Changes

Even at the earliest stage, however, in the first decade after the dynasty's founding, the Court began taking some actions to better embody a distinctive Korean identity, and an appropriately kingly (tributary) one, distancing Joseon from emulation of at least some Chinese Imperial practices. One such change was for former kings, going back to the 6th or 7th century, to be retroactively renamed, in Joseon official histories, "-wang", meaning "king," in place of the "-jo" (C: ''-zu'') and "-jong" (C: ''-zong'') suffixes many of them had employed in their temple names, in emulation of Chinese emperors.<ref>Rawski, 137.</ref>

Even at the earliest stage, however, in the first decade after the dynasty's founding, the Court began taking some actions to better embody a distinctive Korean identity, and an appropriately kingly (tributary) one, distancing Joseon from emulation of at least some Chinese Imperial practices. One such change was for former kings, going back to the 6th or 7th century, to be retroactively renamed, in Joseon official histories, "-wang", meaning "king," in place of the "-jo" (C: ''-zu'') and "-jong" (C: ''-zong'') suffixes many of them had employed in their temple names, in emulation of Chinese emperors.<ref>Rawski, 137.</ref>

After the [[Manchu]] invasions of Korea in the 1620s-30s, and especially after the fall of China's Ming Dynasty to the Manchus in [[1644]], however, the Court shifted considerably towards a strong dedication to proper Confucian state ritual and embodiment of loyalty to the Ming.  

After the [[Manchu]] invasions of Korea in the 1620s-30s, and especially after the fall of China's Ming Dynasty to the Manchus in [[1644]], however, the Court shifted considerably towards a strong dedication to proper Confucian state ritual and embodiment of loyalty to the Ming.

Once hopes for a [[Ming loyalists|Ming restoration]] faded in the 1670s, Joseon began constructing altars to Ming emperors. [[Song Siyol]] ([[1607]]-[[1689]]) was among the leading Confucian officials who proposed the construction of altars to the [[Wanli Emperor|Wanli]] and [[Chongzhen Emperor]]s to be built, to “symbolize repaying the kindness of the Ming and for implanting… the spirit of ''ch’unch’u taeui'' [春秋大義, C: ''Chūnqiū dàyì''],” a principle of loyalty to the state even while that state is collapsing. A generation later, [[King Sukchong]] continued to support such attitudes, and proposed ritual sacrifices to the Chongzhen Emperor beginning in [[1704]]. However, some factions at court questioned or critiqued such moves, noting that such sacrifices would seem to place the Ming emperors above the King’s own royal ancestors, and further that such sacrifices had no precedent in the established Chinese ritual code. Many officials also protested that only direct descendants of the Ming Imperial family should be making such sacrifices to the Ming imperial ancestors. Still, with the support of students from Korea’s own National Confucian Academy, the altar was created. Originally dedicated to the memory of the Wanli Emperor and called the [[Taebodan]], it was later expanded – under Sukchong’s successor [[King Yongjo]] - to be dedicated to the [[Hongwu Emperor|Hongwu]] and Chongzhen Emperors as well. Yongjo began the tradition of performing ritual sacrifices dedicated to these three emperors (Hongwu, Wanli, and Chongzhen) in [[1749]]. Through these rituals, Yongjo affirmed Joseon as the heir to Ming civilization, with one key saying from the time declaring that “the Central Plains exude the stenches of barbarians and our Green Hills are alone” (i.e. China has fallen to the barbarians, and it is in Korea alone that true civilization survives).<ref>Rawski, 141-142.</ref>

Once hopes for a [[Ming loyalists|Ming restoration]] faded in the 1670s, Joseon began constructing altars to Ming emperors. [[Song Siyol]] ([[1607]]-[[1689]]) was among the leading Confucian officials who proposed the construction of altars to the [[Wanli Emperor|Wanli]] and [[Chongzhen Emperor]]s to be built, to “symbolize repaying the kindness of the Ming and for implanting… the spirit of ''ch’unch’u taeui'' [春秋大義, C: ''Chūnqiū dàyì''],” a principle of loyalty to the state even while that state is collapsing. A generation later, [[King Sukchong]] continued to support such attitudes, and proposed ritual sacrifices to the Chongzhen Emperor beginning in [[1704]]. However, some factions at court questioned or critiqued such moves, noting that such sacrifices would seem to place the Ming emperors above the King’s own royal ancestors, and further that such sacrifices had no precedent in the established Chinese ritual code. Many officials also protested that only direct descendants of the Ming Imperial family should be making such sacrifices to the Ming imperial ancestors. Still, with the support of students from Korea’s own National Confucian Academy, the altar was created. Originally dedicated to the memory of the Wanli Emperor and called the [[Taebodan]], it was later expanded – under Sukchong’s successor [[King Yongjo]] - to be dedicated to the [[Hongwu Emperor|Hongwu]] and Chongzhen Emperors as well. Yongjo began the tradition of performing ritual sacrifices dedicated to these three emperors (Hongwu, Wanli, and Chongzhen) in [[1749]]. Through these rituals, Yongjo affirmed Joseon as the heir to Ming civilization, with one key saying from the time declaring that “the Central Plains exude the stenches of barbarians and our Green Hills are alone” (i.e. China has fallen to the barbarians, and it is in Korea alone that true civilization survives).<ref>Rawski, 141-142.</ref> Yet, while this notion of Korea as the "small central civilization" (K: ''[[sojunghwa]]''), that is, the only remaining bastion of high Confucian civilization surrounded by uncivilized, or barbarian, regimes, certainly gained strength following the Manchu conquest, it had its roots in the preceding century. As early as [[1574]], Korean officials visiting Beijing reported back that the Ming National Academy (''[[Guozijian]]'') and other centers of Confucian learning were in states of severe disrepair, and that few teachers or students were present.<ref>Jeong-Mi Lee, "Chosŏn Korea as ''Sojunghwa'', the Small Central Civilization," International Christian University Publications 3-A, ''Asian Cultural Studies'' 36 (2010), 313.</ref>

An office called the ''Joseon guó lǐjo'' (朝鮮国礼曹, "Joseon Office of National Rites") oversaw court rituals, ritual music, and foreign relations.<ref>''Chôsen tsûshinshi to Okayama'', Okayama Prefectural Museum (2007), 59.</ref>

An office called the ''Joseon guó lǐjo'' (朝鮮国礼曹, "Joseon Office of National Rites") oversaw court rituals, ritual music, and foreign relations.<ref>''Chôsen tsûshinshi to Okayama'', Okayama Prefectural Museum (2007), 59.</ref>