< Chapter 26: Gapjin Reformation (4) >
Chapter 26: Gapjin Reformation (4)
Though Hyang cursed at the scale that had grown larger than expected, he had to accept reality.
Recalling the lessons and assignments he had received in the 21st century, Hyang stared at the papers on which he had written what he considered important, then soon nodded his head deeply.
"Alright! I'll let the people taste... no, I'll show them the taste of capitalism and modern administrative organization!"
The next day, as soon as dawn broke, Hyang moved busily. He visited the Bureau of Painting (Dohwawon) to order the production of hanging charts, and went to the Directorate of Armaments (Gunghigam) to order the making of megaphones.
The blacksmith at the royal workshop scratched his head at the blueprint Hyang presented.
"It looks just like a funnel."
"It looks similar. Will it take long to complete?"
"I'll have it made by evening."
"I'm counting on you."
After finishing the physical preparations for the presentation, Hyang diligently searched through classical texts and Western books.
"Molding 21st-century systems into the appearance of 14th and 15th-century East and West, and laundering the sources with Confucian classics..."
While roughly organizing how to structure things, Hyang circled the word 'small government.'
"If there's a Q&A session, controversy will erupt over this part, and if there's no Q&A session, this will be the part that attracts a flood of memorials. Honestly speaking..."
Hyang trailed off and leaned back in his chair, stretching.
"Arghhhh!"
"Your Highness! Is something the matter?"
"It's nothing."
Having sent out the court official who had come in startled by the strange noise he had inadvertently made while stretching, Hyang lowered his voice and muttered.
"Damn it! Being the Crown Prince is fine in every other way, but this is the problem. There's no privacy, no privacy..."
Grumbling, Hyang tapped his finger on the circled 'small government' and continued.
"The key point is that 'small government,' which was called a classic in the 21st century, would look like 'scary big government' to these gentlemen."
Tapping the problematic word with his finger while deep in thought, Hyang reached a conclusion.
"Still, it can't be helped. I have to point out this problem and move past it. Otherwise, without anything changing, it will flow into the disastrous Joseon I knew."
Having made up his mind, Hyang began organizing the composition.
"Let's push back issues related to the military. If I bring up everything at once now, it'll definitely get buried..."
While pushing back military matters, Hyang looked at the map hanging in his study.
"Anyway, a very big event will happen next year..."
* * *
Five days later, court officials rushed to the offices of the Six Ministries to deliver Sejong's command.
"All officials of senior third rank and above are to attend?"
"That is correct."
"Well now... just..."
The Chief State Councillor barely held back the words 'just a nine-year-old' and nodded.
"I understand. It shall be done."
"Furthermore, as it is expected to take quite a long time, those below the rank of ministerial councilors were told to bring their own chairs."
"Their own chairs?"
"Yes."
"I understand."
After the court official who had paid his respects withdrew, the Chief State Councillor clicked his tongue.
"Tsk! What is the world coming to!"
Though he clicked his tongue, a royal command was a royal command. Moreover, it was a command whose circumstances he could understand - why such a command had to be issued. In preparation for lengthy discussions with the King, chairs were provided in the Pyeonjeon (Side Hall). However, the quantity was matched only to the number of ministerial councilors. Therefore, officials below that rank had to bring their own chairs.
But that wasn't why the Chief State Councillor clicked his tongue.
"What on earth are they trying to do by pushing forward a nine-year-old... instead of making the child do it, His Majesty should directly... bah!"
The Chief State Councillor cut off his words. This was because court officials delivering Sejong's command were moving busily along the corridor of the State Council building. There was nothing good in having his words reach their ears.
* * *
Geunjeongjeon Hall, Gyeongbokgung Palace
Buzzing with voices.
Following Sejong's summons, officials of senior third rank and above gathered at Geunjeongjeon Hall.
"Oh, Brother Cha! Long time no see!"
"Well, if it isn't Brother Park! This is indeed a long time! When did you return from the provinces?"
