The Social and Political Status of Women in the Choson Dynasty - Term Paper Example

Women Status In Сhоsоn Dynasty Name Course: Tutor: Institution: Women Status In Сhоsоn Dynasty Introduction The Choson Dynasty was the last and the longest lasting dynasty in East Asia having lasted from 1392 to 1910. The dynasty was also referred to as the Yi Dynasty, named after the ruling family, which succeeded the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). Both Choson and Goryeo dynasties were characterized by inactive participation of women in political and social activities in the community. This was so because of the profound dominance of the men in society and the inclination of social privileges on the male side. The onset of the Choson dynasty saw the elimination of Buddhism in the mainstream political and religious system and the adoption of the ideologies of Confucianism. This regime was marked by drastic changes in the cultural spectrum of the Korean social, political and economic system as Confucianism became the central philosophy. The family, which was considered the smallest unit of society, experienced transitional changes as the Choson dynasty took over. The influence of Confucianism was so strong in China that it stretched all the way to the neighboring countries such as Korea and Japan among other far-eastern countries. This essay will look into the situation of the social and political status of women in the Choson Dynasty and how Confucianism contributed to this situation. Furthermore, the paper will also highlight the effects this status of women had on the Korean culture as well as the similarities and differences between the Goryeo and the Choson dynasties as far as the status of women is concerned. Political Status During the beginning of the Choson Dynasty, there was a general change in the perception of women towards politics as they begun to look at leadership as a collective responsibility. This collective responsibility was to be taken up by any member of society regardless of the gender. The previous dynasty-Goryeo was one that discriminated against the female gender and did not encourage their participation in politics. This trend was perpetuated by the Buddhist system of politics which positioned women in a diminished and oppressive state. Women began to participate in leadership forums where their opinion counted and their contribution in the making of decisions in society was considered. Although both the Goryeo and the Choson dynasties were characterized by profound male dominance, the later was more receptive to the role of women in politics as compared to the former, which looked down on women and reserved the role of raising children exclusively to women. This trend is evidenced by the predominant place of residence for children. Children's residence was uxorilocal, meaning that they stayed in around the residence of the mother. The mother was charged with the sole responsibility of bringing up the children and not to take up political roles in the society (Kawashima, 2001, p.886-888). As the dynasty continued to rule in Korea, the role of women in politics continued to advance as the society adopted more liberal attitudes towards the collective responsibility of leadership in society regardless of gender. The latter half of the Choson dynasty saw an increase in the participation of women in politics as they begun to vie for positions in government and addressed issues that were considered too heavy to be handled by women in the previous regime of the Goryeo dynasty. This trend in the political participation of women during the Choson dynasty is associated with the penetration of Confucianism into Korean. The Confucian ideologies advocated for gender equality and was against oppressive tendencies that seemed to be perpetrated by Buddhism in the previous dynasty. As the women in society became active in the political scene, they began to address those retrogressive policies that discriminated against women. Women began to pursue education and other opportunities that gave them political social and economic freedom. The role of women in politics was at its highest pick during the late 19th and the early 20th century whereby women became more aggressive and active in the political scene (Rhee, 2005, p.46-48). Family Status The status of women in the social setting during the Choson dynasty was characterized by great advancements as compared to the previous Goryeo dynasty. The family was considered the smallest social unit in the Korean society, and the size of the family was measured by the number of children one had. The Choson dynasty was influenced by the Confucian ideologies which considered every member of society to be equal regardless of the gender. In this regard, women were given the opportunity to make vital decisions just like their male counterparts in matters concerning family. For instance, the decision of getting a divorce in the Choson dynasty. As the dynasty took root in Korea, the idea of divorce became less common and was considered shameful. This was not the case during the Goryeo dynasty where women had a low status in society as evidenced by the high rate of divorce cases. Furthermore, as the 19th century drew near, the idea of divorce was an impossible case as it could not be allowed in the Korean system which embraced the Confucian culture. The impossibility of divorce was emphasized by the nature of the family as a residence for the couple was independent of the individual couple's parental