Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 190

190. Teacher (2)

As I’ve said before, Area 51 and the research lab consumed an enormous amount of paper. The sheer volume used for reports, proposals, and research records was significant, and the cost of purchasing it all was substantial.

“Damn it! We’re going to blow our entire budget on paper!”

Sensing a crisis, Hyang mobilized artisans to create a papermaking machine that used ground wood to make pulp.

Unlike traditional Hanji [Korean paper made from mulberry bark], which used a limited amount of mulberry bark, paper made from pulp using trees cut from the mountains around Hanseong [old name for Seoul] was much cheaper.

“Well… the quality isn’t the best…”

Hyang muttered, regret evident in his voice, as he held the paper. While it was fine for writing documents with brushes or gold pens, the yellowish paper inevitably looked cheap.

“I could bleach it, but what about environmental pollution? I don’t know about that…”

However, the cost-effectiveness of the yellowish paper was far superior to traditional Hanji, so government offices began using it for non-critical documents.

Thanks to this, as I mentioned before, the common people started calling the yellowish paper ‘Bad Luck Paper’.

* * *

Hyang, tasked with producing textbooks for ‘Samin Academy’ [a new educational institution], was facing another challenge.

“I can make the paper somehow… but the problem is printing…”

Printing hundreds of thousands of textbooks was proving difficult.

“I don’t want to just throw manpower at it. Isn’t there a smarter way?”

Hyang spent days racking his brains, while also tasking the artisans in the research lab and Area 51.

“Research a way to print textbooks in the shortest time possible!”

Following the Crown Prince’s order, the researchers and artisans also put their minds to work.

While many pondered, it was Jang Yeong-sil [a famous Joseon-era inventor and scientist] who found the answer.

“Your Highness! Don’t we need to change the type for each textbook?”

“Is that so?”

In response to Hyang’s question, Jang Yeong-sil spread out a drawing he had brought on the table.

“We engrave pictures and letters on a large cylinder and then roll it over the paper!”

Hyang, Jeong Cho, and Jeong In-ji, who saw Jang Yeong-sil’s drawing, exclaimed simultaneously.

“That’s it!”

It was primitive, but it was a printing press and a printing method suitable for mass production. Jang Yeong-sil had created it.

* * *

Based on Jang Yeong-sil’s drawings, the researchers and artisans at the research lab began producing prototypes.

– The manufacturing method uses casting for ease of production.

– For ease of transportation and management, the cylinder with letters engraved on it is cut vertically, cast, and then assembled.

According to this plan, the researchers at the research lab adjusted the size of the type and the book. Jeong Cho was particularly enthusiastic during this process.

“You know what the most important part is, right?”

“Yes! The letters must not overlap the boundary line where the two parts meet!”

Jeong Cho nodded, satisfied with the researchers’ answers, but he repeatedly emphasized,

“Listen carefully! This is a textbook that will lead our Joseon [Korean dynasty] in the future! You must make it with all your heart!”

“Yes!”

Jeong Cho, hearing the researchers’ answers, left his seat, satisfied, to attend to other tasks.

The researchers, who politely saw Jeong Cho off, returned to their seats and whispered.

“Why is that guy so nervous?”

“What were you doing when you were learning Mencius [a famous Chinese philosopher]? Don’t you know what’s written in ‘Mencius Jin Simpyeon’ [a chapter in the book of Mencius]?”

The person who asked the first question became embarrassed at his colleague’s nagging.

The famous ‘Gunja Samrak’ [the three joys of a gentleman] was recorded in ‘Mencius Jin Simpyeon’.

-The first joy is that both parents are alive and brothers are innocent.

-The second joy is that you are not ashamed to look up at the sky and not ashamed to look down at the people.

-The third joy is to obtain and teach the talented people of the world.

The story of ‘Gunja Samrak’ spread in connection with Samin Academy. Hyang muttered to himself after hearing this story.

“Come to think of it, it reminds me of my Korean language teacher when I was in high school.”

