Question

Despite the impressive accomplishments of the first several Joseon kings, the dynasty was plagued by _____ (contention / a pandemic spread) from among the _____ (viruses brought by Southeast Asian migrants / yangban elite). A continuing problem for the Joseon kings was this group’s _____ (refusal / power) to _____ (resist / tease and embarrass) the kings’ _____ (policies / concubines). This group also controlled _____ (success and failure in / the piloting of) the _____ (civil service examinations / iron-clad turtle boats), such that they constituted the kings’ only body of _____ (able seamen / body of advisors at court). Later this group _____ (split into two strata / disintegrated entirely) such that eventually only _____ (the jungin class of clerks (etc.) / the top twenty-four or so families) came to dominate access to _____ (the naval shipyards / official positions at court). Those left out _____ (sailed to China / faded into the countryside), where they often became _____ (local powers / coastal pirates). (13 blanks / sets of choices)

Neo-Confucianism was a source of both _____ (learning / poverty) and _____ (industrial advancement / contention). In the late 16th century Joseon literati debated which of the two main elements of Zhu Xi's (1133-1200) philosophy, _____ (de, moral power / i [li in Chinese] = principle, or coherence) or _____ (ki [qi in Chinese] = psychophysical force, or “stuff” / material instability), was primary. Some argued that the former was primary because it _____ (contained all the elements of pure virtue / gave them superpowers over others), while others contended that, without the latter, _____ (the mind / the internal nervous system) would not exist at all. Another debate occurred over Wang Yangming’s (1472-1529) challenge to Zhu Xi’s Neo-Confucian philosophy. Wang had argued that everyone may _____ (summon gods and demons / decide what is morally right) by _____ (relying on one’s own mind / employing Daoist incantations). A Joseon scholar named Yi Toegye rejected Wang’s formula, arguing that one could not rely on one’s _____ (sorcery / own mind) to know virtue because _____ (ki / qi beclouds the emotions [in the mind] / sorcerers are charlatans). (10 blanks / sets of choices)

Answer 1

The Joseon dynasty was plagued by contention among the yangban elite and their refusal to resist the kings' policies. They also controlled the civil service examinations and dominated access to official positions at court. Neo-Confucianism was a source of both learning and contention, with debates on its main elements and challenges to its philosophy. Joseon scholar Yi Toegye rejected Wang Yangming's ideas, arguing that relying on one's own mind was insufficient to know virtue.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question is about the challenges faced by the Joseon dynasty in Korea. The dynasty was plagued by contention among the yangban elite, who refused to resist the kings' policies and controlled the civil service examinations. These yangban families eventually dominated access to official positions at court, leaving others out. Neo-Confucianism was a source of both learning and contention in the late 16th century, with debates on the primary elements of Zhu Xi's philosophy and Wang Yangming's challenge to it. Joseon scholar Yi Toegye rejected Wang's ideas, arguing that relying on one's own mind was not enough to know virtue.

Answer 2

Despite the impressive accomplishments of the first several Joseon kings, the dynasty was plagued by contention from among the yangban elite. A continuing problem for the Joseon kings was this group’s power to tease and embarrass the kings’ concubines. This group also controlled success and failure in the civil service examinations, such that they constituted the kings’ only body of advisors at court. Later this group split into two strata such that eventually only the top twenty-four or so families came to dominate access to official positions at court. Those left out faded into the countryside, where they often became local powers.

Neo-Confucianism was a source of both learning and contention. In the late 16th century Joseon literati debated which of the two main elements of Zhu Xi's (1133-1200) philosophy, de, moral power or i [li in Chinese] = principle, or coherence, was primary. Some argued that the former was primary because it contained all the elements of pure virtue, while others contended that, without the latter, the mind would not exist at all. Another debate occurred over Wang Yangming’s (1472-1529) challenge to Zhu Xi’s Neo-Confucian philosophy. Wang had argued that everyone may decide what is morally right by relying on one’s own mind, while Yi Toegye rejected Wang’s formula, arguing that one could not rely on one’s own mind to know virtue because ki beclouds the emotions [in the mind].