• Korea, 1000-1400 A.D. [Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art]
"Some of the most outstanding achievements in Korean art and culture date to the Koryô dynasty (918–1392), which rules the peninsula for nearly 500 years." With a period overview, list of key events, and ten related artworks.

• Koryô Dynasty, 918-1392 [The Art of Asia, Minneapolis Institute of Arts]
"The last Silla king abdicated the throne in the early 10th century and married the daughter of the upstart General Wang Kon, who founded the Koryo dynasty (918-1392)." A brief one-paragraph overview, with two objects representative of the period.

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• Korea, 1400-1600 A.D. [Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art]
"In an attempt to distance themselves from the former Koryô court and rejuvenate the country, the rulers of the new Chosôn dynasty (1392–1910) severely curtail the practice of Buddhism and embrace Neo-Confucianism as the official state ideology." With a period overview, list of key events, and nine related artworks.

Lesson Plan • Famous Koreans: Six Portraits: King Sejong [Education About Asia, Association for Asian Studies]
Lesson plan designed "to provide an opportunity for students to learn about famous Koreans through readings and/or dramatizations." Brief overviews of the lives of six notable figures in Korea's history, including King Sejong (r. 1418-1450). Each overview is imagined as a first-person narrative written by the historical figure.

• King Sejong the Great [Asia Society]
A background essay about "King Sejong, a scholar (who) placed great emphasis on scholarship and education."

• The Cultural Work of Sejong the Great [PDF] [Korea Society]
An in-depth overview of the contributions of Chosôn King Sejong, by Columbia University's King Sejong Professor of Korean Studies Emeritus Gary Ledyard.

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• Korean Language [Asia Society]
A brief background essay about the Korean language, including a short paragraph about the modern Korean writing system, han'gul, which "was devised in 1443 during the reign of King Sejong."

• The Cultural Work of Sejong the Great [PDF] [Korea Society]
An in-depth overview of the contributions of Chosôn King Sejong, by Columbia University's King Sejong Professor of Korean Studies Emeritus Gary Ledyard. See "The Invention of the Alphabet" (page 13) for a detailed discussion of the development of the Korean alphabet.

Primary Source w/DBQs • Chông Inji's Postscript to the Hunmin Chôngûm (Correct Sounds to Instruct the People), 1446 [PDF] [Asia for Educators]

Primary Source w/DBQs • Ch'oe Malli's Opposition to the Korean Alphabet [PDF] [Asia for Educators]

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Primary Source w/DBQs • Pak Ch'o, Anti-Buddhist Memorial [PDF] [Asia for Educators]

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Primary Source w/DBQs • Chông Tojôn, On Land [PDF] [Asia for Educators]

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Lesson Plan • Printing Technology: Evolution or Invention? [PDF] [Korea Society]
"In this lesson, students evaluate [Johannes] Gutenberg’s contributions in comparison to those of Koreans through the Tripitaka Koreana (a collection of woodblocks carved in Korea during the 13th century) and the Chikchi (a book written in moveable metallic that predates the Gutenberg Bible by 78 years).

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Primary Source w/DBQs • "Inheritance of Slave Status" [PDF] [Asia for Educators]

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• Koryô Celadon [Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art]
Discusses the development of celadon ceramic production during the Koryô dynasty (918-1392). With 11 related objects.

• Chosôn Punch'ông Ware [Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art]
A discussion of punch'ông ware, "the striking ceramic type produced during the first 200 years of the Chosôn dynasty (1392–1910)." With six related artworks.

• In Pursuit of White: Porcelain in the Chosôn Dynasty, 1392–1910 [Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art]
Discusses the ascendance of paekcha, or white ware, during the Chosôn period, including its adoption as imperial ware in the 15th century. With ten related objects.

Find more art-related resources for Korea, 1000-1450 CE
at OMuRAA (Online Museum Resources on Asian Art)

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