Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 184

184. Sammin Academy (2)

On the day Sejong approved the plan, all officials from the Ministry of Rites left work on time.

Some gathered in small groups to head to the *gibang* [a type of Korean traditional entertainment establishment] to celebrate leaving work on time, but most officials went straight home.

“Oh, dear husband. What brings you home so early today?”

At his wife’s words, the official replied with a tired face, “The project I’ve been working on has passed its first hurdle, so I was able to come home early. I’ll be busy again starting tomorrow, so I wanted to come home early today.”

“Is that so? Then, dinner…”

“I already ate at the restaurant. I’m going to bed first.”

The wife sighed deeply as her husband disappeared straight into the study.

“Hoo~. We’re still newlyweds…. Why am I playing the role of a young widow when I’m not even one….”

The wife looked towards the study with a dissatisfied expression.

* * *

Not long after their wedding, her husband passed the civil service examination. The news of his passing was met with great joy from both sets of parents, who considered it a double blessing.

However, the blessings seemed to end there. Her husband, who started his official life as a government official in the capital rather than a local official, became increasingly difficult to see.

It was common for him to leave early in the morning and come home late at night, and he often stayed out overnight.

Even when he came home on holidays, he spent most of his time sleeping.

At first, she suspected that he was spending time with *gisaengs* [female entertainers] at the *gibang*, or even having an affair, but after learning that it was due to the enormous amount of work, the wife didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

To make matters worse, her in-laws and even her own parents started mentioning children more and more frequently.

Eventually, the wife complained to her mother about the current situation.

“…Even though I have a husband, I’m living like a young widow! What should I do!”

At her daughter’s words, the mother also wore a troubled expression. Her husband was also involved in officialdom, and he too had been suffering from overwork for several years.

“Perhaps some tonic…”

“Don’t even mention it! He has a fit just hearing the word tonic! What should I do!”

At her daughter’s words, the mother closed her mouth. Her husband also turned pale at the mere mention of ‘tonic’.

In the end, all the women from both families gathered and put their heads together, but since both the wife’s and husband’s families were involved in official life, they felt a sense of camaraderie and were looking for answers to the same problem.

Eventually, they visited a Lady of the First Rank whom they were acquainted with and complained. The Lady of the First Rank sighed deeply after listening to their complaints.

“Are your husbands the only ones like that? My husband is similar…. Hoo~.”

“Then is there no solution?”

The Lady of the First Rank shook her head at the question.

“Force them to take tonic no matter what. That’s the best option. Close your eyes and force them to eat it, and make sure to share a bed with them on holidays. Morning or night, and dress a little lighter.”

“Wouldn’t that be a bit indecent?”

The wives wore embarrassed expressions at the Lady of the First Rank’s words, but the Lady of the First Rank’s expression was serious.

“Then are you going to cut off the family line?”

The wives’ faces became serious at the Lady of the First Rank’s words. The Lady of the First Rank pointed out the reality.

“Don’t forget that even if you feed them tonic like you’re feeding a cow, their energy is being taken away by state affairs. All that’s left is a war of attrition.”

“Ah….”

Thanks to this, the medical clinics in Hanseong [old name for Seoul] were always booming after the *Gyeongjang* [a period of political reform] started. And the merchants who supplied medicinal ingredients to the medical clinics actively started cultivating medicinal herbs to meet the demand.

And the officials, the final destination of those tonics, complained to their colleagues.

“My wife keeps brewing tonics for me these days, but no matter how I look at it, it doesn’t seem like she’s giving me tonics for my own good….”

“You too?”

“Now I’m scared of holidays….”

* * *

In any case, since Sejong’s approval had been given, the officials of the Ministry of Rites moved busily.

They needed to check the condition of the *hyanggyo* [local Confucian schools] that had been vacant, especially the *hyanggyo* in the Samnam region, and to request cooperation from the Ministry of Public Works to find suitable locations for the new academies to be built. Requests for cooperation were made to the Ministry of Public Works.

The officials of the Ministry of Rites couldn’t hide their envy as they watched the officials of the Ministry of Public Works leaving on business trips.

“We should be the ones going….”

While moving busily to solve the location problem, the Ministry of Rites focused on the curriculum.

“First of all, there is no disagreement that the Thousand Character Classic will be taught first, but what about the problem of the textbooks for *sanhak* (mathematics)?”

At the question of the Minister of Rites, the Vice Minister answered immediately.

“Yes, it is currently under final review at the research institute.”

At the Vice Minister’s answer, the Minister of Rites frowned slightly.

“At the research institute? Isn’t that where only *sanhak* monsters gather? I hope it’s not too difficult?”

“They are well aware that it is for children to learn, so they assured me not to worry, but….”

The Vice Minister answered the Minister of Rites’ concern, but he trailed off, as if he himself was not confident.

* * *

The Hyang’s Research Institute, which opened at the start of the *Gyeongjang*, was showing remarkable growth as the *Gyeongjang* progressed.

In particular, the *sanhak* section showed the greatest achievement.

In the early Joseon Dynasty, those who applied for miscellaneous exams (*雜科*) had to take a *sanhak* exam. Therefore, many people studied *sanhak* using the Sangmyeong Sanbeop, Yanghwi Sanbeop, and Sanhakgyemong, which came from China.

If Sangmyeong Sanbeop was a book that taught the most basic mathematical concepts based on the four arithmetic operations, Yanghwi Sanbeop and Sanhakgyemong were of a high level. In particular, Sanhakgyemong was so advanced that it even included higher-order equations.

However, many of the *sanhak* books brought in from China had problems. A significant number of the books brought in only recorded problems and answers, and there was no explanation of the solution process.

