Book Talk: ππͺπ³π΅πΆπ¦ ππ©π’π΅ ππ’π΅π΅π¦π³π΄: ππ©π’π΄π΅πͺπ΅πΊ ππΆππ΅πΆπ³π¦ π’π―π₯ ππ°π€πͺπ’π ππ°πΈπ¦π³ πͺπ― ππ©π°π΄Επ― ππ°π³π¦π’ (1392β1910)
Author: Jungwon Kim, King Sejong Associate Professor of Korean Studies, Columbia University
Moderator: Sun Joo Kim, Harvard-Yenching Professor of Korean History, Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University
Online, via Zoom. To join, register here.
About the book: Virtue That Matters is a groundbreaking exploration of the intricate dynamics of chastity culture in ChosΕn Korea from 1392 to 1910, shedding light on its political, legal, social, and cultural significance. In this book, Jungwon Kim demonstrates how an emphasis on female chastity came to pervade society as it intertwined with state ideology and elite interests. By analyzing a copious range of sources including governmental publications, legal records, and womenβs own writings, Kim unveils the rich tapestry of ChosΕn societyβs attitudes toward female chastity and argues that extreme chastity culture was not merely a product of Confucianization but was also shaped by diverse social forces and individual agency. Furthermore, Kim reframes the discourse on chastity by focusing on womenβs experiences and perspectives, challenging the traditional portrayal of women as marginal to ChosΕn history.
Virtue That Matters illustrates the complex interplay between state-led indoctrination, socio-legal changes, and gender relations in ChosΕn Korea. Kim also shows how the discourse on womenβs chastity evolved over time and continued to influence social dynamics well into the twentieth century. By highlighting the enduring legacy of chastity culture in modern Korean society, Virtue That Matters provides valuable insights into contemporary debates on gender and sexuality.