Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 72

Clangra

Hello, Bomb!

72. The People (5)

As the reforms progressed, the artisan (匠人) society of Joseon, especially the blacksmiths (冶匠), suffered considerably.

The reason for their suffering was a chain reaction that started with the Military Supplies Command.

As many artisans belonging to the Military Supplies Command moved to the research institute and Area 51, the Military Supplies Command needed replacements.

“Select the most skilled artisans from the soldiers (陸守軍), cavalry (騎船軍), and garrison troops (營鎭軍) throughout Joseon and send them to Hanyang. Examine their skills and fill the vacancies in the Military Supplies Command.”

“Understood.”

Following Sejong’s order, chaos erupted in military camps across the country.

Among the artisans who made weapons such as swords and bows in the military camps, those renowned for their skills were sent to Hanyang.

Sejong himself attended the evaluation session to select the artisans who would work in the Military Supplies Command.

Sejong’s desire for talent shone brightly even in this session, as he selected about 30% more people than the quota for the Military Supplies Command.

“Send those who remain after filling the quota for the Military Supplies Command to Area 51.”

“… Understood!”

Hyang was overjoyed by the unexpected boon and bowed deeply to Sejong.

“Your benevolence is boundless, Father!”

As this situation unfolded, a chain reaction was inevitable.

“What are we supposed to do if you take away the artisans who make swords!”

“It’s bad enough to pick only the best from the banquet table, but taking people like this…”

The military, having suddenly lost their skilled artisans, had to search for renowned artisans among the common people and recruit them into the military.

If there was one positive outcome from all the commotion, it was that the perception of artisans changed somewhat for the better.

Both the government and the people began to value skilled artisans, and their treatment improved.

It was a butterfly effect created by Sejong and Hyang, who had a great desire to cultivate talent.

* * *

As soon as the decision was made to create a state-run enterprise dedicated to iron production, Hyang and the ministers exchanged opinions on the preparations for it.

To be precise, Hyang forcefully intervened in the ministers’ exchange of opinions.

“You already have a lot of work to do, so you don’t have to get involved in this…”

“Considering the amount of supplies consumed by the research institute and Area 51, this is essential.”

Hwang Hee tried to dissuade her, wanting to avoid a situation where a sister-in-law more annoying than a mother-in-law would interfere, but Hyang steadfastly took a seat.

“Since Area 51 is involved anyway, I will take charge of the screening!”

“You don’t have to go that far…”

“This is a great national undertaking! As the Crown Prince, I must step forward!”

“… Do as you wish.”

Hyang, who had volunteered to take charge of the screening, persuaded Sejong and received his permission.

“Are you sure it’s okay?”

To the ministers’ worried questions, Hwang Hee replied with an expression that indicated it was nothing to worry about.

“Isn’t this a good thing for us? We already have a lot of work to do.”

* * *

The first selection criterion for artisans related to ironmaking was proposed by Hyang.

-Regions with a high proportion of refined iron (正鐵, *jeongcheol* or siusoe) in the overall tribute amount.

Instead of unconditionally choosing places with large quantities of iron, regardless of whether it was wrought iron or *jeongcheol*, they set the standard to places that produced relatively more *jeongcheol*, and a considerable number of regions were eliminated.

Through the first screening, one place was selected from Chungcheong Province, and Gyeongju and Hapcheon were selected from Gyeongsang Province.

There were other ironworks (鐵場, *cheoljang*) with large production volumes, but these three places had a higher proportion of *jeongcheol* in the production ratio of refined iron and pig iron (生鐵, *saengcheol* or musoe) than other places.

Once the first candidates were determined, cavalrymen holding sealed letters containing the royal decree rode off on horseback.

“Royal decree!”

At the cry that a royal decree had been issued from Hanyang, the local officials tidied up their attire, bowed deeply towards Hanyang, and respectfully received the sealed letter.

The local officials who opened the seal and checked the contents of the letter sighed.

“Haa~. More work.”

* * *

According to the royal decree, people selected from the three ironworks came up to Hanyang.

“We need a place to test their skills.”

At Hwang Hee’s words, Sejong turned to Hyang. At the unspoken command, Hyang immediately replied.

“I will prepare a place in Area 51.”

“Do so.”

That’s how the place to compete in skills was decided, but a problem arose among the artisans.

“The artisans are refusing to smelt in the same place.”

Hyang, who received the report from Old Blacksmith, frowned and asked the reason.

“What is the reason?”