* * *

When Hyang was a high school student in the 21st century, his school mainly scheduled Korean, English, and Math in the morning.

The reasoning was that core subjects should be taught when the mind is clear.

However, there were times when classes were scheduled after lunch.

When afternoon classes started, many students would doze off, unable to overcome their post-lunch drowsiness.

The Korean language teacher in charge of Hyang’s second-year class clicked his tongue every time he saw this.

“There is an old saying, ‘Gunja Samae (the three sorrows of a gentleman),’ and one of them is ‘to obtain and teach the dullards of the world’… You bastards! Wake up!”

It wasn’t until Hyang was in his third year of high school that he realized that ‘Gunja Samae’ was a word that ridiculed ‘Gunja Samrak’.

“I thought it was real!”

* * *

As the testing of the prototype and printing process was repeated, the optimal form was gradually created.

Of course, working with steel was difficult, so most of the experiments had to be done with cylinders made by connecting wooden boards.

“It’s a success!”

“Then let’s do it with steel!”

“Yes!”

On the day of the first prototype experiment made by casting steel, Hyang even attended.

Cheeeeik!

As the steam engine connected to the roller with the letters engraved on it moved with a loud noise, the large cylinder slowly began to rotate and suck in the paper.

As the cylinder continued to rotate, papers with letters and pictures printed on them began to pour out in a row.

“Stop!”

“Stop!”

Cheeeeik!

As the steam engine and printing press stopped, Hyang, Jeong Cho, researchers, and artisans examined the printed paper.

“It seems to be printed properly.”

“Yes! It’s printed properly!”

When Hyang and Jeong Cho judged it a success, the researchers and artisans shouted and clapped their hands.

“Woah!”

“It’s a success!”

Clap clap clap!

As the shouts and applause subsided, Hyang spoke.

“Then let’s make it, properly setting the typesetting. Keep in mind that both sides of the paper must be printed, and the order must not be wrong.”

“Yes, Your Highness the Crown Prince!”

The artisans and researchers, in high spirits, answered in a loud voice.

After achieving such a successful result, Hyang asked Jeong Cho.

“It’s a new device and printing method, so what should we name it?”

“Hmm…”

Jeong Cho, stroking his beard and pondering, soon answered with a bright face, as if he had thought of a suitable name.

“A large wheel turns and prints letters, so how about ‘Yoonjeon (輪轉)’ [meaning ‘rotating wheel’]? Since it’s a printing press, let’s call it a Yoonjeongi.”

“That’s good.”

‘Wait… is the actual rotary press like this? Ah, whatever!’

Hyang pondered for a moment and then made a decision.

* * *

“The textbook went well, but…”

After solving the textbook problem, Hyang tackled the next one.

“If there are textbooks, there must also be notebooks… Especially if you want to study Sanhak [mathematics], you have to solve formulas… But…”

Hyang stopped talking for a moment and sighed, troubled.

“Hoo~. Paper is the problem. If we make notebooks out of paper, almost all the mountains in Joseon will become bare. The guy who insisted on afforestation is making bare mountains? I’ll have nothing to say even if I get cursed out.”

Hyang’s argument was strong, as Joseon had traditionally focused on forest management, but this was limited to pine trees.

Therefore, Hyang advocated for systematic management, including not only pine trees but also fruit trees.

King Sejong and his ministers, finding Hyang’s argument reasonable, established a ‘Reforestation Department’ in the Ministry of Public Works and began to actively manage it.

While thinking about trees, Hyang strayed off the path again.

“The forest must be lush to reduce the damage from drought… Wait? Come to think of it, the percentage of Cheonsudap (rain-fed rice paddies) in Joseon is surprisingly low right now?”

Hyang’s consciousness was already flowing to the problem of Cheonsudap.

As Hyang said, Joseon had surprisingly few Cheonsudap at this time. Actually, the percentage of Cheonsudap was quite high initially, but due to continuous water management projects carried out under King Sejong’s direction, the waterways were expanded, and most rice paddies on the plains were no longer rain-fed.

