Korea Research Paper
Early Settlers
People have been living on the Korean peninsula for about half a million years. Archeologists have found ancient evidence of stone chopping tools, axes and old pottery in digs in Central Korea . Farming most probably started in the Bronze Age, around 3,500 years ago. Carbonized rice grains and farming tools dating from this period of history have been found at many archeological digs.
Geography
Geographically, the Korean Peninsula points southward from the northeastern corner of the Asian continent and is surrounded on three sides by large expanses of water. Although Japan is not far from Korea , the peninsula has been affected far more by the civilizations on the Asian continent than by those in Japan .
Korea 's geography was a major factor in shaping its history; including the manner in which the inhabitants of the peninsula emerged as a common people wanting to belong to a unified nation called Korea .
Folklore & History
Aside from history, the Korean people trace …show more content…
their origins to the founding of the state of Choson, meaning "Land of the Morning Calm." The founding of Choson dates to 2333 B.C. when according to popular folklore, Tan-gun, a legendary figure born of the son of Heaven and a woman from a bear-totem tribe, established the state.
Historically, ancient Korea was dominated by clan communities which combined to form small town-states. However, by the first century B.C. the 3 kingdoms, Koguryo, Paekche and Shilla had emerged on the Korean Peninsula (today part of Manchuria ).
Ever since the Shilla kingdom unified the peninsula in 676 A.D, Korea had been ruled by a single government and has maintained its political independence and cultural and ethnic identity in spite of frequent foreign invasions. In the late 19th century, Korea became the focus of intense competition among imperialist nations, China , Russia and Japan . In 1910, Japan annexed Korea and instituted colonial rule. National liberation occurred in 1945 but was soon followed by territorial division. In June 1950, North Korea launched an unprovoked full-scale invasion of the South and started a war that lasted three years. The three-year war caused terrible damage before it ended in a cease-fire in 1953. Since then, the Korean peninsula has been governed by the Republic of Korea in the south and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north (Korea Information Gateway, 2004) .
Reunification remains the long-cherished but elusive goal of all Koreans on both sides of the Military Demarcation Line.
The fall of Communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and the unification of Germany raised expectations in Korea that unification could be achieved. Some progress in promoting trust and cooperation between the two halves of the Peninsula was made in recent years (Caraway, 2001) .
KOREAN CULTURE:
Korea has a long and distinguished cultural history. It culture has blossomed during her long history. Owing to its geo-historical dependencies, Japan has adopted many Korean ideas and customs. Korea has also spawned some great inventions: its ancient printing systems, the first ever iron-clad battleship, and the Korean alphabet, devised by a group of 15th century scholars, remains largely unchanged today.
The reasons behind Korea 's rapid economic development can be found in this innate creativity.
Components of Korean
Culture
The ancient religion of Korea , Buddhism has played a powerful role in Korean art. A large number of excellent examples of Korean artwork and architecture can be found in Buddhist temples and paintings. The current trend in Korean art is the harmonious combination of traditional and modern styles (Grayson, 1989) .
Tomb murals from the Three Kingdoms Period are the earliest examples of Korean painting. Mythological beasts such as dragons and flying horses show an imaginative and creative spirit. Throughout the Unified Shilla and Koryo Periods, Buddhism prevailed in every field of life, thus leaving a rich collection of icon paintings. In the late Koryo Dynasty, ink and brush paintings of the four "noble plants", (cherry blossom, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo), symbolizing traditional virtues, became popular. Artists of the Choson Dynasty produced innovative masterpieces embodying the Korean spirits and perspectives. There are humorous animal pictures, scroll paintings of dreamlike, mist-clad mountains, and insightful sketches of everyday life done in brush and ink. Paintings with folk custom and nature themes flourished in the latter half of the 18th century.
Calligraphy, the art of brush writing, a traditional art form in Korea , has exerted a strong influence on social and cultural life and is still highly respected today.
Korean architecture has been shaped by 4 factors: religions, the availability of materials, the natural landscape, and an aesthetic preference for simplicity. Gently sloping rooflines and sturdy, undecorated pillars characterize its simplicity, harmony, and practical utility. Korea has many original wooden and stone structures, some dating back over a thousand years. There are also many skillful reproductions. Traditional architectural designs are also incorporated in many modern buildings throughout the country (Grayson, 1989) .
The perfection of celadon, accomplished during the Koryo Dynasty, was one of the most significant achievements in Korean art. Korean artisans developed a superbly controlled glaze that was both beautiful and unique because it fully utilized the properties of Korea 's rich clay (Caraway, 2001) .
The museums of Korea are a testament to its historic treasures and cultural legacies. Many national, municipal and university museums, as well as a number of private institutions, preserve Korea 's colorful past.
Koreans have always had a deep love for music and dance. Some examples of what a traveler might see are classical court music, narrative folk songs, farmers dance, mask dance, and traditional western style music (Korea Information Gateway, 2004) .
An Unmistakable Identity
Despite the rich cultural heritage of Korea, its long and ancient history has given the world far more than what it has borrowed from its neighbors. History shows us that conquering nations such as Japan for example, have taken much from Korean art, music and religion- this is specially evident in their building style for instance. Koreans tend to be a little closeted and reluctant to spread their cultural influences in places outside the country. When settling in a new country as immigrants, Koreans seem to keep a lookout for their own countrymen and take up residence in closely knit communities. So there is an unmistakable cultural identity, a sense of homecoming for the Korean traveler when they visit families abroad, away from Korea.
