Silla, koryu, and choson
The Silla: (650 - 935 AD)
The Silla were the first kingdom to defeat all of the other kingdoms and drive out the Chinese to take over the entire Korean peninsula in the mid-600's. Under the rule of the Silla in Korea, they build Buddhist monasteries and they created stone and bronze sculptures. Also, they developed a writing system that wrote Korean phonetically, but still used Chinese characters.
This advanced the civilization by making the citizens smarter, which in time strengthens the economy as technology advances, too.
The Koryu Dynasty: (935 - 1392 AD)
The Silla rule weakened by the tenth century. At about 935, rebel officer Wang Kon gained control of country and became the king. He named the new dynasty Koryu, and it lasted four and a half centuries.
The Koryu dynasty was run with a central government that was modeled after China's and established a civil service system. Although this was a good government model, the Koreans did not get the social mobility that the Chinese did out of this. The Koryu dynasty's society was divided between a landed aristocracy, where land ownership was part of their noble privileges, and the rest of the population (including the military, slaves, and commoners.)
The Silla were the first kingdom to defeat all of the other kingdoms and drive out the Chinese to take over the entire Korean peninsula in the mid-600's. Under the rule of the Silla in Korea, they build Buddhist monasteries and they created stone and bronze sculptures. Also, they developed a writing system that wrote Korean phonetically, but still used Chinese characters.
This advanced the civilization by making the citizens smarter, which in time strengthens the economy as technology advances, too.
The Koryu Dynasty: (935 - 1392 AD)
The Silla rule weakened by the tenth century. At about 935, rebel officer Wang Kon gained control of country and became the king. He named the new dynasty Koryu, and it lasted four and a half centuries.
The Koryu dynasty was run with a central government that was modeled after China's and established a civil service system. Although this was a good government model, the Koreans did not get the social mobility that the Chinese did out of this. The Koryu dynasty's society was divided between a landed aristocracy, where land ownership was part of their noble privileges, and the rest of the population (including the military, slaves, and commoners.)
In 1231, the Mongols came into Korea and the Koryu dynasty was faced with a big threat. The Mongols demanded for the Koryus to give them a huge tribute including 20,000 soldiers, clothing to supply a million soldiers, and slaves that were children or artisans. The Mongols ruled Korea until the 1360's when all of the Mongol empire fell.
The Koryu period was a great time for Korean culture, and it strengthened greatly. Korean potters created celadon pottery, which is famous for having a milky-green glaze, which was inspired by Song porcelain artists. (See left.) Korean artisans also created one of the great treasures of the Buddhist world: large wooden blocks used for printing Buddhist sculptures. The Mongols destroyed these blocks, but now 80,000 new blocks remain in Korea today.
The Choson (or Yi) Dynasty: (1392 - 1910 AD)
In 1392, a group of scholar-officials and military leaders overthrew the Koryu Dynasty and ruled Korea for 518 years.
The Koryu period was a great time for Korean culture, and it strengthened greatly. Korean potters created celadon pottery, which is famous for having a milky-green glaze, which was inspired by Song porcelain artists. (See left.) Korean artisans also created one of the great treasures of the Buddhist world: large wooden blocks used for printing Buddhist sculptures. The Mongols destroyed these blocks, but now 80,000 new blocks remain in Korea today.
The Choson (or Yi) Dynasty: (1392 - 1910 AD)
In 1392, a group of scholar-officials and military leaders overthrew the Koryu Dynasty and ruled Korea for 518 years.
Silla sculpture: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Korea-United_Silla-Golden_seated_Buddha-01.jpg
Celadon pottery: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Goryeo_Celadon_.jpg
Celadon pottery: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Goryeo_Celadon_.jpg