George L. Kallander & Michael J. Pettid Panel - "Life in Chosŏn Dynasty Korea"

George L. Kallander, Associate Professor of History, Syracuse University

"Elite Leisure and the Hunt in Chosŏn Dynasty Korea"

This brief talk discusses cultural practices of the royal family and other elites of Chosŏn society (1392-1910). In particular, it explores the significance of the hunt, from hunting activities of early Chosŏn kings and conflicts over the hunt between Confucian bureaucrats and Yŏnsan’gun (r.1494-1506) to the popularity of Manchu hunting screens and falconry at the end of the dynasty. By examining the hunt, this talk touches on an often overlooked corner of elite leisure activity that had important political and cultural consequences for the dynasty. I also hope to add another layer to our understanding of Korea in regional and global terms.

Michael J. Pettid, Professor of Asian and Asian American Studies, and Coordinator of Korean Studies, Binghamton University

"Daily Life in Chosŏn Korea: Answering questions about food, housing, costume and other aspects of daily life"

The study of history has long been a top down affair and this has resulted in a rather limited understanding of how things might have been for common folk. While we know with fair certainty how the royals or upper status elites occupied their lives, we do not have the same depth of knowledge concerning regular folk.  This brief talk will concern the lives of one commoner family and how they might have spent their days and nights in the middle Chosŏn period. My wish is that from this small sliver, we might be able to better appreciate how people really lived and move away from the fantasy of television dramas and the like.