“Extracting iron is considered the ultimate secret (祕技, *bigi*), so they say they cannot show it to their competitors.”

“Oh, dear…”

Faced with a difficult situation, Hyang turned to the ministers. Among the ministers who were making similar expressions, Hwang Hee opened his mouth.

“Can’t we just force them?”

At Hwang Hee’s suggestion, Old Blacksmith shook his head.

“They will just pack up and leave.”

“Even if it’s a national matter?”

“They are rough around the edges because of the hard work, and their pride is considerable. They would rather have their heads cut off than be forced.”

“Geez… Tsk!”

At Old Blacksmith’s answer, Hyang looked at the map of Area 51.

“How much space does it take to build a smelting furnace? If we create spaces here, here, and here in the empty lots, it seems possible since they won’t overlap?”

“Please wait a moment!”

Old Blacksmith, who was looking at the map at Hyang’s words, immediately went outside and began measuring.

Old Blacksmith, who went around the empty lots and measured the places, returned and reported to Hyang.

“It seems possible.”

“Then tell the chief blacksmiths (the heads of the blacksmiths).”

The chief blacksmiths immediately accepted Hyang’s suggestion.

The chief blacksmiths, who had determined their places through a lottery, led their people and settled in the designated places.

Hyang, watching the scene of the chief blacksmiths and their subordinates moving into one side of the research institute, turned to Old Blacksmith.

“There are quite a few people working together?”

“Including the chief blacksmiths, assistant blacksmiths, furnace supervisors, assistant furnace supervisors, bellows operators, and charcoal makers, there are quite a few.”

“Is that so?”

Listening to Old Blacksmith’s answer, Hyang rubbed his hands with excitement.

“It will be interesting when the competition starts in earnest.”

“Will Your Highness continue to watch?”

“When else would I see such a spectacle?”

“… That is true.”

Hyang was excited.

Even when he was taught by traditional sword artisans in the 21st century, he had seen them making miscellaneous iron in small furnaces, but he had never seen the process of making iron in earnest like this.

Once the places were selected, Hyang summoned the chief blacksmiths.

“The places have been prepared, and the materials you said you needed have been prepared. Let’s check if there is anything missing.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

At Hyang’s command, the chief blacksmiths headed to the place where the prepared materials were.

The first thing the chief blacksmiths checked was the most important materials: iron ore and charcoal to be used as fuel.

And it was the first test process prepared by Hyang.

“Huh?”

The chief blacksmiths who went to the place where the raw material, iron ore, was piled up all looked at Hyang with troubled expressions.

“Your Highness, are we supposed to extract iron from limonite (石鐵, *seokcheol*)?”

At the question thrown in his unique dialect, Hyang nodded.

“Most of it is limonite. I found a good iron mine recently. Why, can’t you do it?”

“It’s a bit cumbersome, but it’s not impossible.”

“That’s right.”

“Well, it’s not impossible.”

At the chief blacksmiths’ answers, Hyang muttered softly to the eunuch behind him.

“Everyone gets 1 point.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Hyang’s eyes, which were evaluating the chief blacksmiths, soon widened. It was because the chief blacksmiths were showing actions that Hyang had not expected.

The chief blacksmiths randomly selected iron ores from various parts of the iron ore pile, then took out hammers from the baskets they were wearing and smashed the iron ore.

When an appropriate amount of iron ore powder was produced, the chief blacksmiths took out iron needles and lamps from the baskets.

The chief blacksmiths sucked on the iron needles once, applied saliva, and then applied iron powder to the iron needles.

The chief blacksmiths, who had applied an appropriate amount of iron powder to the iron needles, lit the lamps and pushed the iron needles into the flames.

As the color of the flame changed as the iron needles went in, the chief blacksmiths all muttered.

“This has a lot of sulfur?”

It was at this point that Hyang was taken aback.

‘They knew about the flame reaction!’

The chief blacksmiths, who had checked the condition of the most important raw material, iron, moved to the yellow soil piled up on one side. The chief blacksmiths all picked up the yellow soil with their fingers, tasted it, and shook their heads slightly.

“Is there a problem?”

“There is a lot of sulfur mixed in the limonite. To make good iron, we have to remove the sulfur, but it’s a bit difficult with the energy of this soil.”

“That’s right!”

“The soil is a bit off.”

At the chief blacksmiths’ answers, Hyang immediately assessed the situation.

“Then, you should look for suitable soil.”

“And, I don’t see any lime.”

