Before the arrival of Europeans, Ancient Korea was ruled by a series of Kingdoms and different hierarchical dynasties. These kingdoms resembled those of the medieval era in Europe, but with Confucian influences in its politics, cultural practices and architecture. The last pre-modern dynastic rule in the Korean peninsula, and the one I have most seen in modern Korean media, is the Joseon Dynasty. The majority of historical K-dramas are depicted in Joseon times, such as Mr. Sunshine (미스터 선샤인) and 100 Days My Prince (백일의 낭군님). The Joseon dynasty, or 조선, ruled from 1392 to 1897 and was one of the world's longest running monarchies. It was founded after the overthrowing of the Goryeo dynasty by Taejo Lee Sung-gye (이성계). The name “Taejo” (태조/太祖) is the name given to the first King in a new dynasty, and is a combination of two Chinese characters, “Tae”, which means 'very big' or 'great', and “Jo”, which means grandfather. Together, they mean 'Great Progenitor'. The royal family of Joseon was also known as the House of Yi (이/李) and they were the top people of Joseon and ruling family of the nation.
One of the most interesting aspects of the Joseon dynasty is how their Confucian principles led to the establishment of a caste system, one similar to the estate system in medieval Europe or the Jati system in India. During this period, there was a strict clan structure in place called the bongwan (본관). Bloodline was of highest importance, and marriage rituals and family life were regulated by law. The four main classes were called the yangban (양반), the jungin (중인), the sangmin (상민), and the cheonmin (천민). The Yangban were the traditional ruling class or the nobles, as well as the centralized administrative system in Joseon society. In order to join the civil service or to become an army officer, you had to pass certain exams in Confucian thought. But to take the exams, you had to be the son of a yangban. The jungin, which literally means "middle people", consisted of specialists such as interpreters, scribes, astronomers, and musicians. They often were people who had fallen out of the yangban class or commoners who had achieved higher social or economic status. The sangmin were the common people of Joseon Dynasty and made up 80% of Joseon society. They consisted of laborers, fishermen, some craftsmen and merchants. Unlike the yangban or the jungin, the sangmin paid most of Korea's taxes and were subject to the military draft. The lowest place on the social ladder was the cheonmin, also known as the outsiders. They consisted of shamans, butchers, and other people who fell outside of the Buddhist norms of acceptability. Social status was hereditary, and the main way to differentiate between the classes was based on birthright. This meant intermingling with other classes was almost impossible except for work purposes and intermarriage between classes was rare. The caste of Joseon officially ended in 1894 and in modern South Korean society, the yangban lineage has little or no bearing on a person's success. But North Koreans todays are still assigned to a social status called Songbun (송분), which can be traced back to the late Joseon caste system.
Photo 1: Painting of Jungin People
Photo 2: Painting of yangban (above) and sangmin (below)
Photo 3: The Monument to Party Founding Monument in Pyongyang, North Korea
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