Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 75

Jjangra

Hello, Bomb!

75. Let’s Make Money! Let’s Trade! (1)

“Ugh…”

Lee Eun-taek, a registrar of the Ministry of Taxation, was groaning in front of his book.

“This way doesn’t work, that way either…”

Lee Eun-taek, who was calculating by moving the counting sticks spread out on one side of the desk, scattered the sticks and shouted.

“I can’t find an answer! There’s no way to cut the budget! Ugh!”

“Hey!”

When Lee Eun-taek lost his mind and went on a rampage, his fellow officials nearby grabbed him.

“Catch him! Catch him!”

“Hold on! Hold on!”

After the commotion subsided, Lee Eun-taek was immediately dragged before Minister of Taxation, Kim Jeom.

“You seem to have energy to spare? Even overturning your desk.”

“I am sorry, sir.”

“What’s the problem?”

“There is no budget, sir.”

Kim Jeom’s face crumpled horribly at Lee Eun-taek’s answer.

“Damn it…”

* * *

The biggest problem with the reforms that Sejong [King Sejong the Great, the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty] was steadily pursuing was the budget.

Since the founding of the country, Joseon [Korean kingdom from 1392 to 1897] had greatly reduced the budget used by the court.

This was because they were well aware that the people had lived in misery due to excessive taxation at the end of the Goryeo Dynasty [Korean kingdom from 918 to 1392].

It was only natural that expenditures were reduced in order to minimize various miscellaneous taxes and operate the government with the reduced revenue.

As a result, Sejong set the period of reform to 10 years.

The goal of the reform was to gradually change the revenue sector, reform the administration of the central and local governments, and ultimately strengthen Joseon’s capabilities and expand outward.

Sejong was well aware of the importance of the budget in this process, so he focused on carrying out monopoly projects.

Just in time, the Crown Prince’s proposal to monopolize sugar was a boon that could greatly expand finances.

However, as a considerable amount of wealth was consumed for facility investment funds while establishing monopoly offices down to the county level, the flexibility of budget operation decreased.

In addition, the decision to purchase the main parts of the Gapsik Jangchongtong [a type of cannon] and Masang Chongtong [another type of cannon] from the private sector greatly reduced the budget surplus.

In fact, Sejong was well aware of this problem.

Therefore, from the issue of purchasing the main parts of the Chongtong to the construction of the national steel mill, he always grasped the limits of the budget and acted accordingly.

However, Sejong did not like the idea of handling issues directly related to national defense slowly due to budget constraints.

To solve this, Sejong mobilized drastic measures.

Sejong’s move was to seize the finances of Naesu Byeoljwa [an institution managing royal family wealth].

Naesu Byeoljwa was an institution created to manage the wealth inherited from the Goryeo royal family and the private property of the Yi Seong-gye [King Taejo, founder of Joseon Dynasty] family in the Hamgyeong-do region, and also managed land and wealth given to the royal family. Sejong seized control of this part.

At a gathering of the royal family’s relatives, Sejong requested the following:

“For the rise of our Joseon, the sacrifice of many elders and siblings is needed.”

No one dared to oppose the king’s request, so the royal family members who received Sejong’s request all agreed.

When all the royal family members agreed, Sejong handed them each a written pledge.

The contents of the pledge, which Sejong wrote in his own handwriting and stamped with the royal seal as well as his signature and personal seal, were as follows:

-For the next 5 years, 70% of the existing salary will be paid. For the next 5 years, the same amount as the initial salary will be paid, and after that, 20% will be added and paid.

It was a pretty good deal, so the royal family members all held back their complaints.

And this pledge became recognized as Joseon’s first government bond.

In this way, funds that could be used were also invested from Naesu Byeoljwa, but overall, the situation was still tight with almost no room to spare. The biggest reasons for this were the Hyang’s research institute and the steel mill being built in Pyeongan-do.

“Father, a little budget…”

“Get out, you rascal!”

Such conversations occurred a couple of times a month, as Hyang’s research institute was an institution that sucked up the budget, or rather, consumed it like drinking cold water.

However, Hyang also had something to say.

“No! It’s not like I’m just spending it recklessly! What can I do when the budget itself is like that!”

