The Confucian Transformation of Korea
Martina Deuchler · 1992 · 456 pages
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Some book links are affiliate links; you pay the same price and we may earn a small commission.
About this book
Legislation to change Korean society along Confucian lines began at the founding of the ChosÅ n dynasty in 1392 and had apparently achieved its purpose by the mid seventeenth century. Until this important new study, however, the nature of KoryÅ society, the stresses induced by the new legislation, and society's resistance to the Neo-Confucian changes imposed by the ChosÅ n elite have remained largely unexplored. To explain which aspects of life in KoryÅ came under attack and why, Martina Deuchler draws on social anthropology to examine ancestor worship, mourning, inheritance, marriage, the position of women, and the formation of descent groups. To examine how Neo-Confucian ideology could become an effective instrument for altering basic aspects of KoryÅ life, she traces shifts in political and social power as well as the cumulative effect of changes over time. What emerges is a subtle analysis of ChosÅ n Korean social and ideological history.
Appears in these reading paths
The Joseon dynasty of Korea: books to read, in order
Related reading guides
Reader reviews
Ratings and notes from readers — tagged with how deep into the subject they were.
Loading reviews…