“I’ll get it ready.”

In this selection process that followed, the chief blacksmiths were in a difficult situation this time.

“What is this stone?”

“That’s coal. You’ll use it instead of charcoal. Old Blacksmith.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

At Hyang’s command, Old Blacksmith stepped forward and explained about coal to the chief blacksmiths.

After the miners found coal, the first place it was used was by the artisans working in Area 51.

Therefore, Old Blacksmith, who had the most experience with coal, stepped forward.

Whether the explanation from someone in the same industry worked, the chief blacksmiths soon nodded.

“Coal… looks interesting?”

“They said it has better firepower than charcoal? Hmm… how should I adjust the ratio?”

“It is said that sulfur is also mixed in… a little more yellow soil and lime…”

“Can’t you do it?”

At Hyang’s question, the chief blacksmiths all shook their heads.

“Then, when the materials are ready, we will build the furnace right away. The furnace in Gyeongju will take the longest time, so we will start the competition as soon as the furnace in Gyeongju is completed.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

That day, Hyang, who returned to the East Palace, scratched his head and muttered nervously.

“They even knew about the flame reaction… What on earth! How much has this damn Joseon forgotten of what it had!”

* * *

As the chief blacksmiths who had obtained the necessary materials began to build the furnace, Hyang carefully recorded the process and conducted the screening.

“The furnace is square?”

“It’s easier to stack iron ore and charcoal if you make it like this.”

“This furnace is a bit high?”

“The iron gets better if the height is high.”

“Is that so?”

While Hyang was talking with the chief blacksmiths, the eunuchs behind him recorded the conversation and added or subtracted points by checking Hyang’s hand signals.

In the process of building the furnace, what caught Hyang’s attention was Gyeongju.

While other places mainly used soil to make earthen furnaces, Gyeongju was mainly using stones to make furnaces.

“Making it with stones, is there a good reason for this? Does it withstand heat well?”

“Stones alone cannot withstand heat. You have to apply soil. But, if you make it like this, you don’t have to replace it every time, right?”

“Is that so?”

Hyang, who heard the answer, gestured slightly.

At Hyang’s hand signal, the eunuch recorded the score on the table.

“Gyeongju gets 2 points.”

As the furnace was made, the chief blacksmiths entered the process of extracting iron.

There were trials and errors while using coal instead of charcoal, but Hyang did not make an issue of it.

“This is a process that must be experienced, so I will not make an issue of it!”

After experiencing such short trials and errors, the chief blacksmiths began to extract iron in earnest.

The competition had begun.

* * *

In the competition that lasted for fifteen days, excluding the time spent building the furnace, the winner was the chief blacksmith of Gyeongju.

Hyang explained to Sejong why Gyeongju had won.

“First of all, Gyeongju built a stone-structured furnace using stones. Other artisans do not not use stones, but while soil was the main component, stones were the main component and soil was the sub-component in Gyeongju. Because of this…”

“You can keep using the furnace?”

“That is correct. Next is the manpower involved in the process of producing refined iron. Other furnaces reheat the pig iron from the furnace and then have workers hammer it to make refined iron.”

“It would take a lot of manpower.”

“That is correct.”

“Then, Gyeongju? Did they use a different method?”

“Gyeongju mixed the selected scrap iron with the pig iron produced in that way and melted it again.”

“Melt it again? That seems like a waste of effort?”

“It was not a waste of effort. When the molten iron that came out after remelting was cooled, most of it was refined iron, and a considerable amount of high-strength iron also came out.”

“Hoo~. Amazing!”

At Sejong’s evaluation, Hyang nodded.

Hyang did not know, but the process of remelting twice, which was the method used by Gyeongju, went through a transformation process similar to the Bessemer converter [a steel-making process].

It was a method of drastically reducing the amount of carbon mixed in the iron in the process of melting it twice, and to put it simply, it was similar to the ironmaking method of the 20th century. (Note 1)

* * *

The chief blacksmith of Gyeongju, who became the final winner through competition, was summoned to a place where Sejong and the ministers were all present.

The chief blacksmith, who was summoned to a place where the sky-like Sanggam Mama (Sejong) was present, as well as the famous ministers of the world, was trembling and lying flat, only breathing.

“Chief Blacksmith, be at ease.”

At Sejong’s command, the chief blacksmith answered in a loud voice.

“Your, Your, Your benevolence is boundless!”

“Oh, dear… I have something to ask you. This time, the country is going to open the largest ironworks. Will you take on that job?”

