Letters from Korean History 1 - From Prehistory to Unified Silla and Balhae

The English version of Letters from Korean History is published for young readers overseas who are curious about Korea and its people, and for young Korean readers keen to learn more about their own history while improving their language skills as global citizens. I hope that readers will not feel obliged to start at the beginning of Volume I and plow all the way through; rather, each letter contains a historical episode in its own right, and can be chosen and read according to the reader’s particular area of interest. The text is complemented by plenty of photos and illustrations, giving a more vivid sense of history - reading the captions that accompany these should enhance the sense of historical exploration. -Park Eunbong Progressing from the stones and bones of prehistory all the way to the turbulent twentieth century in the course of five volumes, Letters from Korean History can be browsed as a reference text or plowed through from beginning to end. As with most histories that cover such a long period, the density of information increases as the narrative approaches the present. The relatively recent Joseon period, for example, accounts for two of the five volumes (III and IV), rich as it is in events and meticulously recorded historical data. Letters from Korean History has been a great success in its native country among Korean readers. I hope that this translation will now be of help to ethnic Koreans overseas, others interested in Korea or history in general, Koreans looking to study history and English at the same time, and anybody else who believes that exploring the past is a good way to try and make sense of the confusing, flawed and wonderful present. -Ben JacksonContents Vol. 3 How was Joseon founded?A new name for a new state: ‘Joseon’ or ‘Hwaryeong?’Hanyang, Joseon’s new capital Why the king kept moving palace The real reason Sejong created Hangeul Jang Yeongsil, Joseon’s greatest scientist How were government officials appointed?Men of integrityHow did the people of Joseon live?Joseon’s children Joseon, land of ConfucianismYi Hwang and Gi Daeseung exchange lettersNeo-Confucians: a new breed of literati sparks purgesSeong Sammun and Sin SukjuClothes, food and housing in Joseon Children’s gamesNewspapers and books in Joseon Royal annals: definitive national histories The Three Great Bandits of Joseon The mysterious tale of Hong Gildong A time of crisis: Japan invades Were turtle ships really clad in iron? Fighting off the Manchus Kim Sangheon and Choe Myeonggil What caused factional strife? Death in a rice chest: Crown Prince SadoAn Yongbok defends Ulleung-do and Dok-do Hendrik Hamel and Park Yeon: Joseon’s two Dutchmen ㆍ Index ㆍ Image credits and sources

The English version of Letters from Korean History is published for young readers overseas who are curious about Korea and its people, and for young Korean readers keen to learn more about their own history while improving their language skills as global citizens. I hope that readers will not feel obliged to start at the beginning of Volume I and plow all the way through; rather, each letter contains a historical episode in its own right, and can be chosen and read according to the reader’s particular area of interest. The text is complemented by plenty of photos and illustrations, giving a more vivid sense of history - reading the captions that accompany these should enhance the sense of historical exploration. -Park Eunbong Progressing from the stones and bones of prehistory all the way to the turbulent twentieth century in the course of five volumes, Letters from Korean History can be browsed as a reference text or plowed through from beginning to end. As with most histories that cover such a long period, the density of information increases as the narrative approaches the present. The relatively recent Joseon period, for example, accounts for two of the five volumes (III and IV), rich as it is in events and meticulously recorded historical data. Letters from Korean History has been a great success in its native country among Korean readers. I hope that this translation will now be of help to ethnic Koreans overseas, others interested in Korea or history in general, Koreans looking to study history and English at the same time, and anybody else who believes that exploring the past is a good way to try and make sense of the confusing, flawed and wonderful present. -Ben JacksonContents Vol. 5 Lost sovereignty Secret mission to The HagueThe struggle to save the country Yun Huisun and the Ansaram Righteous Army Gunfire echoes across ManchuriaA learned man’s burden The nation rises up‘Gisaeng’ fight for independence Hong Beomdo and Kim Jwajin, ndependence army heroesYi Hwarim, the female general Bang Jeonghwan and Children’s DayKim Sowol’s ‘Azaleas’ The Kanto Massacre and forced relocationThe photo brides of Hawaii Sin Chaeho, the father of modern historyA history of pain and blood Yi Bongchang and Yun Bonggil The Liberation Army OSSKoreans who amazed the worldKim Yeom, Film Emperor of ShanghaiStolen youth, rotten mindsInvestigating Korea’s collaborators Liberation and national division What is socialism? Kim Gu crosses the thirty-eighth parallelThe Jeju UprisingWar divides a nationThe SOFA and the death of two schoolgirls Rapid growth: a time of miracles and tragediesMulticultural families, our new neighborsThe struggle for democracyDemocracy and the World Cup Encounters for reunificationToward reunification Index Image credits and sources  

