Scholarly Life and Book Culture in Chosŏn

Becoming a scholar in the late Chosŏn dynasty was not an easy task. Only the legitimate sons of wealthy men got to go to school. Those were not just any schools, but regional Confucian schools where boys studied and memorized the Neo-Confucian canon. The goal of this was to pass the state examinations: nationally organized events that took place at several levels. There were also different kinds of examinations: there were literary examinations (for those aspiring to serve in legislation), military examinations (for those aspiring to serve in the military), and technical examinations. The latter was for people with advanced technical skills, such as cooking, engineering, interpreting, etc.

If you passed the examinations at the national level, you would be employed in the central government. According to how well you did, you would be given one of nine ranks (with one being the highest and nine being the lowest). Aside from job security, passing the exams also meant financial security for your family should you die or become unfit for service. The social status of the entire family would be raised to elite or yangban 兩班 for three subsequent generations, and the family would no long have to pay taxes. Passing the exams, therefore, was for many the only way to climb the social ladder.

Unfortunately, the status of yangban would remain out of reach for most, as usually only the elites had the financial resources to study. Books were hard to come by because the government strictly limited their publication and import. Once a private printing industry came up in the Jiangnan region in China, the distribution of books within China and from China to Korea increased. Books were available in greater numbers and for lower prices. The consumer culture related to imported books and antiques meant a significant change for Chosŏn material culture and the accessibility of educational resources.