Session 7 - April 28

[Guadalupe Moreno]

The story of Tan'gun captured my attention the most at the start of video one. I have heard of many stories that relate as to how humans came to be and I believe this is the first where the animals were chosen to become human rather than coming from a aprt of the God itself. I think this a great story for students to compare against other mythology stories as a lesson. One thing that can be pointed out by them as well, is the fact that the first human was a woman. This is very rare and I believe it would empower the young girls in the course. It shows them how prior to the schoolsl of thought, critianity and such, women where actually equal to men. 

[Guadalupe Moreno]

Through art history course and paiting course the main painters tend to always be men. Historicaly, women aritst are forgotten and unacknowlegde. It is very rare to know of women artist and if so, the women repsent themselves under the surname of a man or were not creddited. It is refreshing to have the opportunity to learn of women artist within the Choson Dynasty even if only five were credited for their art. Sin Saimdang, was the first recorder female painter in Korean history and the most prominent although, it is very unfortunate that this is mostly due to the recognition she recieved as Yi I mother. Regardlesss, learning about her paintings has been wonderful and I believe introducing a woman artist to students is benefical in rlevancy of viewing "ouselves" in the artist rather than only viewing and learning ablotu male artist of the past. 

[Guadalupe Moreno]

This is such a great concept to introduce to your stduents. I think not only would it allow young girls to view themseleves differently in the light of history but it also allows thier fellow male peers the same opportunity. The young boys too need the chance to see women in meaningful areas of society/history to break the cycle of overbearing patriarchies. I feel like this would help empower the young girls and allow the young boys to view them differently. 

[Guadalupe Moreno]

I too find it very intresting learning about Sin Saimdang! I did not take a course but have been to a very detailed seminar of Korean culture and history where no information of thise type was divulge. The artwork we focuesd on was also of Choson dynasty, particularly the Minhwa but due to it being a common folk art there was no names in record of the artist. I feel as though if there was an importance of introduing art of the common people, that there should be an inclusion of Korean Women artist as well especially since it is wihtin the same dynasty. 

[Guadalupe Moreno]

It is intresting to learn about the social stratification in during the Old Choson period. What intirgued me was the continous use of the same system along with its rigourness. The system was so strict that one portion of it, the Hollow Bones, even went extinct. I almost feel like this would be a great lesson in histroy or maybe even a homeroom activity to comapre different social strafication systems from different regiosns of the world. Most importantly, tying it in with the Idian caste system that unfortunatelty is still being used. The students can comapre the affects it caused on socety during the Old Choson period and how those are simialr or worse to the caste system of today in India. 

[Martha Pao]

It is so true that much of the current curriculum is (perhaps inadvertedly so) very Eurocentric. There have been so many great civilizations, amazing empires in the history of humankind, and to learn how they rise and fall, for they all do rise and fall, would be very instructive for students.  The challenge is how to go into sufficient depth with the limited amount of time that we have and also how to make it interesting and relatable. 

In terms of inventions that come from Asia, we can add to the printing press: paper, pasta/noodles, saddle and stirups, gelato, gunpowder, the compass... to name a few.

[Martha Pao]

The new topic on Korea brings up so many questions… like any good lecture would! 

One thing that jumped out is that Korea had closer ties to Japan than to China.  Why would that be?  Geographically it seems that the land route would produce more contacts between Korean people and their neighbors.  Unless Koreans were excellent seafaring people?  Maybe culturally Koreans and Japanese were closer and thus relations flourished?

[Johnny Walker]

I really enjoyed the video #1 lecture. I have such a little background in Korean history, and I'm finding that through the videos and text, that using comparative analysis allows me to have a more stable structure for understanding and conceptualizing Korean history. For example, the shamanistic belief system of the neolithic Korean people corresponds to shamanistic beliefs common in African and American societies. Likewise the founding myths that blend into the historical or material record remind me of Chinese myths that further blend into history of the earliest dynasties. I also really enjoyed the images of dolmen worldwide, and appreciate how these spiritual beliefs and material culture blended to connect people around the world through space and time. Likewise, the slide in which Professor Jung-Kim traced the Marxist historical materialism of Korean society illustrates the common lineage of human political and economic organization. I really enjoy the idea of Big History and how Marxist dialectics serve to make students think about periodization, historiography, conflict, and societal transformation.

I also really appreciate how Professor Jung-Kim noted where the California state standards overlapped in her lecture. Sadly, it seems largely reserved for 7th grade which is already an overwhelmingly broad swath of historic content. I am currently brainstorming ways in which to connect this content to my 10th grade World History class especially related to how the ideas and spread of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Classical Chinese served as a parrallel model for learning as the spread of Greek and Roman ideas and language affected Middle Eastern and European scholarship, politics, social structure. 

I was also struck by how the Mongols' lack of seafaring skill prevented them from pursuing the royal family to an island, yet also caused them to enlist Korean sailors to aid in their failed invasion of Japan. In our last class we saw how the Mongol invasion of Japan was split into two different attempts- the first coming from the Korean peninsula, while the second began in China. The Mongol's administration of Korea is also an excellent case study in order for students to learn how the Mongols administered their Empire through brutality and conquest, marriage to solidify loyalty, hostages, tribute, favors, and employing the skills of the conquered to serve the rest of the Empire. 

[Karina Alonso]

I found it extremely interesting how King T'aejo married a total of 29 wives to create important relationships. This demonstrated possibly the want and need of power and control this period felt. I belive this has been a typical strategy amoung different historical periods. (Not necessarily marrying 29 wives but marrying for convenience, such as arranged marriages.)

