King Sejong is most famous for the creation of the Korean alphabet, Hangul, which remains in use today. His whole career as king was underpinned by the philosophy that a king must serve his people, and this philosophy gave rise to many advances in science and culture that benefited the people of Korea. One less … [Read More]
LKL articles by Matthew Jackson (page 2)
Stargazing in Ancient Silla – the Cheomseongdae
Cheomseongdae, the world’s oldest surviving observatory, features a great deal in tourism material, and even if you haven’t been to Korea or the Gyeongju area, you will probably have seen it. You will also, if you are like me, have been somewhat underwhelmed by its rather modest appearance, which if anything does it less justice … [Read More]
Is there a doctor in the peninsula? – Heo Jun and the Donguibogam medical textbook
Known as one of the greatest books in the history of Eastern medicine, the Donguibogam was composed by Heo Jun, a court physician in the early 17th century, and is today included as part of UNESCO’s World Heritage list. Despite the huge advances in medicine since that time, it is still referred to by doctors … [Read More]
The Changdeokgung’s Secret Garden – A Part of Nature
There was a series by Monty Don a while ago called Around the World in 80 Gardens. The East Asian segment was naturally devoted to Chinese and Japanese gardens. It is pity Korea was missed out, as the gardens of Korea have a distinct and unusual ethos. Koreans feel that nature has been good to them. … [Read More]
Rediscovering the Lost Kingdom of Baekje
History, according to the saying, is written by the victors. The unification of the three kingdoms of Korea under Silla in 668 AD solved the problem of constant war in the peninsula, but created a significant problem for modern day historians, in that very little of the culture and heritage of Baekje (BC 18~AD 660) … [Read More]
The Changdeokgung’s Injeong Hall – Welcome to the Rock Show!
When I visited Changdeok Palace in Seoul, my attention was naturally focussed mainly on the buildings themselves. One of these buildings is the Injeong Hall (Injeongjeon), which was used for important celebrations and ceremonies. The unassuming forecourt one walks through to enter the hall was been designed with great care, but for the unsuspecting observer … [Read More]
Live Long and Prosper – Food Advice from Old Choseon
Traditional fermented dishes such as doenjang and Kimchi form the basis of the Korean diet. It is a known fact that the inhabitants of cultures and regions which have fermented milk products as part of their daily diet (e.g. the Caucasus) tend to live longer. In the case of soybean-based dishes such as doenjang, the … [Read More]
Plato and Dae Jang Geum – Art and the Ideal State
Plato thought that art was detrimental to the soul. At least, this is the theory put forward by the character of Socrates in book 9 of the ‘Republic’, a work on the development of the human soul and civilisation. The probem with art, Socrates alleges, is that the very qualities which make it enrapturing necessarily … [Read More]
The Life and Teachings of Master Wonhyo
The life of Master Wonhyo (617-686 A.D.) is a typical Korean paradox. He was a scholar who composed over 100 works on Buddhist philosophy, whose influence in scholarship and teaching was felt in China and other surrounding countries. He is acknowledged today as the foremost figure in the history of Korean Buddhism. And yet, many … [Read More]
The London Sillok (aka LKL) – First Book Launch
One of the great things about London Korean Links is that it offers a gateway to Korea for non-Koreans like myself who take comfort in the fact the editor, Philip Gowman, comes at the country from a familiar perspective. There was a glorious sense of understatement about the book launch of the new book, ‘Royal … [Read More]
Liberte, egalite, Super Junior..France rally for K-Pop concert extension
There seems to be a close cultural link between France and Korea, which I have always suspected is partly to do the fact that both countries take food very seriously indeed. The popularity of K-pop is a phenomenon very much in train in Asia, but up to now not so obvious in Europe. The upcoming … [Read More]
Korean Rockets Part 2 – Hwacha, the Mobile Multiple Rocket Launcher
The power of the 15th century singijeon rocket was taken to a new level by the Hwacha launcher, a radical device which could fire 100 singijeon rockets in a single volley. Here is a reconstructed version. In 1492, it played an integral role in repelling an invasion from the North. Its full potential was demonstrated … [Read More]
Korean Rockets Part 1 – the Singijeon
As stated previously (in Korean Naval Firepower Part 1), there is evidence to suggest that gunpowder was in use in Korea during the Three Kingdoms period (57~668 AD). If, as some scholars believe, saltpeter firearms were invented in Korea in the 7th century, this would place the invention 100 years before it is believed to … [Read More]
The Secret of Seokguram
It is a common feature that Korean artworks ‘hide’ their beauty from you on a superficial viewing. The Seokguram grotto, which appears on many brochures and could lay claim to being the most recognisable of Korea’s national treasures to outsiders, conforms to this rule. You would rarely meet someone who had been bowled over or … [Read More]
Obama lauds South Korean education
Most people who have had contact with South Korean culture, especially in a teaching context, know that Koreans take education seriously. I asked a Korean friend for chapter and verse on this, and she told me the following. Elementary schools start at 8:30 and finish between 12:30 (first grade) and 2:30 (sixth grade). Pupils usually … [Read More]
No longer the underdog? The FT talks up Korea
While Kim Yu-na’s victory – now celebrated across every media – still hung in the balance, an unusual article about Korea appeared in the Financial Times. Written by the Asia editor David Pilling, it was distinguishable from most articles about Korea in that a) it did not primarily concern the situation in the North and … [Read More]