Chapter 184: Samin Hakdang (2)
On the day King Sejong's royal approval was granted, the officials of the Ministry of Rites all left work at the regular hour.
While some gathered in small groups and rushed to the pleasure quarters to celebrate leaving on time, most officials headed straight home.
"My goodness, husband. What brings you home so early today?"
To his wife's question, the official answered with a weary face.
"The work I've been pursuing has passed its first hurdle, so I could come home early. Starting tomorrow, there will be much work again, so I came home early today."
"Is that so? Then dinner..."
"I already ate at the dining hall. I'm going to bed first."
Watching her husband disappear into the sarangbang, the wife let out a long sigh.
"Huu~. We're still newlyweds, yet... What kind of fate is this, living like a widow with a living husband..."
The wife looked toward the sarangbang with a face full of dissatisfaction.
* * *
Not long after their wedding, her husband had passed the civil service examination. At the news of his success, the parents of both families were overjoyed, calling it a double celebration.
However, the celebration ended there. Her husband, who began his official career as a central government bureaucrat rather than a local magistrate, became difficult to see after that.
Leaving at dawn and returning late at night became routine, and he frequently didn't come home at all.
Even on holidays when he did come home, he spent most of his time sleeping, sleeping, and sleeping again.
At first, she suspected he was playing with gisaengs at pleasure quarters, or perhaps having an affair, but when she learned that his condition was due to an enormous amount of work, she couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry.
Was it adding insult to injury? Both his family and her own family began mentioning children more frequently.
Eventually, the wife confided in her mother about her current situation and poured out her complaints.
"...Even though I have a husband, I'm living like a widow. What am I supposed to do!"
At her daughter's words, her mother also wore a troubled expression. Her husband also served in government office, and he too had been suffering from excessive workload for several years.
"What about tonic medicine..."
"Don't even mention it! Just saying the word 'tonic medicine' makes him throw a fit! What should I do!"
At her daughter's words, her mother fell silent. Her husband also turned pale whenever he heard the word 'tonic medicine.'
Eventually, the women of both families put their heads together, but since both her in-laws' family and her own family were in government service, they all shared the same plight and were seeking answers to the same problem.
Eventually, they visited a Lady Jeonggyeong they were acquainted with and poured out their complaints. Lady Jeonggyeong, who heard their grievances, also let out a long sigh.
"Where is it only your husbands who are like that? My husband is similar as well... Huu~."
"Then is there no solution?"
Lady Jeonggyeong shook her head at the question.
"You must make them take tonic medicine unconditionally. That is the only best option. Close your eyes tight and make them take it no matter what, and on holidays, you must share the bed unconditionally. Whether morning or night, and wear lighter clothing too."
"Isn't that somewhat improper?"
At Lady Jeonggyeong's words, the wives wore embarrassed expressions, but Lady Jeonggyeong's expression was serious.
"Then will you let the family line end?"
At Lady Jeonggyeong's words, the wives' faces also became serious. Lady Jeonggyeong pointed out reality.
"Don't forget that even if you feed them tonic medicine like feeding fodder to cattle, the demands of state work drain all the potency. The only thing left is overwhelming quantity."
"Ah..."
Thanks to this, since the Gyeongjang began, the medical halls of Hanyang were always prosperous. And the merchant groups supplying medicinal ingredients to the medical halls actively pursued medicinal herb cultivation to meet demand.
And the officials, the final destination of that tonic medicine, complained to their colleagues.
"My wife keeps brewing tonic medicine for me these days, but no matter how I look at it, it doesn't seem like she's giving it for my benefit..."
"Are you the same?"
"Now I'm afraid of holidays..."
* * *
In any case, since King Sejong's approval had been granted, the officials of the Ministry of Rites moved busily.
Requests for cooperation were sent to the Ministry of Works to check the condition of the hyanggyo that had been left empty, especially the hyanggyo in the Samnam region, and to find suitable locations for areas where new schools needed to be built.
The Ministry of Rites officials who watched the Ministry of Works officials leave on business trips couldn't hide their envy.
"We should be the ones going..."
While moving busily to resolve the location issue, what the Ministry of Rites tackled was the curriculum.
"First, there is no disagreement that the Thousand Character Classic should be taught first, but how is the mathematics textbook issue progressing?"
At the Vice Minister's question, the Councilor answered immediately.
"Yes, it is currently under final review at the research institute."
At the Councilor's answer, the Minister of Rites frowned slightly.
"At the research institute? Isn't that where only mathematics monsters gather? It won't come out too difficult, will it?"
"They said they understand it's for children to learn, so they promised not to worry, but..."
The Councilor answered the Vice Minister's concern, but his voice trailed off as if he wasn't entirely confident.
* * *
The research institute that opened its doors at the start of the Gyeongjang showed increasingly remarkable growth as time passed.
In particular, the greatest achievement was in mathematics.
In the early Joseon Dynasty, those who took the miscellaneous examinations had to take mathematics tests unconditionally. Therefore, many studied mathematics using the Sangmyeong Sanbeop, Yanghye Sanbeop, and Sanhak Gyemong that came from China.
If Sangmyeong Sanbeop was a book that taught the most basic mathematical concepts based on the four arithmetic operations, Yanghye Sanbeop and Sanhak Gyemong were at a higher level. In particular, Sanhak Gyemong was advanced enough to cover higher-order equations.