Therefore, many people studying *sanhak* had to research the solution process themselves. It was only natural that its development was sluggish.

However, as Hyang created the research institute and started activities in earnest, the level of *sanhak* in Joseon improved explosively.

First, he introduced Arabic numerals, which he named Cheonchuksu, and actively recruited those skilled in *sanhak* among the Muslims residing in Joseon. In addition, he translated mathematical books from the Roman Empire, which were introduced from the West through envoys to Ming, and distributed them to the officials of the research institute.

Thanks to this, Hyang’s Latin skills became expert level as a bonus.

And, by gradually adding the mathematical knowledge that he had basically learned in the 21st century, the *sanhak* skills of the research institute’s officials soared.

“It sounds like self-praise, but…. There are probably no people in all countries at this time who have better math skills than the researchers at the research institute.”

Hyang’s self-praise was by no means an exaggeration.

This was because Hyang had sprinkled the strongest MSG on the researchers at the research institute.

The MSG that Hyang sprinkled was the symbols that symbolized the four arithmetic operations. By replacing what had been written in letters, regardless of East or West, with simple symbols, the skills of the researchers grew explosively.

Hyang pulled the history that began in 1489 when the German Widmann first used the + and – symbols nearly 60 years earlier.

Thanks to the MSG that Hyang added, researchers with good skills, such as Yi Sun-ji, were able to solve up to 10th-degree equations. In particular, Yi Sun-ji was researching even the concept of calculus, although at a rudimentary level.

“This is truly a good thing! Spare no support!”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Hyang, who received a report on Yi Sun-ji through Jeong Cho, liked it on the outside, but was crying on the inside.

‘Calculus! How much did I suffer because of calculus and probability and statistics!’

The 5th grade civil service exam that Hyang took in the 21st century, especially the finance position, required economics as a compulsory subject, and accounting and business administration were included in the elective subjects. All of them were subjects that required calculus as well as probability and statistics.

* * *

Since the *sanhak* skills of the research institute’s researchers were unparalleled, the Minister of Rites was worried when he heard that they were in charge of the *sanhak* textbook.

However, this was close to the Minister of Rites’ worry.

It was because Hyang was there.

Hyang immediately rejected the *sanhak* textbook produced by the researchers who received the order.

“Are you going to teach a child who can’t even crawl to run? Make it again! Very easy!”

“Yes.”

Jeong Cho, who was rejected by Hyang and stepped back, looked back at Jeong In-ji.

“Isn’t this easy enough?”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

While the two were grumbling, Hyang was complaining in his own way.

“It’s like the frog doesn’t remember when it was a tadpole…. Are you going to create a situation where you teach the theory of relativity to kids who are just learning numbers?”

After rejecting it three more times, Hyang participated in the production of the textbook himself.

Recalling what he had learned in elementary school, Hyang greatly revised the contents of the textbook.

Of course, he added MSG as well. The MSG added to the textbook was the multiplication table.

“…And let’s also teach how to use the abacus when learning *sanhak*.”

“Yes.”

The *sanhak* textbook created in this way satisfied not only the Minister of Rites but also Sejong.

* * *

However, the Minister of Rites also had to be rejected by Sejong for the textbook problem.

The textbook that the Minister of Rites was rejected for was about conduct.

When planning the Sammin Academy for the first time, Sejong hinted.

“How about educating them on proper behavior and life from a young age?”

The ministers who heard Sejong’s suggestion welcomed it with both hands.

“That is truly the right thing to say!”

“I cannot help but admire Your Majesty’s insight!”

For them, who were Confucian scholars, educating the people was something that had to be done, so there was no reason to oppose it.

However, in the initially planned curriculum, this part was not a requirement but a liberal arts course. In other words, it was decided that it would be taught through exhortation (訓話) rather than spending a certain amount of time learning.

Sejong was slightly dissatisfied with this, but he did not oppose it.

It was because of the problem of manpower supply.

However, in the 10th year of Sejong, an incident occurred that shook the world. A man named Kim Hwa, who lived in Jinju, murdered his own father.

Enraged by this, Sejong executed Kim Hwa.

“This is because of my lack of virtue!”

When Byeon Gye-ryang suggested creating and distributing the Hyohaengrok to Sejong, who was blaming himself, Sejong accepted it.

However, when the Giyu Rebellion occurred in the following year, Giyu year, Sejong ordered that teaching loyalty and filial piety at the Sammin Academy be included as a formal subject.

“Teach and learn about loyalty and filial piety properly so that this kind of thing never happens again!”

“I will obey your command!”

In this way, the Minister of Rites created a textbook based on the Hyohaengrok.

Sejong immediately rejected the first textbook he received.

“What use is a book full of letters to children who don’t even know how to read? Make it again!”

In this way, the Minister of Rites had to produce the textbook again. The Minister of Rites, who was worried, immediately sought advice from Hyang. Hyang immediately answered the Minister of Rites’ request.

“When I taught my younger siblings in the past, I found that they learned easily when I included pictures. Please include pictures related to the content.”

“Ah! Such a number!”

The Minister of Rites, who created a draft of the textbook that had been greatly revised through Hyang’s advice, immediately submitted it to Sejong.

And he was rejected again.

“Didn’t we have filial sons, loyal subjects, and virtuous women in our *Haedong* [ancient name for Korea]? Why are there only Chinese figures?”

“My thoughts were short! Please forgive my sins!”

“Make it properly one more time.”

In this way, after three challenges

The textbook was created.

The birth of the Samgang Haengsildo (三綱行實圖) [Illustrated Guide to the Three Bonds].