EAS105H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 21: Emperor Meiji, Secret Mission, Empress Myeongseong
Document Summary
Chapter 21 korea in the turbulent nineteenth century (1800-1895) Because of social dislocations, new diseases, flood exacerbated by deforestation . The dowager regent released most of the sixty-seven thousand official slaves, while retaining those slaves working in local offices. Many government slaves had already gained their freedom either through military service or purchase, and the remainder no longer worked for the government. But mostly yangban slave masters retained their power until the dynasty itself was near its end. Sent christians into exile, chong tasan wrote several treatises proposing reforms in local administration and the penal system. 19th century, no longer dominated by men of yangban origin, new ideas that reied to make sense of society and promote reform were propagated by men of intermediate statues. Peasants adopted a number of strategies for survival; when these failed or when officials proved rapacious, they rebelled. 2 survival strategies: kye: voluntary organization that promoted mutual assistance.
