Beyond Birth: Social Status in the Emergence of Modern Korea (Harvard East Asian Monographs)

the Social Structure Of Contemporary Korea Contains Strong Echoes Of The Hierarchical Principles And Patterns Governing Stratification In The Choson Dynasty (1392-1910): Namely, Birth And One's Position In The Bureaucracy. At The Beginning Of Korea's Modern Era, The Bureaucracy Continued To Exert Great Influence, But Developments Undermined, Instead Of Reinforced, Aristocratic Dominance. Furthermore, These Changes Elevated The Secondary Status Groups Of The Choson Dynasty, Those Who Had Belonged To Hereditary, Endogamous Tiers Of Government And Society Between The Aristocracy And The Commoners: Specialists In Foreign Languages, Law, Medicine, And Accounting; The Clerks Who Ran Local Administrative Districts; The Children And Descendants Of Concubines; The Local Elites Of The Northern Provinces; And Military Officials. These Groups Had Languished In Subordinate Positions In Both The Bureaucratic And Social Hierarchies For Hundreds Of Years Under An Ethos And Organization That, Based Predominantly On Family Lineage, Consigned Them To A Permanent Place Below The Choson Aristocracy. as The Author Shows, The Political Disruptions Of The Late Nineteenth And Early Twentieth Centuries, However, Rewarded Talent Instead Of Birth. In Turn, These Groups' Newfound Standing As Part Of The Governing Elite Allowed Them To Break Into, And Often Dominate, The Cultural, Literary, And Artistic Spheres As Well As Politics, Education, And Business. donald N. Clark - Harvard Journal Of Asiatic Studies beyond Birth Is An Extraordinary Useful Look At The Foundations Of Modern Korean Society, And It Will Be A Great Asset In College Courses On Modern Korean History. 'The social structure of contemporary Korea contains strong echoes of the hierarchical principles and patterns governing stratification in the Chosŏn dynasty (1392–1910): namely, birth and one's position in the bureaucracy. At the beginning of Korea's modern era, the bureaucracy continued to exert great influence, but developments undermined, instead of reinforced, aristocratic dominance. Furthermore, these changes elevated the secondary status groups of the Chosŏn dynasty, those who had belonged to hereditary, endogamous tiers of government and society between the aristocracy and the commoners: specialists in foreign languages, law, medicine, and accounting; the clerks who ran local administrative districts; the children and descendants of concubines; the local elites of the northern provinces; and military officials. These groups had languished in subordinate positions in both the bureaucratic and social hierarchies for hundreds of years under an ethos and organization that, based predominantly on family lineage, consigned them to a permanent place below the Chosŏn aristocracy. As the author shows, the political disruptions of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, however, rewarded talent instead of birth. In turn, these groups'newfound standing as part of the governing elite allowed them to break into, and often dominate, the cultural, literary, and artistic spheres as well as politics, education, and business.' "The social structure of contemporary Korea contains strong echoes of the hierarchical principle governing stratification in the Choson dynasty (1392-1910): namely, the overriding place of status, as determined by birth and enhanced by one's position in the bureaucracy. At the beginning of Korea's modern era, the bureaucracy continued to exert great influence, but developments governing bureaucratic access began to undermine the longstanding pre-eminence of birth status." "As the author shows, the rise of the secondary status groups into the highest echelons of the governing order allowed them also to break into, and often dominate, the cultural, literary, and artistic spheres as well as politics, education, and business."--BOOK JACKET 1. Birth and bureaucracy: social stratification in the Chosŏn era -- -- 2. Opening the ranks: appointment to the bureaucratic elite, 1880-1930 -- -- 3. The Chungin -- -- 4. The Hyangni -- -- 5. The Sŏŏl -- -- 6. The Northerners -- -- 7. The Muban. Front Matter Contents Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Conclusion Reference Matter Notes Works Cited Character List Index