The Gwangmu Reform (光武改革): The Grandiose Plan for Transformation

The Tang Dynasty is an important aspect of Chinese history.  Lasting from 618 AD to 907 AD, it received the nickname “The Golden Age of Ancient China” because it was a very prosperous time.  This powerful empire came into control when the reign of the Sui Dynasty before it ended.

During the years 600-900 A.D. of the Chinese Empire, the Tang Dynasty was in power, and was considered the Golden age of Chinese civilization. The dynasty's second emperor, Taizong, started campaigns to deal with threats from the Nomadic Tribes. Due to these campaigns in the Tarim Basin, the Silk Road was able to stay open, allowing for trade in the Middle East and Europe. This trading society encouraged people from distant countries to come and settle in China. Another advancement affecting trade was the “equal-field system” which not only saw that everyone received proper care, but that all land was being farmed. This was possible by making it that people given land did not have to give it up to the military service, called the “Fubing System”,

In conclusion, Korean had suffered to overcome the challenges in the period between the late 19th to the early 20th century because of the foreign countries’ forces to take the benefit out from Korea. Starting with the forced treaties and wars of China, Japan, and Russia on Korean peninsula, Korea even lost its independence in 1910 by Japan. Korean government’s reaction to these events was disappointing: emperor Gojong even ran away to Russia after the first Sino-Japanese war, which is also called as Agwan Pacheon. As a result of continuous invasion of foreign forces and irresponsible government’s reactions, Korean showed three major responds to the depressing situation: depending on Japan to take control of Korea to modernize, studying abroad

    The Tang Dynasty is an important aspect of Chinese history.  Lasting from 618 AD to 907 AD, it received the nickname “The Golden Age of Ancient China” because it was a very prosperous time.  This powerful empire came into control when the reign of the Sui Dynasty before it ended.

The Japanese occupied Korea in 1910 after many years of struggle between different countries. Throughout the centuries there were multiple events that lead to this colonization. The events became disordered in 1864, when King Kojong ascended to the throne. He was too young, so his father Taewon-gun became the de facto ruler. His goals were to re-establish the power of the government, develop a policy of national exclusionism and continue to persecute the Catholics. During his rule, western men came in search of trade, but the Taewon-gun refused them. Japan repeatedly made attempts to establish political relations with Korea but they continually refused. In return the Japanese declared war on Korea. Meanwhile, the Taewon-gun felt as if he

The first event that occurred was the appointment of Syngman Rhee in 1948 to establish Korean People’s Democratic Republic. This fact is very important in showing America’s stance in Korea by

In 1950, South Korea developed its economy and was greatly influenced by the United States of America. While North Korea followed the path of communism, South Korea discovered a better path of developing their nation and becoming more unified as a family. The surrender of Japan to the allies at the end of World War II was the catalyst in the split of Korea. North Korea then attempted to conquer the Korean peninsula by force (Armstrong). South Korea focused on intensifying their nationalism such as developing their own culture and the unity of factions. Additionally, South Korea focused on improving the efficiency of its government system as it selected a new designated leader and received support and funding from their

China has experienced several changes and evolutions throughout the centuries, though some of the most marked and influential changes stem from the transitionary period of the Tang dynasty to the Song dynasty. These changes, which include the re-definition of gendered space, the rise of the scholar’s status and the prominence of Neo-Confucianism (among other things) were not only political and economic evolutions, but also cultural shifts that would later characterize Chinese history. Let us begin by examining Neo-Confucianism.

The Han empire helped create a standardized form of Confucism as its teaching became the preferred governmental doctrine (von Sivers, Desnoyers, and Stow 264). By second century CE the popularity of Confucian academies led to the state subsidize them, making all state education under the various academies (von Sivers, Desnoyers, and Stow 264). The Confucian doctrine had been altered since the original teachings of Confucius, since Confucian ideas were altered during the Warring States period and Qin rule to suit the times, so the Han empire also altered the Confucian teachings that the state approved to reflect the Han dynasty (von Sivers, Desnoyers, and Stow 264). Han historians were encouraged to document history by the ideal of the empire

was the emperor that cared most about his appearance to other. Wenwang also learned to read and right at the age of three. He was considered one of the wisest emperors ever. Wenwang married Tai Si and had 10 sons. Wenwang also lived for over 96 years. At one point, the King before Wen imprisoned him because he thought Wen was a threat to his spot as king. King Wen was buried in Zhouling town, some people believe that this is not his final resting place. Wenwang reigned from 1097 BC to 1046 BC. He was one that got credit for overthrowing the Shang Dynasty, with the assistance of Jiang Ziya.