People have been living on the Korean peninsula for about half a million years. Archeologists have found ancient evidence of stone chopping tools, axes and old pottery in digs in Central Korea . Farming most probably started in the Bronze Age, around 3,500 years ago. Carbonized rice grains and farming tools dating from this period of history have been found at many archeological digs.
Geography
Geographically, the Korean Peninsula points southward from the northeastern corner of the Asian continent and is surrounded on three sides by large expanses of water. Although Japan is not far from Korea , the peninsula has been affected far more by the civilizations on the Asian continent than by those in Japan .
Korea 's geography was a major factor in shaping its history; including the manner in which the inhabitants of the peninsula emerged as a common people wanting to belong to a unified nation called Korea .
Folklore & History
Aside from history, the Korean people trace …show more content…
their origins to the founding of the state of Choson, meaning "Land of the Morning Calm." The founding of Choson dates to 2333 B.C. when according to popular folklore, Tan-gun, a legendary figure born of the son of Heaven and a woman from a bear-totem tribe, established the state.
Historically, ancient Korea was dominated by clan communities which combined to form small town-states. However, by the first century B.C. the 3 kingdoms, Koguryo, Paekche and Shilla had emerged on the Korean Peninsula (today part of Manchuria ).
Ever since the Shilla kingdom unified the peninsula in 676 A.D, Korea had been ruled by a single government and has maintained its political independence and cultural and ethnic identity in spite of frequent foreign invasions. In the late 19th century, Korea became the focus of intense competition among imperialist nations, China , Russia and Japan . In 1910, Japan annexed Korea and instituted colonial rule. National liberation occurred in 1945 but was soon followed by territorial division. In June 1950, North Korea launched an unprovoked full-scale invasion of the South and started a war that lasted three years. The three-year war caused terrible damage before it ended in a cease-fire in 1953. Since then, the Korean peninsula has been governed by the Republic of Korea in the south and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north (Korea Information Gateway, 2004) .
Reunification remains the long-cherished but elusive goal of all Koreans on both sides of the Military Demarcation Line.
The fall of Communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and the unification of Germany raised expectations in Korea that unification could be achieved. Some progress in promoting trust and cooperation between the two halves of the Peninsula was made in recent years (Caraway, 2001) .
KOREAN CULTURE:
Korea has a long and distinguished cultural history. It culture has blossomed during her long history. Owing to its geo-historical dependencies, Japan has adopted many Korean ideas and customs. Korea has also spawned some great inventions: its ancient printing systems, the first ever iron-clad battleship, and the Korean alphabet, devised by a group of 15th century scholars, remains largely unchanged today.
The reasons behind Korea 's rapid economic development can be found in this innate creativity.
Components of Korean
Culture
The ancient religion of Korea , Buddhism has played a powerful role in Korean art. A large number of excellent examples of Korean artwork and architecture can be found in Buddhist temples and paintings. The current trend in Korean art is the harmonious combination of traditional and modern styles (Grayson, 1989) .
Tomb murals from the Three Kingdoms Period are the earliest examples of Korean painting. Mythological beasts such as dragons and flying horses show an imaginative and creative spirit. Throughout the Unified Shilla and Koryo Periods, Buddhism prevailed in every field of life, thus leaving a rich collection of icon paintings. In the late Koryo Dynasty, ink and brush paintings of the four "noble plants", (cherry blossom, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo), symbolizing traditional virtues, became popular. Artists of the Choson Dynasty produced innovative masterpieces embodying the Korean spirits and perspectives. There are humorous animal pictures, scroll paintings of dreamlike, mist-clad mountains, and insightful sketches of everyday life done in brush and ink. Paintings with folk custom and nature themes flourished in the latter half of the 18th century.
Calligraphy, the art of brush writing, a traditional art form in Korea , has exerted a strong influence on social and cultural life and is still highly respected today.
Korean architecture has been shaped by 4 factors: religions, the availability of materials, the natural landscape, and an aesthetic preference for simplicity. Gently sloping rooflines and sturdy, undecorated pillars characterize its simplicity, harmony, and practical utility. Korea has many original wooden and stone structures, some dating back over a thousand years. There are also many skillful reproductions. Traditional architectural designs are also incorporated in many modern buildings throughout the country (Grayson, 1989) .
The perfection of celadon, accomplished during the Koryo Dynasty, was one of the most significant achievements in Korean art. Korean artisans developed a superbly controlled glaze that was both beautiful and unique because it fully utilized the properties of Korea 's rich clay (Caraway, 2001) .
The museums of Korea are a testament to its historic treasures and cultural legacies. Many national, municipal and university museums, as well as a number of private institutions, preserve Korea 's colorful past.
Koreans have always had a deep love for music and dance. Some examples of what a traveler might see are classical court music, narrative folk songs, farmers dance, mask dance, and traditional western style music (Korea Information Gateway, 2004) .
An Unmistakable Identity
Despite the rich cultural heritage of Korea, its long and ancient history has given the world far more than what it has borrowed from its neighbors. History shows us that conquering nations such as Japan for example, have taken much from Korean art, music and religion- this is specially evident in their building style for instance. Koreans tend to be a little closeted and reluctant to spread their cultural influences in places outside the country. When settling in a new country as immigrants, Koreans seem to keep a lookout for their own countrymen and take up residence in closely knit communities. So there is an unmistakable cultural identity, a sense of homecoming for the Korean traveler when they visit families abroad, away from Korea.