| The Korean Empire was a short-lived effort by the [[Joseon Dynasty]] to raise Korea (up until then a "kingdom") to an equal position with the [[Meiji government|Japanese]] and Chinese ([[Qing Dynasty|Qing]]; Manchu) Empires. | | The Korean Empire was a short-lived effort by the [[Joseon Dynasty]] to raise Korea (up until then a "kingdom") to an equal position with the [[Meiji government|Japanese]] and Chinese ([[Qing Dynasty|Qing]]; Manchu) Empires. |
− | The Empire was founded by [[King Gojong]] of Joseon, who had ruled since [[1863]], and simply changed his title and various cosmetic and ritual aspects of the style of rule, becoming Emperor Gojong (''Gojong hwangje'') in [[1897]]. He ruled until [[1907]], when he was succeeded by [[Emperor Sunjong]], who then ruled only a few years, until [[1910]] when the Empire was abolished, and Korea, already a protectorate since [[1905]], was fully annexed by Japan. The Emperors wore yellow, a color strongly traditionally associated with emperors in China, instead of the royal red their kingly ancestors had worn, and they adopted the [[plum blossom]] as the chief emblem of their imperial house, and empire. When not wearing traditional ceremonial garb, members of the imperial family typically wore Western clothing, performing and demonstrating their modernity. | + | The Empire was founded by [[King Gojong]] of Joseon, who had ruled since [[1863]], and simply changed his title and various cosmetic and ritual aspects of the style of rule, becoming Emperor Gojong (''Gojong hwangje'') in [[1897]]. Numerous court rituals were changed in accordance with Chinese or Korean norms for the appropriate rituals for an "empire" rather than a "kingdom." New government offices were established, including a Wonsubu (元帥府) to oversee the new Korean imperial military, and a Gungnaebu (宮内府, Office of the Imperial Household) which led all modernization projects in the Empire.<ref>Gallery labels, National Museum of Korea.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/24791708777/in/photostream/]</ref> |
| + | He ruled until [[1907]], when he was succeeded by [[Emperor Sunjong]], who then ruled only a few years, until [[1910]] when the Empire was abolished, and Korea, already a protectorate since [[1905]], was fully annexed by Japan. The Emperors wore yellow, a color strongly traditionally associated with emperors in China, instead of the royal red their kingly ancestors had worn, and they adopted the [[plum blossom]] as the chief emblem of their imperial house, and empire. When not wearing traditional ceremonial garb, members of the imperial family typically wore Western clothing, performing and demonstrating their modernity. |
| *Gallery labels, "In Grand Style" exhibition, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/10891224073/] | | *Gallery labels, "In Grand Style" exhibition, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/10891224073/] |