However, among these mathematics books brought from China, many had problems. Quite a few of the imported books only recorded problems and answers, without solution processes.
Therefore, many who studied mathematics had to research solution processes on their own. Naturally, progress was bound to be slow.
However, after Hyang established the research institute and began full-scale activities, Joseon's mathematics level improved explosively.
First, he introduced Arabic numerals named Cheonchuksu, and actively recruited those skilled in mathematics among the Muslims living in Joseon. Additionally, he had envoys going to Ming translate mathematics books from the Roman Empire that had flowed in from the west and distributed them to the institute's officials.
As a bonus, Hyang's Latin proficiency reached expert level.
And as he gradually added mathematical knowledge he had basically learned in the 21st century, the mathematics skills of the institute's officials rose rapidly.
"Though it sounds like self-praise... I don't think there's anyone in this era, across all countries, with better mathematical skills than the institute's researchers?"
Hyang's self-praise was by no means an exaggeration.
It was because Hyang had sprinkled the strongest MSG on the institute's researchers.
The MSG Hyang sprinkled was the symbols representing the four arithmetic operations. Until then, both East and West had written them out in characters, but replacing them with simple symbols caused the researchers' skills to grow explosively.
The history that began in 1489 when Germany's Widman first used the + and - symbols was pulled forward by nearly 60 years by Hyang.
Thanks to this MSG from Hyang, skilled researchers like Lee Sun-ji had reached the level of solving 10th-degree equations. In particular, Lee Sun-ji was researching calculus concepts, though at an elementary level.
"This is truly wonderful! Do not spare any support!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Hyang, who received a report about Lee Sun-ji through Jeong Cho, was outwardly pleased but inwardly crying.
'Calculus! Do you know how much I suffered because of calculus and probability-statistics!'
The Level 5 civil service exam Hyang took in the 21st century, especially the finance and economics track, required economics as a compulsory subject, with accounting and business administration as electives. All were subjects that required not only calculus but also probability and statistics.
* * *
Since the mathematics skills of the institute's researchers were unparalleled, the Minister of Rites worried when he heard they were in charge of the mathematics textbook.
However, this was close to unnecessary worry on the Minister's part.
It was because Hyang existed.
Hyang immediately rejected the mathematics textbook created by the researchers who received the order.
"Do you intend to teach running to children who can't even walk properly yet? Make it again! Very easily!"
"Yes."
Jeong Cho, who was rejected by Hyang and withdrew, looked at Jeong In-ji.
"Isn't this easy enough?"
"Exactly."
While the two grumbled, Hyang was voicing his own complaints.
"They say a frog forgets its tadpole days... Are you trying to create a situation where you teach relativity theory to children who are just learning numbers?"
After that, Hyang rejected three more drafts and participated directly in textbook creation.
Recalling memories from his elementary school days, Hyang extensively revised the textbook's content.
Of course, he added MSG. The MSG added to the textbook was the multiplication table.
"...And when teaching mathematics, let's also teach how to use the abacus."
"Yes."
The mathematics textbook created this way satisfied not only the Minister of Rites but also King Sejong.
* * *
However, the Minister of Rites also had to receive a rejection from King Sejong regarding the textbook issue.
The textbook the Minister of Rites was rejected for was about conduct.
When first planning for Samin Hakdang, King Sejong had broached the subject.
"How about teaching proper conduct and daily life from childhood?"
The ministers welcomed King Sejong's suggestion with both hands raised.
"Indeed, your words are correct!"
"I cannot help but admire Your Majesty's wise insight!"
As Neo-Confucian scholars, civilizing the people was something that had to be done, so there was no reason to oppose it.
However, in the initially planned curriculum, this part was an elective course, not mandatory. That is, rather than spending a set amount of time learning it, it was decided to teach through moral instruction.
King Sejong was slightly dissatisfied with this, but did not oppose it.
It was because of personnel supply issues.
However, in the 10th year of King Sejong's reign, an incident occurred that shook society. An incident occurred where a person named Kim Hwa living in Jinju murdered his father.
Enraged by this, King Sejong sentenced Kim Hwa to death.
"This is due to my insufficient virtue!"
At King Sejong's appearance blaming himself, Byun Gye-ryang proposed creating and distributing the Record of Filial Conduct, and King Sejong accepted this.
However, when the Giyu Rebellion occurred the following year, King Sejong ordered that teaching loyalty and filial piety at Samin Hakdang be included as part of the formal curriculum.
"Teach and learn loyalty and filial piety properly so that such incidents never happen again!"
"We will heed your command!"
Thus the Minister of Rites created a textbook based on the Record of Filial Conduct.
King Sejong, who received the first textbook, immediately rejected it.
"What use is a book full of only characters to children who don't even know letters yet? Make it again!"
Thus the Minister of Rites had to create the textbook again. After pondering, the Minister of Rites immediately consulted Hyang. Hyang immediately answered the Minister of Rites' request.
"When I taught my younger siblings in the past, I found they learned easily when I included pictures. Please put in pictures related to the content."
"Ah! Such a method exists!"
The Minister of Rites, who created a revised draft through Hyang's advice, immediately submitted it to King Sejong.
And he was rejected again.
"Do we not have filial sons, loyal subjects, and virtuous women in Haedong? Why are they all Chinese figures?"
"My thoughts were short! Please forgive my crime!"
"Make it properly once more."
Thus, after three challenges, the textbook was created.
It was the birth of the Samgang Haengsildo.