1. Samuel Eisner, Georgia MacNaughton, Christine Hughes, Nathaniel Lord
Post-Classical Korea
Samuel Eisner, Georgia MacNaughton, Christine Hughes, Nathaniel Lord

2. Social
After being taken over by the Tang dynasty of China, Korea adopted many of China’s social structures
Confucianism was adopted by the Korean elite class
Women largely regarded as property, similar again to China
Highly educated young men were sent to China in order to study and take the civil service examinations (which are later adopted into Korean society as well)

3. Political: Dynastical kingdoms: Silla, Balhae from 698-926 CE
Silla was formed from the early three kingdoms, Balhae from Goguryeo and was very advanced
Caste system of government
Eventual farmer revolt
Wikipedia

4. Later Three Kingdoms 892-936 and Unitary dynastic period
Silla eventually collapses along with Baekje
criticised for Bone Rank System
Goguryeo takes over all for eventual complete control of peninsula (becomes Goryeo)
Goryeo run as an empire (leaders were emperors)
eventual fall in 1392 due do Usurper Yi Seong Gye
Wikipedia

5. Interactions Tang china originally helped the Silla originally unite.
War with the Liao dynasty in northern China throughout many invasions
Khitans often tried to make peaceful contact, but were often turned away and banished
Constant close relations to five dynasties in China
Fearing the Jin, after they had destroyed the Liao, they became a vessel state of the Jin
1392 Goryeo falls due to Yuan dynasty influence causing a revolt.
"高丽油画" by GeorgeZhao - Own work.

6. Cultural sinification: the spread and adoption of Chinese culture
Strong influence from Tang China
Writing and artwork were visibly modeled after the Chinese
Buddhism moved its way to Korea through China
Confucianism as well (among the more elite)
Traveling scholars brought new academic and technological knowledge from different lands

7. Economic
Much of Korea’s trade involved supplying luxuries for the elite.
To support the importation of luxuries, Korea exported raw materials.
Artisans remained in the lower ranks of Korean society.
Korea failed to develop a distinctive merchant class.
The lower
ranks of Korean society existed to serve the elite. Salvationist Buddhism promised an afterlife as a release from the drudgery of service to the Korean aristocracy.

8. Reasons for the decline
Mongol invasion in 14th century interrupts contacts with China
After the loss of Chinese control, Korea begins to attempt independance.
Series of small wars result in short lived dynasties which last between 6 and 50 years at a time
General political unrest remains until after the end of the post-classical era