Gukjagam
Encyclopedia
The Gukjagam, known at times as Gukhak or Seonggyungwan, was the highest educational institution of the Korea
n Goryeo
dynasty. It was located at the capital, Gaegyeong
(modern-day Kaesong), and provided advanced training in the Chinese classics. It was established in 992 during the reign of Seongjong
. A similar institution, known as the Gukhak, had been established under Unified Silla
, but it was not successful.
The Gukjagam was part of Seongjong's general program of Confucian reform, together with the gwageo
civil service examinations and the hyanggyo
provincial schools. It formed the cornerstone of the Confucian educational system he envisioned. In the waning days of Goryeo, the Gukjagam again became a centerpiece of reform through the policies of the early Neo-Confucian
scholar An Hyang
.
The other three divisions were open to children of officials as low as the 8th rank: Seohak (secretarial training), Sanhak (arithmetic
), and Yulhak (law). Each of these took six years to complete, and focused on technical training with a heavy admixture of the classics.
A seventh division was added in 1104, in the reign of Yejong
: Gangyejae (강예재), providing military training. This was the first recorded occasion of a Korean dynasty providing formal training in the military arts. Due to tensions between the aristocracy and the military, it was soon removed from the curriculum, in 1133.
. It was changed to Seonggyungam in 1298 and to Seonggyungwan in 1308, but then reverted to Gukjagam during the reign of Gongmin
in 1358. The Seonggyungwan name was adopted again in 1362, and continued in use until the fall of Goryeo thirty years later.
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
dynasty. It was located at the capital, Gaegyeong
Kaesong
Kaesŏng is a city in North Hwanghae Province, southern North Korea , a former Directly Governed City, and the capital of Korea during the Koryo Dynasty. The city is near Kaesŏng Industrial Region and it contains the remains of the Manwoldae palace. It was formally named Songdo while it was the...
(modern-day Kaesong), and provided advanced training in the Chinese classics. It was established in 992 during the reign of Seongjong
Seongjong of Goryeo
Seongjong of Goryeo was the sixth monarch of the medieval Korean kingdom Goryeo. He was the second son of Daejong, and a grandson of Emperor Taejo. He ascended the throne after Gyeongjong stepped down....
. A similar institution, known as the Gukhak, had been established under Unified Silla
Unified Silla
Unified Silla or Later Silla is the name often applied to the Korean kingdom of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, when it conquered Baekje in 660 and Goguryeo in 668, unifying the southern portion of the Korean peninsula...
, but it was not successful.
The Gukjagam was part of Seongjong's general program of Confucian reform, together with the gwageo
Gwageo
The gwageo were the national civil service examinations under the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties of Korea. Typically quite demanding, these tests measured candidates' knowledge of the Chinese classics, and sometimes also of technical subjects...
civil service examinations and the hyanggyo
Hyanggyo
The Hyanggyo were government-run provincial schools established separately during the Goryeo Dynasty and Joseon Dynasty , but did not meet with widespread success in either dynasty...
provincial schools. It formed the cornerstone of the Confucian educational system he envisioned. In the waning days of Goryeo, the Gukjagam again became a centerpiece of reform through the policies of the early Neo-Confucian
Neo-Confucianism
Neo-Confucianism is an ethical and metaphysical Chinese philosophy influenced by Confucianism, that was primarily developed during the Song Dynasty and Ming Dynasty, but which can be traced back to Han Yu and Li Ao in the Tang Dynasty....
scholar An Hyang
An Hyang
An Hyang was a leading Confucian scholar born in Yeongju in present-day South Korea. He is considered the founder of Neo-Confucianism in Korea, introducing Song Confucianism to the Goryeo kingdom. An Hyang visited China, transcribing the Chu Tzu Shu and bringing his copy and portraits of Confucius...
.
Courses of study
In the beginning, the Gukjagam provided a total of six courses of study. Of these, three divisions were restricted to children of the highest-ranking officials: Gukjahak, Taehak, and Samunhak. These were a total of nine years long, and focused on the Confucian classics.The other three divisions were open to children of officials as low as the 8th rank: Seohak (secretarial training), Sanhak (arithmetic
Arithmetic
Arithmetic or arithmetics is the oldest and most elementary branch of mathematics, used by almost everyone, for tasks ranging from simple day-to-day counting to advanced science and business calculations. It involves the study of quantity, especially as the result of combining numbers...
), and Yulhak (law). Each of these took six years to complete, and focused on technical training with a heavy admixture of the classics.
A seventh division was added in 1104, in the reign of Yejong
Yejong of Goryeo
Yejong of Goryeo was the 16th monarch of the Korean Goryeo dynasty.-Biography:He was the eldest son of king Sukjong and Queen Myeongui...
: Gangyejae (강예재), providing military training. This was the first recorded occasion of a Korean dynasty providing formal training in the military arts. Due to tensions between the aristocracy and the military, it was soon removed from the curriculum, in 1133.
Finances
Seongjong's original edict of 992 provided land and slaves to support the school. However, the tuition remained prohibitive for most students not from wealthy families. In 1304, An Hyang levied a new tax which officials of the top 6 ranks had to pay in silver, and those of the lower ranks in cloth. This tax was used to defray the cost of tuition for the Gukjagam's students.Names
The name was changed to Gukhak in 1275, upon the ascension of King ChungnyeolChungnyeol of Goryeo
Chungnyeol of Goryeo was the 25th ruler of the medieval Korean kingdom of Goryeo. He was the son of Wonjong, his predecessor on the throne....
. It was changed to Seonggyungam in 1298 and to Seonggyungwan in 1308, but then reverted to Gukjagam during the reign of Gongmin
Gongmin of Goryeo
King Gongmin ruled Goryeo Dynasty Korea from 1351 until 1374.he was the second son of King Chungsuk. In addition to his various Korean names , he bore the Mongolian name Bayàn Temür .-Early life:...
in 1358. The Seonggyungwan name was adopted again in 1362, and continued in use until the fall of Goryeo thirty years later.
See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- History of KoreaHistory of KoreaThe Korean Peninsula was inhabited from the Lower Paleolithic about 400,000-500,000 years ago. Archeological evidence indicates that the presence of modern humans in northeast Asia dates to 39,000 years ago. The earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 8000 BC, and the Neolithic period began...
- History of educationHistory of educationThe history of education its part of the past and present teaching and learning. Each generation, since the beginning of human existence, has sought to pass on cultural and social values, traditions, morality, religion and skills to the next generation. The passing on of culture is also known as...
- GuozijianGuozijianThe Guozijian , or Kuo Tzu Chien, the School of the Sons of State, sometimes called the Imperial Academy, Imperial College, Imperial Central School, was the national central institute of learning in Chinese dynasties after the Sui. It was the highest institute of learning in China's traditional...
- GukhakGukhakThe Gukhak, was the sole recorded institution of higher learning in the Silla period of medieval Korean history. It provided training in the Chinese classics. An earier institution, the Taehak, had been founded in 372....
- SeonggyungwanSeonggyungwanSungkyunkwan, also called Taehak , was the foremost education institution in Korea during the late Goryeo and Joseon Dynasties.- History :...
(successor to the Gukjagam)