Black Corporation: Joseon

“As I’ve mentioned before, sugar not only pleases the palate but also helps prevent food spoilage. Moreover, when you are exhausted, consuming a moderate amount can quickly restore your energy. However, eating too much can lead to significant side effects. First, it damages the teeth. It also leads to obesity.”

“Cough!”

At Hyang’s words, King Sejong coughed awkwardly. He had been gaining some belly fat lately. Regardless, Hyang continued, “And, the most significant side effect is that it can cause diabetes. Didn’t the physician diagnose signs of diabetes in Your Majesty not long ago?”

“Cough! Okay. I’ll moderate my intake.”

Even though King Sejong waved a white flag, Hyang didn’t stop. “I couldn’t sleep after hearing about the signs of diabetes in Your Majesty. So, I went through the medical books. If diabetes worsens, it can cause eye diseases leading to blindness. Then, you wouldn’t be able to read, which you love…”

“I told you I’d moderate!”

King Sejong became irritated, but Hyang continued nevertheless, “An even bigger problem is impotence!”

“Impotence?”

At King Sejong’s question, Hyang silently glanced at his lower body. Following Hyang’s gaze, King Sejong quietly pushed a candy jar aside.

Seeing this, Hyang arrived at the conclusion. “It’s hard to quit due to the sweetness of sugar.”

“That’s true.”

“Medical books pointed out this too, but the best remedy for diabetes is to reduce the intake of candy as much as possible, and to exercise.”

“Exercise?”

“Yes. Besides skipping rope, you should take long walks, and increase your muscle strength.”

“Increase my muscle strength.”

“The medical books say ‘Bones are like the pillars of a house, and muscles are like its walls. Just as a house with strong pillars but thin walls can’t resist the heat and cold, if your muscle strength is weak, you can’t resist disease.'”

“Increase muscle strength. Got it. I will do so.”

“Your Majesty’s understanding is profound. Your muscles will know well about this issue.”

“I got it.”

So, Hyang’s ‘King Sejong’s Longevity Project’ was reinforced. Hyang’s final goal was simple.

‘If losing weight is difficult, let’s make you a healthy pig!’

◈◈◈

As the empty spots were filled, the court affairs began to speed up. Just as the nationwide smallpox vaccination was nearing its end, a new debate began in the court. The new issue was ‘cattle’.

The nationwide smallpox vaccination required large quantities of cattle infected with smallpox. This was solved by the national landowners voluntarily culling their cattle.

“As a result, we received 1153 cattle. We need to think about how to handle these cattle.”

“1153, that’s a lot. Hmm…”

After pondering for a while, King Sejong gave an order to Chief Eunuch.

“Call the Crown Prince.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Shortly after, Hyang, summoned, entered the hall.

“Father, did you call me?”

As Hyang who showed respect took his seat, King Sejong broached the main subject.

“…This is the situation. Crown Prince, what would you do with these cattle?”

Pondering King Sejong’s question for a moment, Hyang asked the Minister of Taxation, “What’s the gender ratio among these cattle?”

Answering the Crown Prince’s question, the old man flipped through the book he brought. “There are 470 pairs of male and female.”

“470 pairs make 940… so the remainder is 213.”

“That’s correct.”

“Hmm…” Hyang, who had been doing some calculations, soon reached a conclusion, “Father. How about creating cattle and pig farms across the eight provinces of Joseon?”

“Raise cattle and pigs?”

“Yes. Divide the whole area of our Joseon into north and south, and east and west, assigning two locations each, a total of 8 cattle farms, including another one in Neobeol Island, to make 9 cattle farms in total. Then, allocate 50 pairs of cattle to each cattle farm. After about 2-3 years, we should be able to raise more than 100 cattle per farm, right?”

“Would that be so?”

“Can you imagine how beneficial that would be?”

Hyang explained the reasons for setting up cattle farms.

Nationwide smallpox vaccination has been carried out, but there are those who are too young or live in too remote areas to receive the vaccination. Cattle infected with smallpox should be prepared annually for these people. For this purpose, calves are born and raised in cattle farms.After raising cattle and pigs in large quantities in the cattle farms, meat is supplied to the people. Specifically, in the case of cattle, although slaughter was prohibited because they are essential animals for farming, it’s almost a situation in name only.

While explaining this part, Hyang added, “What’s important here is that many people are accustomed to violating the cow ban1. The cow ban is also a law in the country. If violating such a law becomes a daily routine, people will take the country’s laws lightly, and they will inevitably take and commit more serious crimes lightly.”