Those who had passed the examinations in the same period but had rarely met because they worked in different offices, or because they had been appointed as local magistrates, asked after each other's well-being with pleased faces.
Meanwhile, those who had built friendships while continuously serving in the Six Ministries sat quietly in their chairs and conversed.
"They said it's the Crown Prince's presentation of his political views, correct?"
"Indeed. What a waste of time this is..."
"Shh! There are many ears."
"Let them hear. Eight or nine out of ten gathered here probably think the same as I do."
"Shh! Shush!"
"Hem! Ahem! Ahem!"
When the person seated next to him continued to warn him, the official who had made the problematic statement continued clearing his throat to express his discomfort.
A short while later, the Chief Eunuch announced Sejong's entrance.
"His Majesty the King~ approaches~"
At the Chief Eunuch's shout, the officials who had been seated rose from their places and bowed their heads. Sejong, entering while receiving the officials' bows, ascended the dais and sat on the throne.
"Please be seated."
"We receive your command."
At Sejong's command, the seated officials all looked at Sejong.
"You all are well aware that the Crown Prince has offered many opinions thus far. You would also know the ingenuity and excellent utility of those opinions. However, these opinions are like branches extending from a single trunk. Without properly knowing the root, proper judgment is impossible - this goes without saying. Therefore, I ordered the Crown Prince to present his political views today. The reason I commanded your attendance is because the Crown Prince is still young. Though the Crown Prince's excellence is well known, he is still young and could head down a wrong path. Therefore, I hope those gathered here will listen well and provide guidance so that the Crown Prince does not fall onto a wrong path."
"We receive your command!"
At Sejong's statement, the ministers all bowed their heads and answered in one voice.
A short while later, Hyang entered Geunjeongjeon Hall. The court officials who had been attending hung the charts on a hanging cloth placed on a temporarily constructed platform, and attached the megaphone to a metal rod to fix it in place.
When all preparations were complete, Hyang ascended the platform and performed a deep bow toward Sejong seated on the throne.
"Your son has received such an opportunity thanks to Your Majesty's grace. I am truly overwhelmed by your boundless grace."
"Good, do your best."
"Yes."
Having bowed his head once more at Sejong's words, Hyang rose and looked at the ministers filling Geunjeongjeon Hall.
Taking a light breath, Hyang performed a light bow and placed his mouth to the megaphone.
"Thanks to the opportunity His Majesty has given, which is as precious as a thousand pieces of gold, I have come to see the various ministers. It is good to meet you."
"We greet His Highness the Crown Prince!"
After exchanging greetings with the ministers, Hyang finally began his presentation.
"First, let me state the conclusion - my political view is 'Hongik Ingan' (Benefiting All Mankind). Yes. As those present here know well, this was what Hwanung adopted as the national principle when he established ancient Joseon. And this 'Hongik Ingan' connects to the 'Kingly Way Politics' and 'People as Foundation' that the sages advocated."
At Hyang's words, the ministers of the Office of the Inspector General and the Office of the Censor General, led by the Chief State Councillor, nodded with uncomfortable faces. This was because the beginning offered little to find fault with.
However, the unremarkable beginning was soon leading to radical changes.
-To realize 'Hongik Ingan' and 'Kingly Way Politics,' the peace of the people must first be achieved. For the people to be at peace, their 'means of livelihood' must first be secured.
-However, our Joseon's situation has little flat land, rugged mountain terrain, and people living excessively crowded in narrow plains. Therefore, it is not easy to secure the people's means of livelihood.
-To solve this, we must not regard only agriculture as the tool for livelihood, but must also make commerce and industry into tools for livelihood.
-By flourishing commerce and industry to obtain what our Joseon lacks from outside, the people's poverty can be resolved.
-To this end, the court must greatly change its current system. Not a simple Six Ministries system, but one divided largely into three: legislative, judicial, and administrative, with necessary offices and positions established beneath them to secure expertise.