The Yuan and Choson dynasties were both great powers in China and Korea. First off, the Yuan and Choson dynasty both had buddhist beliefs. Much of the dynasties population celebrated the buddhist religion. Although, general Yi Song-gye of the Choson dynasty reduced buddhist influence it was still existent. Another similarity between the two dynasties, was that both had overthrown rulers. In order for the Yuan dynasty to rise to power Kublai Khan had to go to civil war. He was able to take control but still faced opposition. To settle the opposition he created a government with both mongol culture and chinese. Just as Kublai Khan went to civil war general Yi Song-gye overthrew the Koryo ruler and set up the Choson dynasty. Finally, both dynasties stressed the importance of writing. The Choson dynasty created the first Korean alphabet. Instead of using the complex system of chinese writing King Sejong had experts develop a phonetic alphabet. This led to increased rates of literacy and people who could read and write. During the Yuan reign the dynasty increased the use of writing through development of dramas and novels. Writing and Literacy benefited both dynasties. Seeing that, it is extremely obvious the variety of similarities both of these dynasties contained even though both were from different

Wang Anshi's reforms were mainly aimed at just stabilizing the terrible situation in the northwest due to the state of the Northern Song dynasty. The reforms were a package of various laws primarily aimed at cutting government expenditures and therefore, relieving the state of the Northern Song Dynasty of some of its duties. The reforms did help the state treasury earn more profits, so they did achieve the main aim. However, the benefits of landowners and state officials were cut back, and this ultimately caused their resistance to the new laws. Likewise, people who were exempted from taxes before, now had to pay more, and they too resisted the new laws. Government funding was put under the control of new institutions and embezzlement was made

Under Yi Sŏng-Gye’s son King Sejong, considered Korea’s greatest ruler, inventions like the rain gauge, the use of a movable type, and the birth of Korean alphabet called Hangeul, still in use today, surfaced. (Piddock, 27-28) They ruled the entire peninsula for 500 years. Then Korea was annexed by neighbors Japan in 1910. Korea continued to be under Japan until 1945 when it was liberated at the end of World War II. (“North Korea”, Culturegrams) “With the defeat of Japan in 1945, the Allies agreed to divide the Korean Peninsula between the Soviet Union and the United States at the thirty-eighth parallel as a temporary measure.” (Piddock, 30) The Soviet Union received the Northern part of Korea, and the United States the South. “.. Soviet forces closed off northern Korea at the thirty-eighth parallel and placed Korean communists in power there.” Evidently, North Korea was bound to turn communist.

As part of the test, he gave them mugwort and garlic to eat, requiring them to live in darkness for 100 days. After only a few days, the tiger could no longer stand it and ran out into the mountain forests. The bear, however, stayed in the den, finally emerging as a beautiful woman. She repeatedly prayed beneath the Tan tree for a child, and Hwanung momentarily transformed himself to marry her. They produced a wonderful child they called Tangun. Tangun invented the basics of civilization and created a dynasty that lasted for 1,500 years. A period called Kija Choson that lasted 99 years followed this. On the 3rd of October, Foundation Day Tangun is celebrated as a great culture-hero. Depictions of Tangun often show him with a tiger, which is regarded as a mountain god. ( http://people.cohums.ohio-state.edu/bender4/eall131/EAHReadings/module02/m02korean.html ) The Korean peninsula has been ravaged by eight distinctive invasions that each left their mark; ancient Chinese kingdoms, Qidans, Mongols, Japanese, and Manchus. Through all of the wars and devastation, Korea was able to bring dynasties to power including the dynasty from which they would eventually derive their name. In 938 CE after a time of the three kingdoms of warring dynasty’s, a new power emerged from the north under a man named Emperor Taejo, creating the Goryeo or Koryo Dynasty that would later become the name we know today as Korea. The Goryeo Dynasty ruled for almost 400 years and was

The next nation that will be discussed is South Korea, whose legal tradition finds its origins from Japan, but is now becoming more American in nature due to increased globalization. Korea’s legal tradition was first established 4,300 ago when the Gojoseon dynasty created its own statutory law, heavily influenced by Confucianism and China’s legal system (SpringerLink and Yŏn 'guwŏn 2). (note that during the retelling of South Korea’s history, the nation will be referred to as Korea until the point at which it became separated into Northern and Southern territories). Korea maintained this particular legal tradition, and aspects of a uniquely Korean brand of Confucianism, until the 19th century. In 1894, the internally induced Kabo Reforms aimed to modernize the whole of Korea in terms of legal and administrative systems, culture, economy, and more (“Emergence of a Modern Society”). The Kabo Reforms resulted in a legal system that closely resembled Japan’s system, which followed a civil legal tradition that was heavily influenced by Germany. Korea’s transformation towards a Japanese civil law system was further intensified and completed when it became a colony of Japan in 1910. Following the defeat of Japan during World War Two, Korea gained its independence in 1945, only for the southern half of the nation to fall under American occupation until 1948, while the northern half was occupied by Soviet Russia (SpringerLink and Yŏn 'guwŏn 5). Now dubbed as South Korea, the