Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 180

180. The End of the Great Plan (5)

As tenant farmers migrated from across Joseon to the Samnam region, they naturally interacted with the local government offices, garrisons, and provincial offices.

Each time these tenant farmers and their families stayed even a single day before moving on, the respective government offices, garrisons, and provincial offices promptly sent reports to their superiors. These collected reports eventually reached the Ministry of Personnel in Hanseong [present-day Seoul], where they were categorized and organized.

The organized reports were submitted to Sejong daily. After reviewing them, Sejong addressed his ministers.

“It seems to be progressing smoothly.”

“Indeed, Your Majesty.”

“Until when do you anticipate the movement of tenant farmers will continue?”

Heo Jo answered Sejong’s question immediately.

“We expect it to continue until early March.”

“In that case, will there be sufficient farmland for them to return to?”

Kim Jeom responded without delay.

“At the current rate, it will be fully occupied by the end of February.”

“Hmm…”

At Kim Jeom’s response, Sejong consulted the calendar.

“The end of February is not far off. Then, implement the Third Plan immediately, and prepare for the execution of the Fourth Plan without missing the opportune moment.”

“We shall obey Your Majesty’s command!”

As the ministers bowed their heads, Sejong reiterated his instructions.

“The success of this plan will only be complete when the Fourth Plan is successfully concluded. Keep this firmly in mind and dedicate yourselves wholeheartedly.”

“We shall engrave it in our hearts and execute it faithfully!”

The ministers replied in unison.

* * *

As the great migration of tenant farmers progressed, a question began to circulate among them throughout the country.

‘Why do we have to give half of our harvest to the landlord?’

Doubt about the ‘Byeongjak Bansu’ (Half-Crop System), which had been an unwritten rule until then, began to spread among many tenant farmers. [Byeongjak Bansu was a common practice where landlords and tenants split the harvest equally.]

* * *

The traditional Byeongjak Bansu had been practiced since the Goryeo Dynasty [918-1392 CE].

At the end of the farming year, when the harvest was collected, the landlord and tenant farmer would divide the harvested grain in half. Under the rice farming system, where irrigation was limited and production was often unpredictable, it was a reasonably fair system.

However, as time passed, several problems began to emerge.

In the event of a famine, the rent was reduced or even waived, but only when production decreased by more than 70% compared to a normal year. In simple terms, rent would only be reduced when they were truly on the brink of starvation.

In addition, there was the issue of by-products generated after the harvest. The most important of these was rice straw. Rice straw was essential in various aspects of farmers’ lives, such as roofing, making rope, and weaving mats. However, if the landlord provided the seeds, they would often take all of the rice straw as well.

Another problem was the issue of taxes.

Originally, tenant farmers were exempt from taxes. However, taxes were levied under various pretexts. In the northern regions, landlords usually bore this burden, but in the southern regions, the country’s breadbasket, tenant farmers often had to bear it.

Finally, there was the excessive interference of landlords.

From the tenant farmers’ perspective, the Byeongjak Bansu was advantageous in famine years but disadvantageous in years of abundance. From the landlords’ perspective, tenant farmers sometimes became lazy or secretly pilfered crops due to the fixed distribution rate.

Therefore, landlords directly intervened or appointed stewards to manage and supervise the tenant farmers. However, this management and supervision were often so harsh that complaints among the tenant farmers were incessant. (Note 1)

* * *

The background for these gradually accumulating grievances to surface was Sejong’s water management projects.

Through the water management projects undertaken as Sejong began his direct rule, droughts and floods decreased. The annual harvest consistently maintained average levels, and the number of years with abundant harvests gradually increased, causing these grievances to surface.

The greatest driving force behind bringing these complaints to the surface was the enormous scale of land confiscated by the state through the Gi-yu Rebellion [a political purge].

Nearly 60% of the farmland in the Samnam region had been transferred to the court, and the fact that those who cultivated that land only had to pay 30% of the harvest was a significant incentive to the tenant farmers.

“No! How can it make sense that someone only has to pay 30% if they are just across the ditch, while someone else has to pay 50%!”