As proven in the last audit, Hyang never wasted the budget.

The only problem was that the absolute value of the Joseon court’s budget itself was too small.

And the steel mill located in Pyeongan-do had a problem with its location.

The steel mill, built under the command of Kim Deok-soo, the founder of the Anju Kim clan, was located about 200 li (about 80 km or 50 miles) from the border.

Due to the location issue, a new unit had to be formed and deployed to take charge of defense, and this was the decisive reason why the budget dried up.

* * *

Even though the budget had dried up, it was not literally that the treasury was completely empty.

Funds to run the court were prepared, but all the reserve funds prepared just in case had run out.

Kim Jeom smacked his lips after confirming the situation.

“Tsk, it would be solved if we just get past the Mid-Autumn Festival.”

Kim Jeom’s subordinate officials retorted.

“The problem is whether we can get there safely. If there’s a flood or an epidemic, it’s just over.”

Kim Jeom shouted at his subordinate officials.

“The problem is that you people are so pessimistic! What’s wrong with living a little more positively!”

“I am sorry.”

“If you’re sorry, don’t create things to be sorry about! Can’t you see the scrolls piled up over there!”

“Yes, yes!”

Kim Jeom’s subordinate officials hurried back to their seats at Kim Jeom’s scolding.

Kim Jeom, left alone in his seat, sighed deeply.

“Haa~. The problem is that there’s no budget… but there’s no answer.”

Kim Jeom sighed again and complained about the daunting problem that was difficult to find an answer to.

“Haa~. Should I just write a petition to be sent as a local official?”

* * *

“You rascal, get out!”

Hyang, who had been kicked out after requesting an additional budget, grumbled as he headed to the East Palace [residence of the Crown Prince].

“These days, he doesn’t even call me Crown Prince… Damn it, what is it about the budget…”

As Hyang was complaining about the situation that he himself couldn’t figure out, he saw monks moving behind a eunuch.

“What are those monks?”

The eunuch following behind Hyang immediately answered.

“It seems they are going to the Queen’s residence to preach.”

“Even if they go around openly…”

Hyang, who was about to say something while thinking of the ministers who would be alarmed by even the word ‘Buddhism,’ stopped walking.

“Your Highness?”

“I found it! Let’s attack Japan, no, let’s sell to Japan!”

“Yes?”

The eunuch’s head tilted to the side, but Hyang retraced his steps and hurried to Geunjeongjeon [the main hall of Gyeongbok Palace].

“What’s going on all of a sudden? I’ll say it again, there’s no budget.”

Sejong drew a line first at Hyang’s re-entry. However, Hyang didn’t care.

“Father! How about selling books once?”

“Selling books?”

“Selling Buddhist scriptures to the Waeguk (Japanese)!”

“Huh?”

Sejong’s eyes widened at Hyang’s words. No, even the councilors who hadn’t left yet widened their eyes.

* * *

Looking at the relationship between Joseon and Japan at this time, it wasn’t that bad.

In the early days of the founding of Joseon, the first thing Joseon used to prevent damage from the Wokou (Japanese pirates) was a diplomatic solution.

At the time, the Joseon court promised the Ming Dynasty [Chinese dynasty from 1368 to 1644] to sever relations with Japan on the surface, but secretly strengthened its Gyolin (neighborly relations) with Japan.

It had established diplomatic relations with the shogunate government, as well as local clans such as the Kyushu Commissioner, the Ouchi clan, the So clan, the Otomo clan, and the Lord of Tsushima Island.

When this Gyolin policy was slowly taking effect, it encountered an unexpected reef.

It was the death of Ouchi Yoshihiro and So Gitashige, the Lord of Tsushima Island.

Then, Wada Saimon seized power in Kyushu and Tsushima and encouraged the Wokou to plunder Joseon, and Joseon’s efforts lost their effect.

However, the bond of friendship between Joseon and the Japanese clans still remained.

Just before the conquest of Tsushima Island in the first year of Sejong’s reign, Joseon informed the Japanese clans of the conquest of Tsushima Island.

When Joseon revealed its intention to conquer Tsushima Island, the Kyushu Commissioner replied as follows.