residences (Rhee, 2005, p.45). The Choson dynasty did not encourage polygamous marriages as they were seen to be not only retrogressive but also act as obstacles to the strengthening of the family as the smallest unit of society. In this regard, the number of families that embraced polygamous marriages decreased as the Choson dynasty took root in Korea. However, it is important to note that despite the eradication of polygamy in the Choson dynasty, the men were allowed to have concubines although the children they bore with these concubines were regarded as illegitimate and, therefore, not legible for an inheritance. Recent changes that took effect during the latter periods of the Choson dynasty have seen women lose their economic independence. For instance, it is during this dynasty that women were cut from the privileges of their families. This is because they were no longer legible for inheritance from their natal families after being married. Furthermore, women were expected to pay one-time dowry to the husband's family (Schmid, 2000, p.1051-1053). The Cause of this situation of women-Confucianism As we have seen, the Choson dynasty is characterized by increased participation of women in politics as compared to the previous Goryeo dynasty, which oppressed the female gender in the political and social settings. The other fact about the Choson dynasty is that it is the longest lasting in the East Asian history, having lasted from 1392 until 1910. Apart from being the longest lasting dynasty in the Korean history, the Choson dynasty was also the last one to ever exist in Korea after which the country adopted a new political system. The advanced status of women in Korea is attributed to the penetration of the Confucian philosophy, which was said to be advocating for gender equality among other progressive policies in society. Confucianism emphasized the importance of education as a tool for emancipation and shunning ignorance, which encouraged retrogressive tendencies such as male domination and seclusion from the rest of the world. In essence, the influence of Confucianism replaced Buddhism, which was the main religion during the previous dynasty in Korea. The scholarly elite during the Choson dynasty embraced the Confucian ideologies in the learning system as it seemed to encourage progressive tendencies in society (Kawashima, 2001, p.887). The essense of the evolving political regime in Korea was evident in the status of women in the political and the family status of women. This is because of the enormous changes witnessed during the Choson dynasty, which was not present in the previous Goryeo dynasty. For instance, the inclusion of women in political institutions and the incorporation of their contribution in the making of vital decisions in society. From a social point of view, the policies that suppressed women such as polygamy and illiteracy were eradicated by the emergence of the Confucian tradition, which encouraged women to seek their place in the political arena, where they would be able to effect amendments and modifications in their favor. Consequently, the social and political status of women saw significant transformations that improved their position from family based to society based. Women eventually became active in the leadership roles that were previously dominated by their male counterparts. The invasion of Confucianism brought about the changes in the in the political and social status of women during the Choson dynasty (YONG-HO, 1974, p.611). This is because of the fact that the Choson dynasty misinterpreted the Confucian ideology and advanced retrogressive practices against women. In addition to that, Confucianism revolutionized the cultural perspective of the Korean society, which was previously characterized by oppressive policies that favored the men. The effects of women status on Korea's culture The Choson dynasty, which lasted for approximately 500 years left an indelible mark in the Korean culture. The Korean culture is regarded as one of the conservative cultures of all time based on its authoritarian and sexist tradition, which was adopted from the Confucian influence during the Choson dynasty. It is important to note that despite the fact that the Choson dynasty was better than the previous Goryeo dynasty, both are considered retrogressive in the sense that whereas the Goryeo dynasty applied Buddhist ideologies, the Choson dynasty implemented the Confucian philosophy. However, for a considerable period during the era of the Yi dynasty, the Confucian philosophy was misunderstood as evidenced by the contradicting practices by the Choson dynasty. As a result of the retrogressive Confucian philosophy, women were restricted from participating in politics, and as if that is not enough, their access to education opportunities was a limited one. It is worth noting that the effects of the authoritarian and sexist nature of the Confucian practices during the Choson dynasty are felt in Korea to date. This is evidenced by the widespread cases of authoritarianism and sexism in the 21st century Korea (Moon, 2002, p.48-482). The status of women during the Choson dynasty reflects on the extent to which retrogressive practices can go in shaping the cultural future of the country. For instance, the Choson dynasty was characterized by authoritarianism and sexism and this has gone a long way in shaping the modern day perception of women on politics and social responsibility. Korea is one of the countries with a rich cultural