-The system of local officials also needs reform. Having a single magistrate handle judicial, administrative, tax, and military affairs as is currently done imposes an excessive burden, so this should be divided with officials dispatched.
-The Hyangri (local clerks) system must also be abolished. Hyangri who are made to work without pay will inevitably become corrupt. Therefore, the Hyangri system should be abolished and salaried officials should take charge of duties.
-To relieve the poor, the court must move actively. For this, the Joyongjo (taxation) system must be reformed.
(Omitted)
-To carry out all these reforms, the court's finances must be large and strong. To secure finances, tax reform is of course necessary, and gold and silver mines must be developed and put into the treasury.
-The first thing to do to reform taxes is to unify taxation. Looking at our Joseon's current taxes, there are unnecessarily many miscellaneous taxes beyond the basic land tax. These miscellaneous taxes easily become the root of corruption.
-As important as unifying taxes is fair tax collection. As a prerequisite for this, simultaneous reform of the land system and tax collection system is the best of the best policies.
-In reforming the land system, the most basic thing to remember is that the land of this Joseon belongs to the monarch. And we must not forget that 'those who cultivate the land own it' is the standard approach. But if this is impossible, reform of the tax collection system is the best option.
-What must be most valued in reforming the tax collection system is fairness in taxation. Fair taxation means those who gain more pay more, and those who gain less pay less. Therefore, progressive tax rates should be applied.
(Omitted)
-The court must manage the state through an expanded administrative organization and actively engage in relief for the poor based on finances secured through tax reform and industrial promotion. Such relief for the poor should not be simple charity, but should be carried out in a direction that gives the poor hope to escape poverty.
-For the people to escape poverty, they must possess an upward spirit. To this end, the court must provide various conveniences so the people can actively participate. As the most basic method of providing such conveniences, the court must educate the people so that all can possess at least minimal literacy.
-In this educational process, what is most important is to make certain that there is no distinction of noble and base among the four classes. Only when there is no distinction of noble and base among the four classes will the people develop their natural talents, and this will transform into the prosperity of our Joseon.
(And so forth)
* * *
As the presentation grew long, a break of half a shichen (about one hour) was taken in the middle. During the break, Sejong ate a light meal with Hyang.
"Truly amazing. How did you think of all those things?"
At Sejong's question, Hyang answered with a calm expression.
"I looked through the classics of ancient sages, history books, and the books of Westerners."
"Is that so? Your effort is truly visible."
"You praise me too highly."
At Hyang's humility, Sejong's praise continued.
"Honestly, there was much in your political views that I had not thought of. Since the founding of our Joseon, many systems have been created, but there were even more that simply followed what had been handed down from old. To speak well of it, one could call it preservation of fine customs, but to speak ill of it, one could say there was laziness."
"I believe that if those systems and laws were all fine customs, there would have been no reason for previous dynasties to fall and new nations to arise."
At Hyang's cold answer, Sejong sighed deeply.
"Haa~. That is true."
Having finished the light meal, Hyang earnestly remonstrated with Sejong.
"Father. It is written in the religious texts the Westerners believe: 'New wine should be put into new wineskins.' Thirty years have passed since the previous dynasty fell and our Joseon was established - it can be considered a long time, or a short time. However, the people's poverty is no different from the previous dynasty or now, so I believe reform must definitely be carried out. Sambong (Jeong Do-jeon) proposed reform, but his reform was for the few. A reform for the greatest happiness of the greatest number is needed."
At Hyang's words, Sejong slapped his knee and exclaimed.
"Your words are truly correct!"
The historian recording beside the two wrote the following at the end:
- The Crown Prince's words are radical and extreme. However, I believe the phrase 'the greatest happiness of the greatest number' should never be passed over lightly. Is not 'the greatest happiness of the greatest number' precisely the crystallization of the Kingly Way Politics that ancient sages advocated and that scholar-officials have dreamed of?
< Chapter 26: Gapjin Reformation (4) > End
ⓒ Gukppong