The English version of Letters from Korean History is published for young readers overseas who are curious about Korea and its people, and for young Korean readers keen to learn more about their own history while improving their language skills as global citizens. I hope that readers will not feel obliged to start at the beginning of Volume I and plow all the way through; rather, each letter contains a historical episode in its own right, and can be chosen and read according to the reader’s particular area of interest. The text is complemented by plenty of photos and illustrations, giving a more vivid sense of history - reading the captions that accompany these should enhance the sense of historical exploration. -Park Eunbong Progressing from the stones and bones of prehistory all the way to the turbulent twentieth century in the course of five volumes, Letters from Korean History can be browsed as a reference text or plowed through from beginning to end. As with most histories that cover such a long period, the density of information increases as the narrative approaches the present. The relatively recent Joseon period, for example, accounts for two of the five volumes (III and IV), rich as it is in events and meticulously recorded historical data. Letters from Korean History has been a great success in its native country among Korean readers. I hope that this translation will now be of help to ethnic Koreans overseas, others interested in Korea or history in general, Koreans looking to study history and English at the same time, and anybody else who believes that exploring the past is a good way to try and make sense of the confusing, flawed and wonderful present. -Ben JacksonContents Vol. 2Faltering Silla and the Later Three KingdomsJang Bogo, the Great Commander of CheonghaejinWang Geon unifies the Later Three KingdomsDoseon and ‘pungsujiri’Goryeo: land of ‘munbeol’ aristocratsKing Seongjong, Choe Seungno and Confucian politicsThirty years of war with the KhitansYun Gwan and the Nine Fortresses of the North-EastByeongnando: international port of ‘Korea’Around GaegyeongGoryeo, land of BuddhismVillage guardian deitiesHow did the people of Goryeo live?Was ‘goryeojang’ really a Goryeo custom?The military takes overMyocheong’s bid to relocate the capitalThe struggle for a true meritocracyPyeongnyang, the ‘nobi’ who dreamt of freedomPeasants and ‘cheonin’ take on the MongolsGoryeo’s temporary capitalThe ‘Tripitaka Koreana’ and inlaid celadon: embodiments of the spirit of GoryeoPrinting in the old days‘Samguk sagi’ and ‘Samguk yusa’: two history books, two agendas‘Dongmyeong Wang pyeon’ and ‘Jewang ungi’King Gongmin’s reforms‘Gwonmun sejok’ and ‘nongjang’: land grabbing at club-pointCotton and gunpowder‘Cheongsan byeolgok’ and the decline of Goryeoㆍ Indexㆍ Image credits and sources

The English version of Letters from Korean History is published for young readers overseas who are curious about Korea and its people, and for young Korean readers keen to learn more about their own history while improving their language skills as global citizens. I hope that readers will not feel obliged to start at the beginning of Volume I and plow all the way through; rather, each letter contains a historical episode in its own right, and can be chosen and read according to the reader’s particular area of interest. The text is complemented by plenty of photos and illustrations, giving a more vivid sense of history - reading the captions that accompany these should enhance the sense of historical exploration. -Park Eunbong Progressing from the stones and bones of prehistory all the way to the turbulent twentieth century in the course of five volumes, Letters from Korean History can be browsed as a reference text or plowed through from beginning to end. As with most histories that cover such a long period, the density of information increases as the narrative approaches the present. The relatively recent Joseon period, for example, accounts for two of the five volumes (III and IV), rich as it is in events and meticulously recorded historical data. Letters from Korean History has been a great success in its native country among Korean readers. I hope that this translation will now be of help to ethnic Koreans overseas, others interested in Korea or history in general, Koreans looking to study history and English at the same time, and anybody else who believes that exploring the past is a good way to try and make sense of the confusing, flawed and wonderful present. -Ben JacksonContents Vol. 4     Hwaseong: King Jeongjo’s new city    New martial arts for Joseon    The Silhak vision    ‘Wealth is created by the people’    Evolving farms and markets    ‘Sanga yorok’: A royal physician’s cookbook    Popular culture flourishes    Yi Danjeon, the ‘nobi’ poet    Love and marriage in Joseon    Gang Jeongildang and Yun Gwangyeon in love    Kim Jeongho and ‘Daedong yeojido’    Korean maps of the past    The peasants rise up    Hong Gyeongnae and the battle of Jeongju Fortress    Seohak and Donghak    Protestantism gains royal backing    Isolation or enlightenment? Korea at the crossroads    ‘Uigwe’: Joseon texts seized by France    Opening the doors    A ‘Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce and Navigation’    ‘A new world, for three days’: the Gapsin Coup    A military uprising: The Imo Incident    Jeon Bongjun and the Donghak Peasant Revolution    The attack on Gyeongbokgung and the Gabo Reforms    The death of Empress Myeongseong    The Daehan Empire is born    Treaty ports usher in the winds of change    When did Korea start using the solar calendar?    ㆍ Index    ㆍ Image credits and sources