The Culture of North Korea - Report Example

Geography 22 Jan. The Culture on North Korea “Most social scientists today view culture as consisting primarilyof the symbolic, ideational, and intangible aspects of human societies. The essence of a culture is not its artifacts, tools, or other tangible cultural elements but how the members of the group interpret, use, and perceive them. The values, symbols, interpretations, and perspectives distinguish a group of people from another in modernized societies rather than material objects and other tangible aspects. People within a culture usually interpret the meaning of symbols, artifacts, and behaviors in the same or in similar ways” (Banks et.al. par. 1).       Culture is an aspect of community that is prone to countless definitions and interpretations. C Lederach defines culture as the "shared knowledge and schemes created by a set of people for perceiving, interpreting, expressing, and responding to the social realities around them" (Lederach 9). On the other hand, Krober and Kluckhohn contend that culture consists “patterns, explicit and implicit, of and for behavior acquired and transmitted by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievements of human groups, including their embodiments in artifacts; the essential core of culture consists of traditional (i.e. historically derived and selected) ideas and especially their attached values; culture systems may, on the one hand, be considered as products of action, and on the other as conditioning elements of further action" (Kroeber & Kluckhohn par. 6).       Culture, "the learned and shared behavior of a community of human beings” (Useem &Useem 169) is learned through the process of socialization and the human society passes it over to the next generation “independently of its biological genes” (Parson 8). Culture, upholds, identifies and defines the cognitive abilities in a person and distinguishes him or her from another person from a different cultural background. Some thinkers define it as the “primary adaptive mechanism” of a community that get reflected in the “day-to-day living patterns” of its individuals, pervading “all aspects of human social interaction” (Damen 367). Kluckhohn and Kelly (1945) opine that culture is a potential guide, consisting of historically created designs for living, involving explicit and implicit as well as rational, irrational and non-rational human behavior. North Korea - Introduction       In the words of the famous playwright William Somerset Maugham, "Culture is not just an ornament; it is the expression of a nations character, and at the same time it is a powerful instrument to mold character. The end of culture is right living" (Maugham). These words very well define the importance of culture in the shaping of the identity of a country. As a country well rooted in its cultural background, North Korea has gathered distinguishing achievements, when compared to other modern societies. North Korea or The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea is a nation that occupies the northern half of Korean peninsula. A young nation, founded in 1948, North Korea has the image of a socialist country and has withstood the ravages of time. This nation is the result of postcolonial settlement by the United States and Soviet Union, who, after replacing Japanese in 1945, divided the Korean Peninsula to Soviet North and American South. Even after the fall of Soviet Union in 1991, North Korea has remained as a Stalinist regime, with unanimous support from its citizens who remain united by their patriotic and nationalist zeal and anti-Japanese sentiment. History:            The history of Korea has two parts - Old Korea and Modern Korea. The ancestors of Korean Race, who inhabited the peninsula since Lower Paleolithic Age, inhabited old Korea. Among the three earlier states of Old Korea, Kochoson, Buyo and Zinguk, the oldest one is the Kochoson. During the Middle Age, the three states of Old Korea, Kogurio, Bezke and Sinla, became very powerful, giving the period the title The Three Kingdoms, which continued until the 7th century. Koguryo is the first as well as the most powerful among these three kingdoms and it has Cholbon as its earlier capital. During the expansion of territories, Pyongyang became the new capital of Koguryo. The states of Old Korea were unified around 10th century to form a powerful Buddhist-influenced nation known as Koryo, which imparted the name Korea to the modern nation. By the end of 14th century, Ri Dynasty (Richo), which continued its rule until 500 years ago, substituted Koryo.       