[Johnny Walker]

I really enjoyed the Kim article, “Creative Women of Korea”, and as a learner, I am reminded of the value of how presenting new material through the lens of what is already familiar to a student is immensely helpful. I’m also reminded of my privilege as a white American Anglo man who has a background in Shakespeare and therefore, has a greater opportunity to access this material. I constantly think of my students, 100% Latino in a high poverty neighborhood, and how to access their funds of knowledge in order to illuminate and bridge new unfamiliar content. Furthermore, engaging in comparative literature and historical context also reinforces the value of interdisciplinary collaboration especially between ELA and Social Sciences teachers. In addition, in reading the article, I’m also inspired to use content to raise awareness about the patriarchy, feminism, and find as many opportunities to bridge ethnic, cultural, or racial divides. The more that our students are able to connect different peoples of the world to common/shared experiences, struggles, and hopes, the greater opportunities we have to instill tolerance, curiosity, values of social justice, and commit to an Anti Racist ideology as teachers. 

 

I had a misconception that the Korean vernacular did not have an alphabet and that this writing was brought to Korea as recently as the late 19th century by Christian missionaries. Sheesh! Kim mentions that Korean women wrote in both Classical Chinese as well as the Korean vernacular. How similar was the development of a Korean writing system to the Japanese one of kana from the Chinese kanji? Is Korean grammar more similar to Chinese or Japanese? How common is it for Koreans, Chinese, or Japanese to be fluent in one another’s language. In the modern era, is English the dominant second language? 

While I was imagining how a comparative analysis between Korea and Japan would have been interesting, especially since we just learned about “The Tale of Genji” and contributions of Heian women authors despite an extremely patriarchal Japanese society, I also enjoy the simultaneous study of Shakespeare and Elizabethan England to 16th century Korea. As examined through the writing/criticism of Virginia Woolf is an especially complex, nuanced, and effective way to teach and learn about 16th century world history in addition to appreciating early 20th century feminism. 

I enjoyed the poetic correspondence between Ho Pong and Ho Nansorhon. I think students will appreciate these poems and feel a greater emotional connection in understanding the intense patriarchal nature of the society and ways in which art and poetry can process that trauma for people. I know that many of my students are fans of K-Pop (although I am totally ignorant), and that many of the BTS songs relate to social issues. This may also serve as a hook to connect a continuity in Korean art. 

[Jennifer Macchiarella]

I'm curious about other myths. Do the Koreans have one about how evil was introduced into the world? We have a mini-unit comparing Pandora to Eve and looking at both stories through a feminist lens.  Then we talk about how this basic assumption shapes literature for centuries to come.  Along the same lines, I thought it was interesting that women could become queens before those from a lower rank could inherit the throne - the idea that rank was more important than gender.  

I was also curious about the choice of animals and why both animals couldn't endure the 100 days.  Do you have any suggestions of ore resources for Korean mythology?

[Miguel Diaz]

I have taught haiku poetry in the past to students both in the US and in China. Haiku poetry has always been a big hit because it is approachable and manageable. Students understand the ideas of nature and simplicity when asked to write haiku poems.

I had not heard of sijo poetry until this week. Although sijo poetry is more complex than haiku, given that it contains more lines and allows for a greater variety of topics such as political discontent and heroism, I still think that my students will enjoy it and understand it.

A nice comparative study of haiku and sijo would help my students to understand (or at least appreciate) the similarities and differences between these two forms of poetry.

[Miguel Diaz]

The leaders of the Joseon Dynasty saw themselves as culturally superior to the Manchu of the Ching Dynasty – and as the last bastion of civilization.  A big claim, indeed. However, not as bold as the claim that I heard made by a docent at a museum in Kaesong, North Korea.

The young docent at the museum proudly proclaimed that paper was invented in North Korea. 

Everyone in the tour group seemed surprised by his comment, though no one questioned or challenged his assertion. 

This reminds me of a claim that I’ve often heard made by countless laymen and mortals like me (or one that’s often alluded to by those writing books). 

“My civilization was/is the most innovative – and the most advanced in the history of humankind.”  Who said this? Individuals from more countries than I care to list. Often time, “the most advanced civilization” is determined by scientific innovation, military prowess, or archaeological records.

But I think this approach really misses the point. As a teacher, it is more important to find commonalities in humankind, those that bring us together, instead of differences that divide us. I try to teach my students to value the mythology of ancient Polynesians just as well as they value the mythology of the ancient Greeks. 

Maui is as important as Poseidon.

[Jennifer Macchiarella]

I agree that the idea of printing as unique to Europe is problematic at best and racist at worse. I appreciated the concept of "concurrence" - how multiple cultures could invent the same thing. Gutenberg didn't copy his idea from Korea, but that doesn't mean he gets sole credit. I am curious about how printing affected Asian literacy rates, commerce, philosophy?  We talk about how moveable type led to an increase in the printing of indulgences, and how that angered Luther, and how the machine meant his 95 theses could be printed quickly and spread. Was there any similar cultural change in Korea or China after the moveable type was invented?  Did it increase literacy rates? Affect commercial record keeping?

[Jennifer Macchiarella]

I found it fascinating how the video explained the social structure, placing entertainers just above slaves.  I recognize that many entertainers don't produce any tangible goods, but I'm curious if all arts were treated in the same way. Were poets the same as singers? Were artists the same as musicians?  Were entertainers common, or just found around the royalty? I think it would be an interesting comparison across history, especially given the often high status of entertainers in America. Entertainers can be paid lavishly and admired, but entertainment as a future profession is often discouraged. My own son wants to be an actor and many of my friends think I'm crazy to "let" him pursue it. 

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