Upon hearing Hyang’s words, King Sejong and the ministers nodded. Hyang continued speaking, “By supplying cattle and pigs in large quantities, the nomads can be fully absorbed as the people of Joseon. By managing and operating the cattle farms, and handling the butchery in each village, the issue of constant production is resolved. In doing so, the court can gain justification for dealing with the nomads.”

“Will these nomads really agree?”

To the question of the Right State Councilor Maeng Sa-seong, Hyang answered resolutely, “Anyone with a head would agree. Don’t we have the example of Seodori, the headman of Neobeol Island?”

“Ah…”

Upon hearing Hyang’s words, the ministers nodded.

While carrying out smallpox vaccinations nationwide, King Sejong acknowledged Soedori’s contribution and granted him a surname.

“I grant you the surname ‘U’. The reason I give you this surname ‘Yu (愚2)’ is not because you are foolish. It’s because you’ve persistently kept your promise like the old man in the old saying ‘yú gōng yí shān (愚公移山)3’. I highly respect that, hence I give you the surname ‘Yu’. I hope that you continue to faithfully keep your duty.”

Sejong not only personally called him to Gyeongbokgung Palace and gave him a surname, but also explained the reason.

Soedori, who couldn’t contain his joy, wept bitterly, “Oh! Your Majesty’s grace, Your Majesty’s grace is infinite! Sob! Sob! Long live the King! Long live! Long live forever!”

After a round of tearful celebration and when Soedori’s emotions had settled, King Sejong asked a question, “Yu headman, are you of nomadic (hwacheok) origin?”

“That’s correct.”

“I’ve heard that it is the custom of the nomadic people to wander, so how did you settle down?”

“My grandfather did so, I heard. He said it is natural to follow the laws of a place to which you’ve migrated… hence, he found a way to earn a living and ended up becoming a cattle farmer.”

“Your grandfather was indeed a wise man,” Sejong murmured, recovering his composure. “How nice it would’ve been if all the nomads were like your grandfather.”

The nomads were a thorn in the side of Joseon to the extent that Sejong lamented about them. Despite having infiltrated into Joseon quite some time ago, they couldn’t let go of their nomadic customs and became alienated from Joseon society. As a result, they committed theft, robbery, arson, murder, and so on, as they moved around in groups.

◈◈◈

The policy Hyang put forth using the example of Yu Seodori was quite radical.

“We should assign them the operations of cattle farming and slaughtering, sort out the population registry, levy taxes, and impose military duties. By doing so, they will surely settle down as citizens of Joseon. However, if they still resist, despite this policy, they should be punished and annihilated.”

At Hyang’s statement, Sejong and the ministers wore serious expressions.

“Isn’t annihilation a bit excessive?”

“It seems too harsh even considering humanity and justice.”

However, Hyang’s response was cold. “These people, despite living on this land for hundreds to tens of years, make light of our laws and customs. A stern response is necessary!”

The reason why Hyang made such a claim was because of the reality of Joseon, where complaints related to the crimes committed by the nomads were constantly being raised, and because of the refugee problem he had experienced in the 21st century.

While Sejong and the ministers were pondering over Hyang’s words, the Minister of Law Enforcement spoke up, “I think the Crown Prince’s opinion is reasonable. Looking at the complaints that reach the Ministry of Law Enforcement, at least half of the perpetrators of heinous crimes such as murder and robbery nationwide are the nomads. If we don’t solve this, public sentiment will be disturbed.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Consider the Hui ethnics. Although they possess foreign religions and customs, aren’t they following our Joseon laws faithfully?”

After both Hyang and the Chief Secretary agreed, Sejong and the ministers fell deeper into thought. After repeated contemplation, Sejong made a decision. “Honestly, it was necessary to make a decision about the nomads. Let’s sort this out on this occasion.”

“We will obey your command!”

Thus, a hard-line policy against the nomads was decided.

◈◈

As the issue concerning the slaughterhouses was decided, Hyang started talking about the final reason why we need slaughterhouses.

“The last reason we need slaughterhouses is for national defense.”

“National defense?”

Upon the unexpected mention of ‘national defense’, King Sejong and the ministers pricked up their ears.

“Yes, for national defense. Firstly, we need it for the soldier’s provisions. Upon looking at the documents I’ve gathered, I found this passage. ‘While grains offer immediate energy, they also result in rapid hunger. It’s akin to kindling that ignites quickly, burns intensely, but soon diminishes. On the other hand, meat resembles a sturdy log, requiring time to ignite, yet once it does, it provides sustained energy.’”