“The Wokou are the enemy of Japan (賊人, bandits), so we ask Joseon to punish them severely with force.” (Note 1)

* * *

“Hasn’t the Waeguk (Japanese) asked us for Buddhist scripture woodblocks more than once?”

Sejong and the councilors nodded at Hyang’s question.

“That’s right.”

“It was just a while ago.”

This past April, the envoy of the King of Japan – to be exact, the shogun of the Muromachi shogunate [Japanese feudal regime from 1336 to 1573], Joseon recognized the shogun as the monarch of Japan – requested the Tripitaka Koreana woodblocks [Korean collection of Buddhist scriptures].

At the time, Sejong refused this request.

“There is only one set of the Tripitaka Koreana woodblocks, and this has been passed down from our ancestors, so we cannot give it away as we please.”

The King of Japan’s demands were very persistent, sometimes shouting about war, and sometimes the envoys were detained.

However, he couldn’t give away the Tripitaka Koreana woodblocks, and if he cut off relations, the import route of copper would be blocked, so Sejong could only treat the envoys well and send them back.

Eventually, the Ministry of Rites even suggested making Buddhist scriptures and woodblocks in response to Japan’s demands.

However, it was impossible to make Buddhist scripture woodblocks in Joseon, where ‘Promote Confucianism, Suppress Buddhism’ was the national policy.

“So, we will print exactly 10 sets of the Tripitaka Koreana. So, one set is given as a gift to the King of Japan, another set to the Kyushu Commissioner, and another set to the Ouchi clan. Even if not the King of Japan, the Kyushu Commissioner and the Ouchi clan have been good to our Joseon.”

Sejong nodded at Hyang’s words.

“That’s true. Then what about the remaining 7 sets?”

“We need to create competition among the other Japanese clans. We will say that we will sell it to the one who pays the highest price.”

“Hoo!”

“Aha!”

Sejong and the councilors exclaimed at Hyang’s words.

Japan, whose culture was quite backward, desperately wanted to get their hands on the culture of Joseon and Ming.

In particular, Buddhist scriptures were very rare, so the King of Japan had requested Buddhist scriptures and woodblocks.

“If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better to print about 50 sets instead of 10 sets?”

“Tsk!”

Sejong clicked his tongue at Maeng Sa-seong’s question.

“Have you forgotten that the scarcer it is, the more valuable it becomes? Why do you think the Crown Prince set it at 10 sets?”

“I am sorry!”

“Don’t do things that you will be sorry for!”

Sejong, who scolded Maeng Sa-seong, looked at Hyang with a gentle gaze.

“So you’re saying we should sell those 10 sets like that?”

“Yes. The name Tripitaka Koreana and the limited quantity of only 10 sets, its value will skyrocket in the Waeguk (Japanese).”

“That’s right.”

“And have the monks make books by making and printing or copying Buddhist scripture woodblocks. They will take those Buddhist scriptures to the Waeguk (Japanese) and sell them. If we do this, Joseon can see two benefits inside and three benefits in the Waeguk (Japanese).”

“Two benefits, three benefits?”

Sejong and the ministers leaned more and more toward Hyang at Hyang’s words.

After taking a moment to quench his thirst, Hyang explained what the benefits were.

“The two benefits that can be obtained within Joseon, one is that we can once again recover the lands that the temples still have.”

“Ah!”

What Joseon had consistently pursued since its founding was the policy of promoting Confucianism and suppressing Buddhism.

Taejong [Third king of Joseon] consolidated numerous Buddhist denominations into 7 denominations, confiscated 80,000 temple slaves and turned them into government slaves, and seized 60,000 gyul [unit of land measurement] of land.

Inheriting this, Sejong consolidated the 7 denominations into two, Seonjong [Zen Buddhism] and Gyojong [Doctrinal Buddhism], and left only 36 main temples nationwide. He also confiscated 3,000 gyul of good land out of 11,000 gyul of land and took away almost all the remaining slaves.

“Give a certain percentage of the proceeds from the sale of Buddhist scriptures to the monks to solve their livelihood. So that they can live without land. This will stabilize the public sentiment, so it is another benefit.”

“That’s right.”

Sejong nodded at Hyang’s explanation.

