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Korea: Hong Daeyong (1731 - 1783), philosopher, astronomer and mathematician during the late Joseon Kingdom (1392 - 1897). Also known as Damheon, Hong was an early promoter of Korean industrialization and the development of trade by using Western technologies.
Shin Yun-bok, better known by his pen name Hyewon, (born 1758) was a Korean painter of the Joseon Dynasty. Like his contemporaries Danwon and Geungjae, he is known for his realistic depictions of daily life in his time. His genre paintings are distinctly more erotic than Danwon's, a fact which contributed to his expulsion from the royal painting institute, Dohwaseo.<br/><br/> Painting was frequently a hereditary occupation in the Joseon period, and Hyewon's father and grandfather had both been court painters. Together with Danwon and the later painter Owon, Hyewon is remembered today as one of the ‘Three Wons’ of Joseon-period painting. Shin Yun-bok, despite being greatly influenced and overshadowed by Kim Hong-do during his career, developed his own unique technique and artistry. Whereas Kim depicted everyday life of peasants with a humorous touch, Shin showed glimpses of eroticism in his paintings of townspeople and gisaeng (courtesan).<br/><br/> His choice of characters, composition, and painting method differed from Kim's, with use of bright colors and delicate paint strokes. He also painted scenes of shamanism and townlife, offering insight to lifestyle and costumes of the late Joseon era.
Little is known about Shim Deuk-gyeong (1629-1710) except that he passed the lower civil service examination in 1693, the 19th year of King Sukjong. In this portrait he is wearing a Confucian scholar's overcoat and a tiered black horsehair hat and seated on a stool, in a three-quarter view from left.<br/><br/> The two colophons, both composed by Yi Seo (1662-1723), reveal that the portrait was painted by Yun Du-seo (1668-1715) in the 11th month of 1710, the 36th year of Sukjong, four months after Shim's death.
Joseon (July 1392 – October 1897) (also Chosŏn, Choson, Chosun), was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul and the kingdom's northernmost borders were expanded to the natural boundaries at the Amnok and Duman rivers (through the subjugation of the Jurchens). Joseon was the last royal and later imperial dynasty of Korean history. It was the longest ruling Confucian dynasty. During its reign, Joseon consolidated its absolute rule over Korea, encouraged the entrenchment of Korean Confucian ideals and doctrines in Korean society, imported and adapted Chinese culture, and saw the height of classical Korean culture, trade, science, literature, and technology. However, the dynasty was severely weakened during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, when invasions by the neighboring Japanese and Qing nearly overran the peninsula, leading to the kingdom becoming a Qing tributary state in 1636 and to an increasingly harsh isolationist policy for which the country became known as the Hermit Kingdom. After invasions from Manchuria, Joseon experienced a nearly 200-year period of peace. However, whatever power the kingdom recovered during its isolation further waned as the 18th century came to a close, and faced with internal strife, power struggles, international pressure and rebellions at home, the Joseon Dynasty declined rapidly in the late 19th century. The Joseon's rule has left a substantial legacy on the modern face of Korea; much of modern Korean etiquette, cultural norms, societal attitudes towards current issues, and even the modern Korean language and its dialects stem from the traditional thought pattern that originated from this period.
Joseon (July 1392 – October 1897) (also Chosŏn, Choson, Chosun), was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul and the kingdom's northernmost borders were expanded to the natural boundaries at the Amnok and Duman rivers (through the subjugation of the Jurchens). Joseon was the last royal and later imperial dynasty of Korean history. It was the longest ruling Confucian dynasty.<br/><br/> During its reign, Joseon consolidated its absolute rule over Korea, encouraged the entrenchment of Korean Confucian ideals and doctrines in Korean society, imported and adapted Chinese culture, and saw the height of classical Korean culture, trade, science, literature, and technology. However, the dynasty was severely weakened during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, when invasions by the neighboring Japan and Qing nearly overran the peninsula, leading to an increasingly harsh isolationist policy for which the country became known as the Hermit Kingdom. After invasions from Manchuria, Joseon experienced a nearly 200-year period of peace.<br/><br/> However, whatever power the kingdom recovered during its isolation further waned as the 18th century came to a close, and faced with internal strife, power struggles, international pressure and rebellions at home, the Joseon Dynasty declined rapidly in the late 19th century.<br/><br/> Vulture Peak Mountain is, by tradition, the site where Gautama Buddha taught the Heart Sutra as is noted in the first several lines of the sutra: 'Thus have I heard: At one time, the Bhgavan dwelt in Rajagriah at Vulture Peak Mountain together with a great sangha of fully ordained monks and a great sangha of bodhisattvas'. In addition, the Saddharmapundarika Sutra (also known as the Lotus Sutra) and the Suramgamasamadhi sutra, as well as many other Prajnaparamita Sutras were first taught there as well.
Two pages from a 19th century Korean book depicting a Korean writer and sage.
