370. Stagnation – Stillness in Motion (4)
Coal was one of the resources they discovered during their investigation.
Prospectors were sent to Daeseol Island to assess the potential for economically viable sulfur springs or mines, in addition to Hell Valley.
The prospectors, accompanied by a sizable escort for protection against wild animals and potentially hostile Ainu tribes, began a thorough search of Daeseol Island.
During this search, a coal seam was discovered near a location known as Otaorunai (Otaru) in the Ainu language.
‘The quality is excellent, and coal mining is easier here compared to Gangwon Province,’ the report stated.
Upon receiving this report, Sejong immediately convened his ministers to discuss the matter.
“We need more and more coal for iron production and various industries. Coal is also widely used for heating by the people, so I believe developing this mine is the right course of action.”
With the ministers in agreement on development, Sejong ordered the mine’s exploitation.
Consequently, many miners began to journey across the sea to Daeseol Island. While working in the mines was often associated with those who had committed serious crimes and were sentenced to hard labor, the wages paid to properly employed miners were quite attractive, drawing a considerable number of people to Daeseol Island.
Before long, a significant number of Ainu people also began working in the mines. They could earn a steady income, which was preferable to the risks of hunting or the low yields of agriculture. Furthermore, the wages were the same as those paid to the Joseon workers, allowing the miners’ families to live more prosperously than other Ainu people.
This led to a gradual improvement in relations between the Ainu and Joseon people.
The Ainu and Joseon people observed each other with curiosity.
In time, the Joseon people formed an opinion of the Ainu people:
“They are naive and kind, but not particularly interesting.”
Conversely, the Ainu people’s assessment of the Joseon people was similar to Haku Makku’s:
“They are very interesting people.”
The Joseon people were indeed fascinating to the Ainu.
They worked diligently, but when it was time to relax, they played with unrestrained enthusiasm. They were very polite when necessary, but among close friends, they could be almost rudely familiar.
The Joseon soldiers were the same. They typically lived peacefully, but when Japanese pirates invaded or hostile Ainu tribes attacked, they fought with terrifying ferocity.
Each time the iron club, seemingly imbued with the power of Kandakoro Kamui’s (God of the Sky’s) thunderbolt, struck, it spat fire, and the enemies’ blood flowed like a river.
The Joseon soldiers, wielding these fearsome iron clubs and wearing grim expressions, relentlessly pursued their enemies until they were either dead or had surrendered.
The Ainu people who witnessed the Joseon people’s actions all reached a similar conclusion:
“They are just like bears.”
The Joseon people were like bears, appearing calm and docile most of the time, but transforming into fearsome reapers when provoked.
Adding to this perception was the Joseon people’s voracious appetite and their intense love for meat.
“They eat like bears, too.”
* * *
A sales office manager, upon hearing this story from an Ainu friend, burst out laughing.
“Hahaha! That sounds about right! Maybe they are bears. They do have the blood of Ungnyeo (熊女) [Bear Woman from Korean mythology]!”
“Ungnyeo?”
The sales office manager proceeded to explain the Dangun myth [the founding myth of Korea] to the Ainu.
The Ainu nodded after hearing the story.
“That sounds very plausible, doesn’t it?”
Just then, a loud bell rang from the watchtower of Hoijuk Fortress, which surrounded the village.
Ding ding ding!
“It’s up~!” [Meaning a bear has been spotted]
At the sentinel’s cry from the watchtower, the soldiers guarding the gate grabbed their long guns and rushed outside.
Shortly after.
Bang! Tatang! Bang!
Loud gunshots echoed. Soon, a large cart emerged.
Before long, the carcass of a massive bear was brought into the village on the cart. Soldiers, long guns slung over their shoulders, walked alongside the bear’s body, grinning. The bear was so large that only its torso fit on the cart, with its head and legs dangling over the edges.
* * *
The most common and dangerous animal on Daeseol Island was the bear. Therefore, since arriving on Daeseol Island, the Joseon soldiers had hunted a significant number of bears.
As the number of bears caught quickly approached one hundred, Sejong issued a royal decree.
-Hunting bears is prohibited, except for bears that come down to the villages!
For the Joseon people, harmony extended beyond just human relationships. Wild animals and plants were also part of that harmony, exemplified by the practice of leaving persimmons at the top of persimmon trees as ‘magpie rice’ [food for the birds].
Therefore, the policy regarding wild animals was to avoid hunting them unless they ventured into villages and caused damage. However, if they did cause harm, the soldiers would pursue and hunt them relentlessly.
This gave rise to the saying, ‘In Joseon, tigers hunt people for half the year, and people hunt tigers for the other half.’
Of course, Sejong issued this decree not only out of concern for indiscriminate hunting but also to prevent the soldiers from neglecting their defensive duties by becoming too engrossed in hunting.
In any case, due to the royal decree, an unspoken rule emerged: when a bear appeared, the soldiers guarding the village entrance would handle it.
And, if money was earned in this way, it was also an unspoken rule to give a reward to the soldiers who spotted the bear from the watchtower.
* * *
“Wow! Look at the size!”
“If it’s that big, the bear bile must be huge, right?”
“Is it just the bear bile? Bears and tigers are valuable from their skin to their claws!”
“Those guys will make a fortune!”
The Joseon people and soldiers watching from around the cart looked at the fortunate hunters with envy.
The Ainu man, observing the bear’s carcass and the Joseon soldiers moving the cart, turned to the sales office manager.
