Yangban
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The yangban were the ruling class during the Joseon period of dynastic Korea. They were highly educated aristocrats who individually exemplified the Korean Confucian form of the scholar-official. They
A Korean official during his stay in China, 1863
A leisure class: a yangban takes a break while hunting. Hyewon, early 19th century.
One of the earliest photographs depicting yangban, taken in 1863.
Joseon
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Joseon, officially Great Joseon State, was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in 1897. The kingdom was
Yangban
…The yangban (Korean: 양반; Hanja: 兩班; IPA: ) were the ruling class during the Joseon period of dynastic Korea. They were highly educated aristocrats who individually exemplified the Korean Confucian form of the scholar-official. They…
King Taejo's portrait
The throne room at Gyeongbokgung
Portrait of Ha Yeon, who served as Chief State Councillor during King Sejong's reign
A page from the Hunmin Jeongeum Eonhae, a partial translation of Hunminjeongeum, the original promulgation of the Korean alphabet