Landlords who had not participated in the treason were breathing a sigh of relief at having survived, but a contradictory situation arose where tenant farmers were expressing their dissatisfaction.

And another factor stimulated the tenant farmers: the development of commerce and industry.

– I heard that if you participate in road construction, you get a fixed monthly salary! And I heard that if you manage that salary well, it’s better than tenant farming!

– I heard that even if you go to the city and work as a day laborer, you can earn as much as you would tenant farming!

– I heard that the country is soon going to build schools where anyone can send their children to learn, as long as they are not slaves!

As these rumors spread, tenant farmers began to contemplate migration.

* * *

This was the ‘Third Plan’ that Sejong had ordered to his ministers.

-Until now, too many people have been tied to agriculture alone. To solve this problem, we encourage the migration of tenant farmers.

To ensure the success of this ‘Third Plan,’ people sent by the court were secretly spreading rumors.

Eventually, many tenant farmers began to make decisions.

A small farming village near Anseong, Gyeonggi Province.

“Dear! Let’s talk!”

At his wife’s words, Gap-seong sat back down on the wooden porch.

“What’s the matter?”

“Let’s move.”

At his wife’s words, Gap-seong wore a dumbfounded expression.

“What nonsense are you spouting when we’re eating warm meals?”

“It’s not nonsense. I heard a rumor that the merchants in Suwon are planning to create a large herb farm. They say they’re going to sell herbs to the Ming [Chinese] and Wa [Japanese] countries.”

Gap-seong realized that his wife’s words were not unfounded, and his face became serious.

“And?”

“The size of that herb farm is so vast that they’re looking for people to manage it. They also give a monthly salary. Two silver nyang [currency unit]!”

At his wife’s words, curiosity disappeared from Gap-seong’s face.

“If the conditions are that good, people nearby would have already snatched it up.”

“That’s not the case. The condition that the merchants want is to find people who have experience growing herbs.”

“Really?”

Gap-seong’s expression changed again at his wife’s words.

Gap-seong’s wife sensed the change in her husband’s mood and put strength into her voice.

“That’s why we need to move quickly! Where else can we get two silver nyang every month? Even if we work our butts off as tenant farmers now, we barely survive the year after harvesting, paying rent, and paying taxes, right? And we have to sell all the white rice and replace it with mixed grains.”

“That’s true…”

Gap-seong nodded at his wife’s words.

“Isn’t it thanks to the herbs you grow in the garden in the back that we’re able to hold out a little longer? So, let’s take charge of the herb farm instead!”

“It sounds good, but…”

Gap-seong was tempted by his wife’s words, but he was also afraid. Seeing her husband hesitate, Gap-seong’s wife mentioned their children.

“This spring, we should send Gap-sik and Byeong-sik to school! We can’t let our children become tenant farmers like us!”

“That’s true.”

Gap-seong nodded as his wife mentioned their children.

* * *

At the time, there were quite a few people besides the Sadaebu (Scholar-officials) [the ruling class] who knew Chinese characters well.

They were not in a situation where they could perfectly read and write Chinese characters like the Sadaebu, but still, quite a few people had some knowledge of Chinese characters.

The most numerous among these were merchants. If they did not know how to write characters in the process of writing contracts, creating ledgers, and creating bills to trade, the work would not be completed at all.

And next were the doctors. Knowledge of Chinese characters was essential to properly read medical books written in Chinese characters.

Next were artisans, especially those connected to the government. In order to make the objects requested by the court, garrisons, naval bases, and government offices in a timely manner, they had to be able to read the official documents that came down.

The situation of the remaining farmers and fishermen was a bit unique. There were quite a few who could read, but very few who could write.

The reason for this was the proclamations posted in the government offices. Most of the proclamations posted by the government were closely related to their lives, so quite a few farmers could read the Thousand Character Classic [a primer for learning Chinese characters] in a disjointed manner.

Of course, when a proclamation was posted, they could ask a nobleman nearby to read it aloud. However, they had to feel considerable humiliation each time. Some noblemen read it with pleasure, but many noblemen read it aloud with a sneering expression.

