Beyond the State Examinations: Evaluations of Knowledge in Premodern Korea

Abstract

Based on the assumption that every transfer of knowledge is, implicit or explicit, accompanied by an evaluation of its efficiency, the contributions of Beyond the State Examinations strive to explore various types of knowledge evaluation in premodern Korea. While most previous research in this area focused on the government service examination system, which served as the backbone of the civil and military structure of the Chosŏn state (1392–1910), the present volume explores new perspectives on both formal and informal modes of knowledge evaluation employed in Buddhist communities, literati gatherings, educational settings, military circles or among women. It shows that the male, elite-centered state examination system and its top-down hierarchy was only one, often critically questioned, type of knowledge assessment practices in Chosŏn society. A broader understanding of knowledge evaluation raises questions such as who assessed Buddhist enlightenment, how military prowess was measured, or why knowledge of literary allusions could not only bring success or failure in the state examinations, but was also a notable form of entertainment for its participants.