background, thanks to the influence that Confucianism had on the country during the Choson dynasty. This phenomenon makes it clear that despite the negative authoritarian and sexist tendencies in the Confucian philosophy, there are also positive attributes of the philosophy. As a matter of fact, it is said that the Confucian philosophy advocates for good relationships between people and their leaders as well as that among themselves. For instance, the Confucian philosophy encourages the respect of a wife to her husband, young brother to elder brother and subjects to their leaders. The emphasis of these relationships was misunderstood during the Choson dynasty leading to the perpetuation of a conservative culture that looked down upon women. The Korean culture is centered on the superiority of the male species and the submission of women (Hazard, 1972, p.905). Similarities and differences in social status of women between Choson and Goryeo dynasty The Choson dynasty took over from the Goryeo dynasty, which had ruled Korea from 918 to 1392. The Goryeo regime was influenced by the Buddhism religion which dictated major political and social decisions that were made. The Choson dynasty, on the other hand, was characterized by the influence of Confucianism. It was the last and the longest lasting dynasty in the Korean history having reigned from 1392 to 1910. Both dynasties are said to have perpetuated the oppression of women in the social and the political arena. This is evidenced by the fact that women were denied the chance to participate in politics and did not take part in the making of decisions that concerned family. However, it is worth noting that despite the fact that both Choson and Goryeo dynasties diminished the status of women in the social and political aspects, the practice was more profound in the Goryeo than it was in the Choson dynasty. This difference is attributed to the fact that Confucianism advocated for gender equality, respect and dignity for humans among other virtues. The misunderstanding of these virtues was the root cause of the retrogressive tendencies in the political and social status of women in the Korean society (Jager, 1996, p.3). The Confucian philosophy shaped the education system of Korea giving rise to the superiority of the Yangban elite group. This was because of the fact that the education system in the Choson dynasty favored the elite. The traditional practices in the Goryeo dynasty further oppressed the female gender while fortifying the male gender. For instance, the women were not allowed to mingle freely with their male counterparts, something that discouraged them from joining political institutions, which were dominated by the men. Further, the Goryeo dynasty encouraged polygamous marriages. This was not the case with the Choson dynasty. While the Goryeo dynasty encouraged divorce, the Choson dynasty regarded it as a shameful and later abolished the practice completely. The monogamous men in the Choson dynasty were allowed to have concubines although the children they bore with them were regarded as illegitimate and could not qualify for inheritance. The other difference between the two dynasties is the fact that while women in the Goryeo dynasty were stayed in their parental residence-uxorilocal, the Choson dynasty was characterized by virilocal marriages whereby the married couples stayed far from both parents. Conclusion In conclusion, the Choson dynasty was the last dynasty and the longest lasting the East Asian history. It succeeded the Goryeo dynasty. The dynasty started in 1392 and continued until 1910. The Choson dynasty was influenced by the ideologies of Confucianism, which advocated for respect and dignity in the relationships among humans. However, the Choson dynasty saw the misunderstanding of the principles of Confucianism leading to the onset of retrogressive practices that diminished the status of women in the family and politics. The development of sexist and authoritarian tendencies during the Choson dynasty brought about far reaching effects on the Korean culture. Although the Goryeo and the Choson dynasties bear similarities as far as the status of women is concerned, it is important to note that the main religion during the Goryeo dynasty was Buddhism, and it influenced how women were regarded in society. The main religion during the Choson dynasty was Confucianism. References Hazard, B.H. 1972, "Review Articles NEW LITERATURE ON THE HISTORY OF KOREA", The Journal of Asian Studies (pre-1986), vol. 31, no. 4, pp. 905. Jager, S.M. 1996, "Women, resistance and the divided nation: The romantic rhetoric of Korean reunification", The Journal of Asian Studies, vol. 55, no. 1, pp. 3. Kawashima, F. 2001, "The Origins of the Choson Dynasty", The Journal of Asian Studies, vol. 60, no. 3, pp. 886-888. Moon, S. 2002, "Carving out space: Civil society and the women's movement in South Korea", The Journal of Asian Studies, vol. 61, no. 2, pp. 473-500. Rhee, Y. 2005, "A COMPARATIVE HISTORICAL STUDY OF THE CENSUS REGISTERS OF EARLY CHOSON KOREA AND MING CHINA", International Journal of Asian Studies, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 25-55. Schmid, A. 2000, "Culture and State in Late Choson Korea", The Journal of Asian Studies, vol. 59, no. 4, pp. 1051-1053. YONG-HO CH'OE 1974, "Commoners in Early Yi Dynasty Civil Examinations: An Aspect of Korean Social Structure, 13921600", The Journal of Asian Studies (pre-1986), vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 611. Read More