Because of such grievances, even lower-class farmers had considerable enthusiasm for educating their children. Of course, they could not even dream of it during the famines that were common in the early Joseon period, but as they became able to make a living, their enthusiasm for education began to increase again.

And as the rumors about ‘Samin Hakdang’ (Schools for Commoners) [private schools] that the court was subtly spreading gradually spread, the skirts of women with children began to flutter.

* * *

When his wife mentioned their children, Gap-seong pondered seriously.

To Gap-seong and his wife, their two sons were like treasures. Originally, they had three brothers, Gap, Eul, and Byeong, but they lost one in the midst of famine and successive epidemics.

After much deliberation, Gap-seong finally made a decision.

“What merchant in Suwon did you say it was?”

“They said it was the Daejin Merchant Group in Suwon.”

“Suwon is about 50 li (approximately 20 km) from here…. Honey! Pack some rice balls! I can be back in two days! And bring some coins!”

“Yes!”

At Gap-seong’s words, his wife ran excitedly to the kitchen.

* * *

Landlords also reacted to these movements of tenant farmers.

“Hey, Man-sik! What are you doing when it’s almost planting season!”

A dispute between a nobleman and a farmer was taking place in a farming village in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.

At the question of the nobleman, who appeared to be a landlord, the farmer replied in a blunt tone.

“Can’t you see? I’m packing my things!”

The nobleman, seemingly frustrated by the sight of the farmer loading large and small household goods and bundles of clothes onto a large cart, beat his chest and raised his voice again.

“So, why are you packing your things!”

“I’m packing to move!”

“Move? Where to?”

“I’m going to Suwon! I’m moving because a merchant workshop is being built there and they’re hiring people!”

“Hey! Who will farm the land if you leave?”

“Why should I care? What’s the point of farming when half of it just flies away?”

“Still, we’ve had a relationship all this time! How can you leave without saying a word like this!”

“Relationship? You’re talking about relationships! Because of that relationship! My wife has been dragged to work as a kitchen maid every day for banquets and ancestral rites, and I have to chop and carry firewood, and when the eldest master goes fishing, I have to stop working and go to the stream to net…. Is that all a relationship? Yes!”

“No, that’s…”

The landlord wore a flustered expression at Man-sik’s words. The landlord kept few slaves and frequently used tenant farmers instead. Of course, he knew that the tenant farmers had great dissatisfaction, but the landlord was confident.

“What can those guys do even if they’re dissatisfied! What will they do if they don’t farm my land!”

The landlord had always said that to the neighboring landlords.

“Heave-ho!”

As Man-sik, who had his young children on the cart, grabbed the handle of the cart and tried to leave, the landlord hurriedly blocked Man-sik’s path.

“I understand, I understand! I’ll only take 30%, will that do!”

“Hmph! No thanks!”

As Man-sik refused, the landlord became anxious. Almost half of the tenant farmers had already left. In addition, Man-sik was someone who many of the surrounding tenant farmers followed. It was obvious that there would be almost no tenant farmers left if even Man-sik left.

Eventually, the landlord offered another condition.

“30%! And I’ll pay every time I call your wife for work!”

“How much will you pay?”

“I’ll give you 50 won [currency unit] each time I call! How about that?”

“100 won!”

“100 won is too much, I’ll give you 60 won!”

Man-sik pondered for a moment at the landlord’s words and nodded.

“Okay. Let’s go to the sales agency and write a contract!”

“Do we have to write a contract?”

At those words, Man-sik replied briefly.

“We have to follow the country’s law!”

* * *

Similar things happened all over the country, and eventually, most landlords lowered the rent to 30% and offered various additional conditions.

All of these changes were written into contracts, and reports regarding this were sent to Hanseong.

Sejong, who had examined the reports, smiled and looked at his ministers.

“It seems that the Third Plan has been roughly successful.”

“That is correct, Your Majesty.”

“Then execute the Fourth Plan!”

“We shall obey Your Majesty’s command!”

* * *

Note 1) Encyclopedia of Korean Culture http://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Contents/Item/E0058714