1 biography
1.1 succession throne
1.2 reign
1.3 policies
1.3.1 anti-corruption
1.4 controversy
1.5 catholicism
1.6 death
biography
succession throne
in 1720, father king sukjong died , crown prince yi yun, sukjong s eldest son, ascended throne king gyeongjong, @ age of 33. when sukjong died in 1720, supposedly told yi yi-myoung name yeoning-gun gyeongjong s heir, in absence of historiographer or scribe, there no record .
during time there infighting , resentment low-born origins. noron faction (노론, 老論) of bureaucracy pressured king gyeongjong step down in favor of half-brother prince yeoning (the future king yeongjo). in 1720, 2 months after king s enthronement, prince yeoning installed royal prince successor brother (wangseje, 왕세제, 王世弟). aggravated power struggle , led great massacre, namely shinim literati purges (신임사화, 辛壬士禍). norons sent messages king no effect while opposing soron faction (소론, 少論) used advantage – claiming noron trying usurp power , subsequently getting rival faction removed several offices.
members of soron faction came idea assassinate heir (yeoning-gun) under pretence of hunting white fox said haunting palace, yeoning-gun sought shelter stepmother, queen dowager inwon, protected him , able stay alive. afterwards, told half-brother king rather go , live commoner.
on 11 october 1724, king gyeongjong died. soron accused prince yeoning of having brother s death due earlier attempt noron faction have him replace gyeongjong on throne. historians agree have died of eating contaminated seafood, symptoms of illness caused death. homer hulbert described in book history of korea said, may doubt truth of rumor, nothing told of brother indicates commit such act, , in second place man eat shrimps in mid-summer, have been brought 30 miles sea without ice might expect die. on 16 october 1724, prince yeoning ascended throne king yeongjo, 21st ruler of joseon.
reign
king yeongjo confucian monarch, , said have had greater knowledge of classics officials. during reign of yeongjo , grandson jeongjo, confucianization @ height, economic recovery wars of late 16th , 17th centuries. rulership has been called 1 of brilliant reigns of joseon dynasty.
yeongjo worried people. annals of joseon dynasty record 1 day in 4th year of reign, king yeongjo woke sound of morning rain , said courtiers,
oh dear! have had flood, drought , famines past 4 years because of lack of virtue, , year went through unprecedented revolt traitor named yi in-jwa. how can poor people manage livelihood under such hardship? there old saying, war followed lean year. fortunately, however, haven’t had big famine past 2 years , pin our hopes on harvest year. yet still nervous because, while season harvesting around corner, there no way of knowing if there flood or drought before then. nobody knows whether cold rain pour , flood fields awaiting harvest. lack of goodness might bring upon such awful things fail win sympathy of heaven. how can earn sympathy of heavens if not self-reflect , make efforts myself? should start reflecting on myself.
yeongjo worried rain ruin harvest forcing unfortunate people starve. king ordered courtiers reduce taxes on people , decrease number of dishes in own meals. reducing range of foods ate decision made out of concern starving people.
one morning 25 years later circa 1753, continuous rain reminded yeongjo of flood during 4th year of reign, when had eaten less food: oh! floods , droughts happen because lack virtue. older year, how can compassion people , work hard them less then? . yet again, yeongjo ordered reduction in number of dishes on dining table. people around him described him articulate, bright, benevolent , kind king. penetrating in observation , quick of comprehension.
policies
yeongjo realising detrimental effect on state administration of factional strife during latter half of 17th century, attempted end factional strife ascended throne. yeongjo reinstated short-lived universal military service tax, went beyond palace gate , solicited opinion of officials, literati (scholars), soldiers , peasants. yeongjo reduced military service tax half , ordered variance supplemented taxes on fisheries, salt, vessels , additional land tax. yeongjo regularized financial system of state revenues , expenses adopting accounting system. realistic policies allowed payment of taxes on grain remote mountainous areas gyeongsang province, nearby port, payment in cotton or cash grain. circulation of currency encouraged increasing coin casting.
yeongjo s concern improvement of peasant’s life manifest in eagerness educate people distributing important books in korean script (hangul), including book of agriculture.
the pluviometre again manufactured in quantity , distributed local administration offices , extensive public work projects undertaken. yeongjo upgraded status of posterity of commoners, opening possibility upward social mobility , inevitable change. yeongjo policies intended reassert confucian monarchy , humanistic rule, couldn t stem tide of social change resulted.
mercantile activities rapidly increased in volume. accumulation of capital through monopoly , wholesales expanded through guild organisations , many merchants centred in hanyang. traditional division of government chartered shop, license tribute goods suppliers , small shopkeepers in alley , streets integrated , woven monopoly , wholesale system.
regardless of status, many yangban class aristocrats , commoners engaged in kind of merchant activities. hanyang made great strides commercial , industrial city in 18th century. popular demand handicrafts , goods such knives, horse hair hats, dining table , brassware ever-increasing. restrictions on wearing horse hair hat denoting yangban class status, virtually disappeared
even bootlegging of books became commercialised competition developed among well-to-do yanban engaged in publication of collected literary works of renowned ancestors. led printing popular fiction , poetry. people appreciated satire , social criticism. 1 example chunhyangjeon (tales of chunghyang) fidelity of gisaeng’s (entertainer s) daughter read satire aimed expose greed , snobbery of government officials.
anti-corruption
the king renowned having treasured park mun-su, appointed amhaeng-eosa (암행어사), secret government inspector king. park, had earned great merit in putting down yi in-jwa s rebellion in 1728, went around nation arresting corrupt local officers in name of king.
controversy
the dismal incident during yeongjo s reign death of son, crown prince sado. history indicates sado suffered mental illness; randomly killing people in palace , raping palace maids. court rules king yeongjo not kill son own hands, sado ordered climb large wooden rice chest on hot july day in 1762. after 8 days, sado died. during 19th century, there rumors prince sado had not been mentally ill, had been victimised court plot; however, contradicted both memoirs written sado s widow , annals of joseon dynasty.
catholicism
yeongjo first take action against roman catholic activities in country. 18th century, catholicism beginning acquire following in gangwon , hwanghae provinces. in 1758, yeongjo officially outlawed catholicism evil practice.
death
fourteen years after crown prince sado s death, sado s son, yeongjo s grandson jeongjo, became king. part of new king s years marked political intrigues , fear of court officials afraid jeongjo seek revenge on them petitioning punishment caused death of father, crown prince sado.
yeongjo buried in dynastic tombs @ donggureung. yeongjo buried second wife in royal tomb of wonneung (원릉, 元陵) in city of guri.
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