The Confucian ideologies advocated for gender equality and was against oppressive tendencies that seemed to be perpetrated by Buddhism in the previous dynasty. As the women in society became active in the political scene, they began to address those retrogressive policies that discriminated against women. Women began to pursue education and other opportunities that gave them political social and economic freedom. The role of women in politics was at its highest pick during the late 19th and the early 20th century whereby women became more aggressive and active in the political scene (Rhee, 2005, p.46-48). Family Status The status of women in the social setting during the Choson dynasty was characterized by great advancements as compared to the previous Goryeo dynasty.

The family was considered the smallest social unit in the Korean society, and the size of the family was measured by the number of children one had. The Choson dynasty was influenced by the Confucian ideologies which considered every member of society to be equal regardless of the gender. In this regard, women were given the opportunity to make vital decisions just like their male counterparts in matters concerning family. For instance, the decision of getting a divorce in the Choson dynasty.

As the dynasty took root in Korea, the idea of divorce became less common and was considered shameful. This was not the case during the Goryeo dynasty where women had a low status in society as evidenced by the high rate of divorce cases. Furthermore, as the 19th century drew near, the idea of divorce was an impossible case as it could not be allowed in the Korean system which embraced the Confucian culture. The impossibility of divorce was emphasized by the nature of the family as a residence for the couple was independent of the individual couple's parental residences (Rhee, 2005, p.45). The Choson dynasty did not encourage polygamous marriages as they were seen to be not only retrogressive but also act as obstacles to the strengthening of the family as the smallest unit of society.

In this regard, the number of families that embraced polygamous marriages decreased as the Choson dynasty took root in Korea. However, it is important to note that despite the eradication of polygamy in the Choson dynasty, the men were allowed to have concubines although the children they bore with these concubines were regarded as illegitimate and, therefore, not legible for an inheritance. Recent changes that took effect during the latter periods of the Choson dynasty have seen women lose their economic independence.

For instance, it is during this dynasty that women were cut from the privileges of their families. This is because they were no longer legible for inheritance from their natal families after being married. Furthermore, women were expected to pay one-time dowry to the husband's family (Schmid, 2000, p.1051-1053). The Cause of this situation of women-Confucianism As we have seen, the Choson dynasty is characterized by increased participation of women in politics as compared to the previous Goryeo dynasty, which oppressed the female gender in the political and social settings.

The other fact about the Choson dynasty is that it is the longest lasting in the East Asian history, having lasted from 1392 until 1910. Apart from being the longest lasting dynasty in the Korean history, the Choson dynasty was also the last one to ever exist in Korea after which the country adopted a new political system. The advanced status of women in Korea is attributed to the penetration of the Confucian philosophy, which was said to be advocating for gender equality among other progressive policies in society.

Confucianism emphasized the importance of education as a tool for emancipation and shunning ignorance, which encouraged retrogressive tendencies such as male domination and seclusion from the rest of the world. In essence, the influence of Confucianism replaced Buddhism, which was the main religion during the previous dynasty in Korea.

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