“If, If, If, If you give me the order, I will do it at the risk of my life!”

At the chief blacksmith’s question, Sejong smiled.

“There is no need to risk your life… A large iron mine has been discovered in Pyeongan Province. Coal was also found in Pyeongan Province. But the distance between the two places is a bit far. If you were to build an ironworks, where do you think would be a good place?”

When a problem in his field of expertise came up, the chief blacksmith was already relieved of his tension.

At Sejong’s question, the chief blacksmith asked a question.

“I am a country bumpkin who only knows Gyeongju, so I don’t know the geography well. How far apart are the two places?”

“It’s 100 *li* [approximately 40 kilometers]. Fortunately, there is a river, so you can use water transportation.”

After taking a moment to organize his thoughts at Sejong’s answer, the chief blacksmith answered.

“When making an ironworks, limonite and charcoal are important, but the most important thing is soil. The iron comes out good if the soil is good. This time, when I looked at it, both limonite and coal have a lot of sulfur mixed in. To catch this sulfur, you need a lot of good soil and lime.”

“Then?”

“I need to go and see it with my own eyes. Even if I have to carry limonite and coal, I have to go to a place where the soil is good. The most important thing is soil.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s right!”

At the chief blacksmith’s firm answer, Sejong fell into thought. Sejong, who had been pondering silently for a long time, came to a conclusion.

“Good! I will give you the position of Dosai (道師) [a type of master craftsman]! You go and look at the situation and find the best place to build an ironworks!”

“I, I, I accept the order!”

“What is your name?”

“I don’t have a surname, I’m just called Deoksu.”

“I bestow upon you the surname Kim! Since the surname is gold (金), I want your descendants to inherit your work!”

“Your benevolence is boundless!”

The chief blacksmith, who had suddenly been given a surname, went out crying.

As the chief blacksmith went out, Hwang Hee and the ministers all looked at Sejong.

“Why? Are you dissatisfied with giving a mere ironworks chief blacksmith a rank of Jong 5th grade [a mid-level official rank]?”

“It’s not that I don’t know Your Majesty’s heart, but isn’t it too high a rank…”

“Are there any of you who know how to make iron?”

“…No.”

“But you look down on him as a mere ironworks chief blacksmith?”

“…I am in awe.”

“I have said it many times, but don’t do anything that will make you in awe.”

“I am in awe.”

“Tsk!”

If it had been like Jang Yeong-sil’s time, they would have jumped up and down at the idea of giving a position to someone with a low occupation (賤業, *cheongeo*), but now such things have decreased.

It’s not difficult to do it once, but it’s difficult to do it twice.

And if they knew Sejong’s personality, they were sure that these words would come out.

“Then will you make it?”

* * *

Ten days after Deoksu was given a surname in the Pyeonjeon Hall [the main hall of the palace], people wearing official uniforms and military uniforms flocked to Deoksu’s house in Gyeongju.

“Royal decree!”

“Huh? What’s going on?”

Deoksu’s family members, who were working at the house and the blacksmith shop next to it, were confused and flustered.

“The family members of Chief Blacksmith Kim Deoksu, come out and receive the royal decree!”

“Kim Deoksu? Your father’s name is Deoksu, but Kim?”

“Is that the problem? They’re saying it’s a royal decree!”

Deoksu’s family members, who ran out quickly, knelt in the yard.

The official who stood in front of Deoksu’s family members unfolded the scroll and read it aloud.

“I bestow the official title of Jong 5th grade Dosai to Deoksu, the chief blacksmith of Gyeongju Ironworks! Also, I bestow the surname Kim to Deoksu!”

The official, who had been reading aloud for a long time after that, rolled up the scroll and asked a question.

“Who is the eldest son of Kim Dosai?”

At his question, a burly young man who came out of the blacksmith shop stood up.

“It’s me.”

“Congratulations.”

The official handed the young man a scroll with the royal decree, a document with various official titles recorded, and a reward, along with words of congratulations.

“Where is my father?”

“Kim Dosai received the royal decree and left for Hwanghae Province right away.”

That day, Deoksu’s family held a feast, releasing all their possessions.

And the miraculous story of the rise in status of the Deoksu family became a legend in the region.

———

Note 1) A Study on the Operation Method of Stone-Structured Iron Furnace. Shin Kyung-hwan, Kim Kwon-il, Choi Young-min.

Outdoor Archaeology No. 22 (2015.03)