Shin Yun-bok, better known by his pen name Hyewon, (born 1758) was a Korean painter of the Joseon Dynasty. Like his contemporaries Danwon and Geungjae, he is known for his realistic depictions of daily life in his time. His genre paintings are distinctly more erotic than Danwon's, a fact which contributed to his expulsion from the royal painting institute, Dohwaseo.<br/><br/> Painting was frequently a hereditary occupation in the Joseon period, and Hyewon's father and grandfather had both been court painters. Together with Danwon and the later painter Owon, Hyewon is remembered today as one of the ‘Three Wons’ of Joseon-period painting. Shin Yun-bok, despite being greatly influenced and overshadowed by Kim Hong-do during his career, developed his own unique technique and artistry. Whereas Kim depicted everyday life of peasants with a humorous touch, Shin showed glimpses of eroticism in his paintings of townspeople and gisaeng. His choice of characters, composition, and painting method differed from Kim's, with use of bright colors and delicate paint strokes. He also painted scenes of shamanism and townlife, offering insight into the lifestyles and costumes of the late Joseon era.
A typical domestic scene from the late Joseon Dynasty period showing two women dressed in traditional Hanbok clothing, ironing a robe using a long-handled ironing device filled with hot coals. There is a three legged stand for the iron, a basket full clothes waiting to be ironed, and a pile of neatly-ironed clothing beside the women.
Yi Chae was a scholar who lived in late Joseon. This shows him at the age of 59. He is donning a black hat known as <i>dongpagwan</i> and a <i>simui</i>, a white scholar’s jacket. The white jacket has a collar in a contrasting black band. A large sash woven with threads in five colors, representing the four cardinal directions and the center, drapes down from the mid-chest level.
Joseon (Korean: 조선; Hanja: 朝鮮; also Chosŏn, Choson, Chosun, Cho-sen), was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries, from July 1392 to October 1897. It was founded following the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Dynasty 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 the natural boundaries at the Amnok and Duman rivers through the subjugation of the Jurchens. Joseon was the last dynasty of Korean history and the longest-ruling Confucian dynasty.<br/><br/>During its reign, Joseon consolidated its effective rule over the territory of current Korea, encouraged the entrenchment of Korean Confucian ideals and doctrines in Korean society, imported and adapted Chinese culture, and saw the height of classical Korean culture, trade, science, literature, and technology. However, the dynasty was severely weakened during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, when invasions by the neighboring states of Japan and Qing nearly overran the peninsula, leading to an increasingly harsh isolationist policy for which the country became known as the Hermit Kingdom. After the end of invasions from Manchuria, Joseon experienced a nearly 200-year period of peace.<br/><br/>However, whatever power the kingdom recovered during its isolation further waned as the 18th century came to a close, and faced with internal strife, power struggles, international pressure and rebellions at home, the Joseon Dynasty declined rapidly in the late 19th century.<br/><br/>The Joseon period has left a substantial legacy to modern Korea; much of modern Korean etiquette, cultural norms, societal attitudes towards current issues, and the modern Korean language and its dialects derive from the culture and traditions of Joseon.
A Korean 'gama' was a closed chair used by upper classes and nobles, both men and women. This anonymous watercolour on mulberry paper painting shows four porters, two in front and two at the rear, holding long poles through an enclosed palanquin. In Korea, royalty and aristocrats were carried in elaborately decorated litters called gama. Gamas were primarily used by royalty and government officials. There were six types of gama, each assigned to different government official rankings. In traditional weddings, the bride and groom are carried to the ceremony in separate gamas. Because of the difficulties posed by the mountainous terrain of the Korean peninsula and the lack of paved roads, gamas were preferred over wheeled vehicles.
Kim Si-seup's ancestors originally came from Gangneung, Gangwon-do, but Kim himself was born in Seoul.<br/><br/> Throughout his life, Kim Si-seup (김시습) maintained a special bond with the Gangwon area and compiled a book of poetry called Tangyugwandongnok which was based on family history and experiences he had in the area. Kim was an extremely gifted child and had picked up reading ability at eight months of age. At five years of age, he was able to read and comprehend 'The Great Learning' and the 'Doctrine of the Mean'. Kim was a devout Buddhist and at twenty-one years of age he decided to leave government service and become a priest.
In this traditional depiction, the Korean magpie or Minhwa sits in a pine tree and calls to a tiger below. In Korean folklore, both magpie and tiger are bearers of good tidings. The gods send messages to the magpie, who passes them along to the tiger. The tiger is a messenger from the mountain spirits and a friend to mankind.
Yi Chae was a scholar who lived in late Joseon. This shows him at the age of 59. He is donning a black hat known as <i>dongpagwan</i> and a <i>simui</i>, a white scholar’s jacket. The white jacket has a collar in a contrasting black band. A large sash woven with threads in five colors, representing the four cardinal directions and the center, drapes down from the mid-chest level.<br/><br/>The eyes staring straight ahead are meticulously depicted with great detail. As the eyes were increasingly regarded as the windows to the moral universe of the subject, they were a focal point of portraits from the late Joseon.<br/><br/>This painting is designated as the 1483rd National Treasure of Korea.