South Korea: Early History

According to legend, the first Korean Empire, Gojoseon, was founded in 2333 BCE by Dangun Wanggeom, the grandson of the heavens. The early emperors followed shamanic practices and, though warfare against the Chinese eventually destroyed the Gojoseon Empire, shamanism continued to influence Korean culture. During the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BCE-668 CE), Korea consisted of three separate kingdoms: Baekje, Goguryeo, and Silla. The Chinese introduced the Goguryeo to Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. In 372 CE, the Goguryeos proclaimed Buddhism their official religion. The Baekjes followed suit in 384, and the Sillas in 528. A new dynasty, the Goryeos, came to power in the South and unified Korea in 936. A unique form of Buddhism, Seon Buddhism, flourished under Goryeo rule, in part because the dynasty allowed the Buddhist clergy to monopolize the agricultural land tracks. After the formation of the Joseon Dynasty in 1392, King Yi Seong-gye moved the capital of Korea to Seoul and enacted land reforms that reduced the wealth of the Buddhist clergy. The Joseon Dynasty declared Confucianism the official state cult. In the 16th century, China and Japan began fighting for control of the Korean peninsula. Although Korea remained independent, the Joseons were forced to swear allegiance to the Chinese. The arrival of Roman Catholic missionaries in the late 1700s popularized Christianity in Korea. The presence of missionaries often led to tensions with the Joseon rulers, who suspected them of undermining the social order and acting as agents of foreign powers. In 1866, several French missionaries were executed, provoking a brief international conflict. Protestantism also entered Korea during the late 19th century, particularly through the dissemination of the first Korean translation of the New Testament.