Hyang proceeded after a brief pause, stating, “In comparing the Ming dynasty to our own Joseon, it becomes evident that our people consume a greater amount of food. When our army mobilizes, a significant portion of the space is occupied by provisions for the soldiers. This is primarily due to our grain-based diet. Thus, it is imperative for us to produce preserved foods such as beef or pork jerky and salted meat, which can be supplied to the military.”

 

The words of Hyang prompted thoughtful expressions and approving sounds from King Sejong and the ministers, who stroked their beards in agreement. Although they did not offer a verbal response, their countenances conveyed a message of concurrence, as if to say, “Hmm, that sounds reasonable.”

Hyang proceeded to present his final point, “Moreover, it is of utmost importance that we harness the potential of cattle and pig manure to create fertile fields. Presently, the collection of feces, urine, and soil from private hearths yields a meager amount in our Joseon. This scarcity arises from the fact that farmers utilize them as fertilizers in their fields, leading to perpetual conflicts between farmers and officials. However, by establishing slaughterhouses and collecting the manure of cattle and pigs, we can generate vast expanses of fertile land without imposing hardships on the populace.”

“I see!”

“What a brilliant plan!”

King Sejong and his ministers, particularly the Minister of Law Enforcement, expressed strong approval. However, the Minister of Taxation, who had been silently contemplating, raised a counter-argument.

“While the Crown Prince’s proposal is commendable, there is one issue regarding livestock feed. Cows pose no problem as they solely consume grass, but pigs are a different story. Pigs have voracious appetites yet yield less meat. Moreover, they spoil quickly in the summer. Setting aside taste considerations…”

Upon hearing the Minister of Taxation’s words, Hyang concurred, saying, “I agree. However, during your visit to the Ming Dynasty as an envoy, did you happen to see their pigs?”

“Yes, I did.”

“What were the pigs like in the Ming Dynasty? Did you observe them?”

“I caught sight of them a few times while procuring books for the Crown Prince. Well, to exaggerate a bit, they were as large as houses.”

“Then, couldn’t we simply import breeding pigs from the Ming Dynasty?”

“But wouldn’t their larger size result in increased food consumption?”

The discussion between Hyang and the Minister of Taxation grew more heated, capturing the keen interest of King Sejong and the other ministers.

“To address that concern, we can cultivate soybeans in the fields adjacent to the slaughterhouse. Soybeans thrive with ample water, and slaughterhouses require significant amounts of it.”

“However, that would necessitate additional land separate from the slaughterhouse site.”

Upon hearing this, Hyang promptly proposed an alternative. “In that case, we can negotiate with local landlords to rent their land.”

“Would the landlords readily agree? They are barely managing to grow rice and barley on their farmland.”

“We could lease exhausted land. I’ve heard that cultivating beans in a field restores its fertility.”

Upon hearing Hyang’s suggestion, the Minister of Personnel diligently conducted calculations. After completing the assessment, the Minister of Personnel nodded approvingly.

“It appears to be entirely feasible.”

Footnotes

Cow ban refers to a historical law implemented during the Joseon Dynasty in Korea, which prohibited the slaughter of cows. The Joseon Dynasty, which lasted from 1392 to 1897, was characterized by a strict social hierarchy and Confucian ideology. This law was primarily driven by Confucian principles that emphasized the importance of agriculture and the value of oxen as essential animals for farming. In an agrarian society like Joseon, oxen were crucial for plowing fields and transporting goods. By prohibiting the slaughter of cows, the law aimed to ensure a stable agricultural base and prevent the depletion of valuable working animals.[↩]It means foolish or ignorant. Other connotation would be humility or simplicity.[↩]

 

“愚公移山” (yú gōng yí shān) is a well-known Chinese idiom that translates to “The Foolish Old Man Moves a Mountain” in English. It comes from a popular Chinese folktale that carries a moral lesson.

The story goes that there was an old man named Yu Gong who lived with his family at the foot of two massive mountains, named Taihang and Wangwu. The mountains obstructed their way and made their lives difficult. Yu Gong, despite being old and considered foolish by others, was determined to overcome this obstacle. He decided to move the mountains, believing that with persistence, they could be relocated. When Yu Gong’s determination and perseverance reached the ears of the gods, they were moved by his unwavering spirit. The gods decided to help him and sent two divine beings to move the mountains away.[↩]