The Neo-Confucianism-influenced Yi dynasty, which extended from 1392-1910 established a vassal-tributary relationship with China though they did not interfere with the internal affairs of the Yi dynasty for several centuries. In the colonial annexation of 1920, Japan became the dominant power, nullifying Yi Dynasty. Thenceforth, Korea came under the rule of Japan. The Japanese rule in Korea ended during World War II (1939 - 1945), with the surrender of Japanese forces in 1945. The Soviet Union and the United States, along the 38th parallel, parted Korea into North Korea and South Korea. On September 9, 1948, after three years since the division, North Korea state came into being, with the support of Soviet Union. Geography:       North Korea, occupying the Northern part of Korean peninsula, lies towards the eastern side of Asia, with China and Russia as its borders on its North and the Korean Demilitarized Zone with South Korea on its South. The rivers Amnok and Tumen form the border between North Korea and China and a section of Tumen in the northeast form the border with Russia. North Korea is mostly a hilly and mountainous terrain and it has Pyongyang as its capital. The nation has nine provinces and three special cities, which are Kaesong, Pyongyang, and Nampo. These have their independent juridical authorities. Culture of North Korea: The cultural identity of North Korea did not spring from its emergence in 1948 but from the influences it had during its past from various dynasties that ruled over the peninsula. North Korea was under the rule of Japan for a considerable period and hence its influence is evident in almost every sphere of life of North Koreans. History points out that Buddhism, one of the older religions of the peninsula since the unification of the states, became the most significant religious ideology of North Korea and it laid the foundation for its cultural identity.         The art forms and literature of a nation expresses its cultural heritage and the case of North Korea is no different. The rich cultural background of the nation is evident, especially in the varied traditional dance forms and songs. The cultural aspects of the North Korea are inseparable from the reign of Soviet Union in the nation as well as the influence of Stalinist regime. The majority of the North Korean literature features the effects of Korean War and its aftermath. The North Korean population still appreciates and adores operas and dramas with revolutionary themes. Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, is significant in the contemporary period for its blend in ancient and modern architectural styles. The North Korean government also conducts art galleries and multi-cultural festivities during its festive seasons, especially during Arirang and on the traditional Korean New Year. Conclusion:        Hofstede has rightly defined culture as "the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one category of people from another" (Hofstede 51). Culture is also the conditioning elements of society transmitted through the traditions, language, art forms and artifacts, to the generations to come. North Korea shares its traditional culture with South Korea, but it also has developed a distinctly different cultural identity from South Korea, since the partition of Korean peninsula in 1945. Even though the government controls the literary and art forms of North Korea, the literary works, art forms, artifacts and monuments as well as from the ideologies and lifestyle of its citizens reflect the nation’s rich culture. The traditional wearing and embroidery also reflect the traditional elements of North Korean culture, whereas the overpowering socialism of the country influences the lifestyle and thought processes of its citizens. The unflinching patriotism and cultural and traditional elements of its citizens unite the nation. However, the iron curtain of the nation, constructed by the North Korean socialist government, is the power that protects these treasures.     Work Cited A.L. Kroeber & C. Kluckhohn. Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions. Harvard University Peabody Museum of American Archeology and Ethnology Papers 47. University of Minnesota. 1952. Web. 21 Jan. 2012. Banks et.al. Multi Cultural Education. Needham Heights. MA: Allyn & Bacon. University of Minnesota. 1989. Web. 22 Jan. 2012. G. Hofstede. National Cultures and Corporate Cultures. Samovar & Porter. (Eds.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. 1984. Web. 22 Jan. 2012. J.P. Lederach. Preparing for Peace: Conflict Transformation Across Cultures. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press. 1995. Web. 22 Jan. 2012. J. Useem & R. Useem. Human Organizations. University of Minnesota. 1963. Web. 22 Jan. 2012. L. Damen. Culture Learning: The Fifth Dimension on the Language Classroom. Reading, MA: Addison – Wesley. 1987. Web. 20 Jan. 2012. Maugham, William Somerset. William Somerset Maugham Quotes. Famous Quotes. 2011. Web. 20 Jan. 2012. < http://www.famousquotes.com/author/william-somerset-maugham/2> T. Parson. Essays in Sociological Theory. Glencoe, IL. University of Minnesota. 1949. Web. 22 Jan. 2012. Read More