[Apr 28] Engineers of the Confucian State: The Making of Early Modern Korea

Speaker: Prof. Hyeok Hweon Kang | Washington University in St. Louis | Assistant Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures

Date: April 28, 2026 (Tue)

Time: 4:00pm – 5:30pm

Venue: CRT-5.41, 5/F., Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU

This talk examines the culture of material design in early modern Korea (1392–1910). Drawing on archival research, material artifacts, and experimental “rework” methods—including 3D modeling and prototype fabrication—I argue that technical leaders described as “ingenious thinkers” 巧思人 partnered with the Confucian state to manage government workshops and establish the standards of production—what I define as engineering. From slave artisans to military officers of chungin (middle people) status, these experts developed durable systems of knowledge that inscribed the properties of objects in drawings, models, measurements, and even natural philosophy. Their practices helped govern the state by “increasing the profitable use of things” 利用 and “enriching the people’s livelihood” 厚生. Viewed in a broader Eurasian context, they position Korea as a powerful vantage point for rethinking what early modern engineering was and how it took shape on a global scale.

All are welcome. For enquiries, please contact Prof. Su Yun Kim at suyunkim@hku.hk