Was usually assigned to a government post. It was superficially decided that a yangban family that did not produce a government official for more than three generations could lose its status and become commoners. This superficial rule was never actually applied, but was a motivation rule for yangban to study harder. In theory, a member of any social class except nobi , baekjeong (Korean untouchables), and children of concubines could take

9312-484: Was very difficult. With each faction constantly probing for an excuse to kill off the other, if one faction was proven to be corrupt then the other factions would immediately jump on the chance to purge them. The attempt to receive or give bribes on a massive scale was suicide. It wasn't until the reign of King Sunjo that the Kim clan of Andong in cooperation with few other blood related grandee clans obtained full control over

9409-400: Was what was drawn out in the first and second designs of the turtle ships. Some historians maintain that, since Yi was a unique individual and often pursued innovative ideas (contrary to the established wisdom of his peers), it is possible that he had the turtle ship built with three decks. It is known that his flagship, a panokseon , had three decks during his campaigns, so there is support for

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