“You said they are descendants of bears?”
* * *
Lastly, the research institute, where Hunminjeongeum [Korean alphabet] was being developed, also faced its own set of challenges.
The research institute was the most international place in Joseon.
With Joseon researchers working alongside individuals from Arabia, Italy, and Greece, language barriers naturally arose.
While communication with the Arabs wasn’t a major issue, as many, like Hassan, had lived in Joseon for a long time, the researchers from Italy and Greece, who had recently arrived, presented a challenge.
“First, learn the Joseon language and Chinese characters.”
Following Hyang’s instructions, they began learning the Joseon language and Chinese characters. However, mastering a foreign language so different in every aspect, including grammar, proved difficult.
Therefore, Hyang had to compromise to lower the initial barriers.
“Learn only the minimum etiquette necessary for conversation. And, for the characters… do your best.”
Thanks to Hyang’s adjustments, the monks and alchemists were able to begin working on projects like Apjeonbeop [a method of calculation], focusing on essential etiquette and omitting formalities related to titles.
However, Chinese characters, crucial for writing documents, couldn’t be treated so lightly. The number of advanced Chinese characters used in papers and reports, beyond simple letters, was significant. Even the Arabs, familiar with the Joseon language and Chinese characters, struggled with this aspect.
Consequently, despite the arrival of monks and alchemists, progress was slow.
Discussions on mathematical issues could proceed using formulas and basic conversation. However, in-depth discussions required well-organized thoughts and properly expressed ideas in written papers.
For this reason, Hyang initially had to translate papers written in Latin.
“Damn it! I have so much to do, and now I have to keep translating!”
Annoyed, Hyang enlisted the help of newly trained translators.
However, the translations produced by these translators, who lacked a deep understanding of mathematics, were riddled with errors.
This led to a common saying among the Joseon people in the research institute and Area 51:
“Will they learn the Joseon language and Chinese characters faster? Or will we learn Latin faster?”
In this situation, Hunminjeongeum appeared.
* * *
The Joseon researchers who encountered Hunminjeongeum through Hyang and Jinpyeong rejoiced!
“Now we can avoid the trouble of searching through dictionaries!”
Even for those proficient in writing, finding the correct Chinese characters and writing them out was a challenge. Hunminjeongeum, which allowed them to record familiar words as they were spoken, was the perfect tool to prevent unnecessary mental strain.
The monks and alchemists also welcomed Hunminjeongeum. They were already familiar with phonetic alphabets. While the arrangement of words in sentences differed, they quickly adapted. Being able to record the Joseon language, with which they were already somewhat familiar, and being able to read and immediately understand documents written by others was a significant advantage.
As both sides became more comfortable with Hunminjeongeum, the workload of the translators gradually decreased. Eventually, the translators were able to leave the research institute.
On the day they received the order, ‘You don’t have to come to the research institute anymore,’ the translators celebrated with a group outing to a gibang [traditional Korean house of entertainment].
As a postscript, the translators trained in this way became very active in Alexandria and Europe.
And, they became notorious old-timers.
“Hey! Back in my day! I had to translate mathematical papers! Don’t complain about just a contract!”
In this way, peace seemed to settle over the research institute and Area 51, but soon, a major incident occurred, splitting the entire research institute into two warring factions.
* * *
The root of the conflict was ‘time difference’.
Accurately measuring a ship’s position was crucial during voyages to Alexandria. Various measuring devices were needed, but the most important was a reliable clock.
Knowing this, Hyang tasked Jang Yeong-sil with developing a precision clock – a chronometer – powered by a mainspring. The clocks used in Joseon at the time relied on weights and pendulums, which were prone to errors due to the ship’s movements. Hence, the need for a mainspring clock.
In the history before Hyang’s intervention, Jang Yeong-sil, possessing extensive knowledge of precision technology, as demonstrated by his creation of the Jagyeongnu [water-powered clock] that announced the time with dolls striking drums and bells, and the self-propelled Anyeo (安輿, a palanquin for the king) – powered by a mainspring – was able to create a clock to Hyang’s specifications with the help of his skilled craftsmen.
These precision clocks were then installed on Challenger-class and Haeung-class battleships.
And it was in the navigation logs of the Challenger-class battleships, equipped with these clocks and embarking on ocean voyages, that the time difference problem was first officially documented.
Hyang, after reviewing the navigation logs and confirming the time difference, smiled mischievously.
“Shall we set the stage? There are many other things to order, but if we don’t address this properly, we might face problems crossing the Pacific in the future. We need to shift the focus from religion to science.”
Having made up his mind, Hyang gathered the researchers and initiated the project.
“Looking at the records of voyages to Alexandria, there is a recurring observation: ‘The time indicated by the ship’s clock differs from the local time.'”
“Are you referring to the time difference?” Jeong Cho asked.
Hyang nodded.
“Yes. My analysis suggests that by dividing the route from Joseon to Alexandria into appropriate intervals, we can calculate the time difference.”
Jeong Cho, after a moment of contemplation, nodded and responded.
“I believe that’s possible.”
That’s how the research began.
And, as Hyang had intended, a battleground was created.
‘Earth Sphere Theory vs. Flat Earth Theory’
‘Heliocentric Theory vs. Geocentric Theory’
The war had begun.
“Popcorn, I need popcorn!”
* * *
Note 1) Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. ‘Ungnyeo’
http://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Contents/Item/E0040541