Therefore, the Cheonsudap that Hyang pointed out were the rice paddies made by reclaiming mountain slopes, often seen on the Korean Peninsula in the 21st century. Even in the 21st century, such rice paddies couldn’t be properly farmed without a powerful water pump.

However, there weren’t many such Cheonsudap at this time.

Hyang laughed as he thought about the reason.

“Tigers are helpful in times like this.”

The mountains of Joseon at this time were full of wild animals such as tigers, bears, leopards, and wolves. Thanks to this, unless it was a situation of being eaten by wild animals or starving to death, reclaiming such terrain rarely occurred.

“To need food to the point where we have to reclaim that much, the population of this land must be over 30 million. We have only just passed 5 million, so it’s still a long way off, and we are still improving the varieties and diligently developing the north, so there is no need to worry… If that doesn’t work, we can develop the North American continent… To do that, we need to build steamships… The improvement of the steam engine… The shape of the propeller is first in the form of a paddle steamer?”

Hyang, wandering aimlessly along the stream of consciousness, suddenly hit his forehead.

“Oops! I went too far!”

Hyang, realizing he had strayed off the path, hurriedly returned to his original place.

“Therefore, notebooks are impossible right now… Then…”

Hyang pondered for a moment and came to a conclusion.

“The answer is a blackboard. Anyway, teachers also needed large blackboards for Sanhak classes, and we can make small personal blackboards instead of notebooks and distribute them.”

Hyang, concluding that blackboards were the only answer, laughed.

“Pfft! Does that mean homework checks are off the table for the time being?”

* * *

The manufacture of the blackboard itself was simple, so a prototype could be completed quickly. In addition, chalk was made using the limestone that was mined in large quantities for cement production.

“This looks very useful!”

King Sejong was greatly impressed when he saw the blackboard and chalk prototypes. The ministers reacted similarly.

“It seems useful not only when teaching children but also when conducting meetings!”

“It’s not just meetings. It seems good for carrying out work!”

With the enthusiastic support of the ministers, the mass production of blackboards and chalk was decided.

Once again, the world’s first objects that deviated from existing history were created.

* * *

As the ministers said, the work of the court became a little easier as blackboards were distributed. Large and small blackboards were hung at the entrances of the Six Ministries’ government buildings, in the conference rooms, and in the rooms where officials of each level worked.

The names of those on leave today and the reasons for their leave were recorded at the entrance of the government building, and officials had heated debates in the conference room, writing on the blackboard. And the blackboard in the office stated who was doing what, so easier management was carried out.

These blackboards were soon favored by the merchants of the market, who wrote the products they handled and their prices on the blackboards hung at the entrance of the store so that customers could easily check them.

As blackboards spread like this, the communal restaurants installed in the government offices and palaces of the Six Ministries also began to use blackboards. They wrote the daily menu and hung it in front of the restaurant.

Thanks to this, various comedies also took place.

One day, in an office of the Ministry of Public Works.

“Hey, Song Chambong [a low-ranking official title].”

“Yes. Oh Section Chief.”

“Did you see what’s for lunch at the communal restaurant today?”

“Rice with seasoned five-color vegetables and tofu miso soup.”

Oh Section Chief frowned at Song Chambong’s answer.

“Damn it! I’ll have to eat out for lunch again today! Did the cook get dumped by his wife or something? Why are all the side dishes vegetables?”

Go Section Chief, who was next to him, joked at Oh Section Chief’s complaint.

“Then why don’t you go to the Gyeongbokgung [main royal palace] restaurant?”

Oh Section Chief shouted at Go Section Chief’s joke.

“Are you trying to watch me die from indigestion while eating!”

The Gyeongbokgung communal restaurant was a place where King Sejong and ministers of the Dangsang [high-ranking officials] level or higher ate.

Thanks to King Sejong’s taste, meat was always included in the restaurant, and in principle, any official could go there to eat. However, none of the officials below the Dangsang level went all the way there to eat.