Korean Catholics in Chosŏn Dynasty: A Moral Paradox

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Short Answer (Please choose and answer FIVE of the seven questions in your own words using complete sentences, ten points each)

1) Describe how Korean Catholics during the Chosŏn Dynasty both affirmed and challenged traditional Korean notions of morality and ritual.

The are quite a few different ways that Korean Catholics both affirmed and challenged traditional concepts of morality and ritual from the Choson Era. Traditional Choson Korea before Catholicism was one based off Confucianism (and Neo- Confucianism) basis of thinking. One that saw morality, filial piety, Social Hierarchy, Social relationships, and ritual as the normal way of life. This way of thinking had kept Korea stable for generations. (Confucianism equals morality) When …show more content…

The first being generally violent, beginning with Righteous Armies, who tired to violently resist the Japanese. After this in 1909 (Thomas) An Chunggun shot and killed Ito Hirobumi, This An hoped would show that Ito was a liar and a traitor to both Korea and Japan. An would be tried and executed. Next attack that falls into this category is the March 1st movement (March 1, 1919) in which a demonstration was held and violently put down, this brought a new turn of events with new players. Yu Kwansun was a participate in the March 1st movement and was subsequently tried and executed as well. Both her and Thomas Chunggun also demonstrate another way of resistance to the Japanese. Through religion, both were Christians (Thomas catholic and Yu protestant) has been educated by religion. The Japanese couldn’t be too tough with Christianity because it had to save face with the western world. The execution and persecution of religious freedom would evoke Christian missionaries to bring attention to the Japanese colonial governing of Korean. Another two acts that fall under this violent category are the assassination attempts of Japanese officials by Yi Pong-Chang (Sakuradamon Incident 1931) and Yun Pong-gil (Hongkon Park 1932). Both were unsuccessful and orchestrated by a nationalist Kim Ku. Next attempt at resistance would be a more passive route demonstrated by Koreans. This would evolve things such a nationalist parties and leaders rising and trying to resist the Japanese by getting people to become serious about national pride. People like Cho Mon Sik and his buy Korean movement was an example of this. As time progressed the Japanese would increase control and tried to assimilate the Korean population by having them speak only Japanese, change their names to Japanese ones, having them bow towards the palace, and visiting Shinto shrines (Japanese religion) The Koreans used passive means to resist these attempts of

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