The History Book

131

See also: The An Lushan revolt 84–85 ■ Kublai Khan conquers the Song 102–03 ■ Hongwu founds

the Ming dynasty 120–27 ■ The Meiji Restoration 252–53

THE MEDIEVAL WORLD

Neo-Confucianism emphasised

the importance of education as a

way of producing a class of literati

capable of ensuring the harmonious

running of the state. T’aejo's

grandson, King Sejong (reigned

1418–1450) raised this principle to

new heights, founding in 1420 the

Chiphyon-jon (Hall of Worthies), an

elite group of 20 scholars tasked

with research that would promote

the better running of the kingdom.

Encouragement of wider literacy

was an important neo-Confucian

ideal, and T’aejo had already ordered

the foundation of government-

sponsored schools. At the time,

however, Korean was written in

Chinese characters, which were

not well adapted to express the

sounds of the language. Sejong

himself is said to have developed

the simplified script, the Han’gul,

whose principles were explained

in Proper Sounds for the Education

of the People, a book published in

1445. Having only 28 characters—
      later reduced to 24—the script
      was far easier than Chinese was
      to learn, but its introduction faced
      bitter resistance from traditionalist
      nobles. They feared it might open
      civil service examinations to people
      from other social classes, which

would risk diluting their power. As

a result Han’gul faded from use,

relegated as the “vulgar letters”

of the lower orders, until its

rediscovery in the 19th century,

since when it has thrived as a

vehicle for Korean nationalism.

The reforms of T’aejo and

Sejong, however, broadly survived,

creating a class of yangban—elite

government officials dedicated to

the perpetuation of the state. The

yangban also acted as a break on

any tendency to autocracy among

the Yi monarchs, which helped

the resulting dynasty to endure for

more than five centuries. ■

Sejong devises the

Han’gul alphabet.

Decline in

Mongol

power leads

to the rise of

the Choson.

The Choson

promote wider

education.

The dynasty

endures and the

Han’gul alphabet

is revived in the

Yangban scholars 19th century.

enhance the stability

of the Choson regime.

Neo-Confucianism

The neo-Confucianism that

became dominant in Korea under

the Choson dynasty had evolved

in China during the 11th and 12th

centuries as a means to revive

Confucianism, which had declined

in favor of Taoism and Buddhism

under the Tang and early Song.

A more rationalist and secular

form of Confucianism, the new

philosophy rejected superstitious

and mystical elements that had

influenced Confucianism during

and after the Han dynasty. Writers

such as Confucian scholar Zhu Xi

stressed the importance of

morality, respect for social

harmony, and education as

means of understanding the

Supreme Ultimate (tai qi), the

underlying principle of the

universe. In practice, however,

neo-Confucian virtues such

as loyalty, determination, and

the belief that a supreme

monarch should rule the state

to parallel the Supreme Ultimate

that governed the universe,

tended to favor a hierarchical,

bureaucratic state staffed

by scholars who jealously

maintained the status quo.

Hyanggyo were Confucian schools,

built throughout provincial Korea

and used for both ceremonial and

educational purposes.

US_130-131_King_Sejong.indd 131 15/02/2016 16:42