Although he had continued to take the policy of promoting Confucianism and suppressing Buddhism, the presence of Buddhism had not faded among the people, let alone inside the palace.

“Releasing it moderately can also be helpful. Then, what are the three benefits to be gained in the Waeguk (Japanese)? The first thing that comes to mind is that the Kyushu Commissioner and the Ouchi clan will become even closer to us.”

“That is correct. It is a great benefit for powerful clans like the Ouchi clan and the Kyushu Commissioner to become close to our Joseon. And another benefit is that if we bring in rice or silver from the Waeguk (Japanese) by selling Buddhist scriptures, we can also get out of the budget pressure. The last benefit is that we can spread Buddhist scriptures made in our Joseon to the Waeguk (Japanese) with a clear record, so that the people of the Waeguk (Japanese) can admire our Joseon.”

Sejong smiled at Hyang’s explanation and said.

“The other benefits are good, but I like the last benefit the most. What do you think?”

“It’s a really good idea!”

“Then we must put it into action. Send people to the main temples of Seonjong and Gyojong immediately.”

“I will obey your command!”

* * *

Three months later, the Ouchi family in Kyushu was busy welcoming the envoy from Joseon.

“Thank you for your hard work on the long journey.”

Moriharu, who became the lord of the Ouchi family after the death of his older brother, greeted the Joseon envoy politely.

“Thank you for your hospitality. Fortunately, there was no typhoon, so we crossed over well.”

The envoy from the Ministry of Rites returned the greeting with courtesy to Moriharu’s polite welcome.

While serving tea to the envoy, Moriharu got to the point.

“So, what brings you all the way here from Joseon? Have the bandits caused trouble again?”

“It’s still quiet. I came here under the order of His Majesty the King. Here is His Majesty’s personal letter.”

The envoy took out a scroll from his bosom and untied the knot. In front of Moriharu, who straightened his posture, the envoy read Sejong’s personal letter.

“The lord of the Waeguk (Japanese), Ouchi, listen…”

When the reading of the personal letter written by Sejong was over, Moriharu bowed deeply with courtesy.

“I am truly grateful for your interest. My family is even more grateful because its roots are in Baekje [ancient Korean kingdom].”

“Here is a gift from His Majesty to the lord.”

At the envoy’s gesture, an official from the Ministry of Rites behind him carried in a large wooden box wrapped in silk.

“What is this?”

“Do you know the Tripitaka Koreana of Haeinsa Temple [Buddhist temple in South Korea]?”

“I know it well.”

“It is a Buddhist scripture printed with that Tripitaka Koreana.”

“Oh!”

Moriharu untied the knot of the silk wrapping with trembling hands.

As the knot was untied, a lacquered and shiny wooden box revealed its appearance. On the lid of the box, there was a Buddhist statue carved in relief and covered with gold leaf.

Moriharu, who stroked the Buddhist statue with trembling hands, declared to the envoy.

“To give such a precious thing… Our Ouchi will fully cooperate with the affairs of Joseon in the future!”

A similar thing happened to the envoy who visited the Kyushu Commissioner.

Only Ashikaga Yoshimochi, the shogun of the Muromachi shogunate and called the King of Japan, showed a slightly disappointing reaction.

After that, fierce competition took place for the remaining 7 sets of the Tripitaka Koreana.

At the end of the competition, the 7 sets of the Tripitaka Koreana were sold for a huge sum of 500 kwan of silver (about 1.87 tons) per set.

It wasn’t just the Tripitaka Koreana.

Other Buddhist scriptures printed or copied from other temples were also sold for at least 200 nyang of silver per set.

“I know it’s a precious Buddhist scripture, but isn’t it too expensive?”

“Do you know that this is an ordinary Buddhist scripture? Do you know that there are only 36 temples recognized in our Joseon? The high monks there wrote each letter with a brush, carved the woodblock, and it came out! Just looking at it, you can feel the Buddhist spirit! Huh! It’s not ordinary!”

It was the premium brought about by the scarcity of ‘only 36 places’.

—–

(Note 1) Military Strategy in the Joseon Dynasty. Military History Compilation Research Institute, Ministry of National Defense.