Joseons

The Joseon Dynasty, also known as the Yi or Yi-Song dynasty, was the last major Korean kingdom, ruling the Korean peninsula from 1392 to 1897. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye (Taejo) after overthrowing the Goryeo dynasty and established the capital at Hanyang, present-day Seoul. The dynasty revived the name Joseon for the state and pursued a Confucian-ordered social and political system that shaped Korean governance for centuries.

The Joseon state was highly centralized, with the king at the apex and a bureaucracy dominated by scholar-officials. Neo-Confucianism became the official ideology, guiding law, education, and administration. Civil service examinations, known as gwageo, selected officials from the yangban aristocracy, while commoners and slaves occupied secondary roles. The state also supported Confucian academies (seowon) and a rigorous administrative apparatus designed to maintain social order and imperial tribute relations.

Culturally, Joseon is noted for major achievements in science, literature, and the arts. Hangul, the Korean script, was created under King Sejong the Great in 1443–1446 to promote literacy among common people. The era produced enduring literary works, enhanced calendrical systems, and advancements in astronomy and printing. Architecture, painting, and ceramics also flourished, while Confucian rituals and state ceremonies reinforced social hierarchy and moral norms.

Joseon relations with neighboring states centered on a tributary system with Ming and later Qing China, fluctuating between diplomacy and isolation. The late period saw internal factional strife, reform efforts, and external pressure from Western powers and Japan. The dynasty concluded its long rule in 1897 when Korea was proclaimed the Korean Empire, preceding the subsequent Japanese annexation in 1910. The Joseon period left a lasting legacy in Korean institutions, language, and culture.