Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 459

459. Changing People Pt. 2 (4)

‘Clothing Reform.’

To be precise, it was about changing everything from hairstyles to fashion in a more efficient way.

This was a field where Hyang continued to challenge, but consistently faced bitter results.

The best example was when he tried to modify the topknot [traditional Korean men’s hairstyle] and wig, but had to give up instead.

“Damn it….”

When he had to give up like that, Hyang couldn’t contain his frustration and cursed.

However, Hyang never gave up and continued to look around for solutions. But, despite searching busily for solutions, the answer didn’t come easily.

“I can somehow argue about hygiene issues with the topknot, but there’s no answer for clothing….”

Hyang’s face was gloomy as he tapped the desk with his finger.

“No, is even the hygiene issue difficult….”

In the first attempt to eliminate the topknot with the ‘hygiene issue,’ Sejong [King Sejong the Great, a famous Joseon dynasty ruler] and the officials all answered in one voice.

“If hygiene is the problem, shouldn’t you just wash your hair more often?”

Thanks to this, a new type of business called ‘hair washing room (洗髮房)’ appeared, but it was not a perfect solution.

“Damn it….”

Hyang continued to curse, but unknowingly, the situation was changing.

The military was at the forefront of such changes.

* * *

The long-distance mobile patrol unit patrolling the Liaodong area and the navy sailing the open sea both faced the same problem.

‘Lack of clean water (淸水).’

This was a common problem that plagued both the long-distance mobile patrol unit and the navy.

At first, they didn’t think of it as a problem.

“Haven’t we gone a month or two without washing our hair? What problem could there be?”

That’s what they thought, but as that happened repeatedly, problems began to arise.

In particular, the navy, which couldn’t wash their hair for at least a month and a half once they set sail – simply put, until they arrived in Malacca – and had to pass through hot and humid areas, began to suffer from all sorts of skin diseases.

As this happened frequently, the doctors on board tried to find the cause and solution, and they found the answer.

“Hygiene is the problem!”

To solve this problem, those on board, regardless of their status, had to board with at least five sets of underwear and outerwear.

And, according to Hyang’s suggestion, they used distilled water obtained from the distiller installed on the ship to wash and cleanse themselves (洗身).

However, no matter how much water they obtained using the distiller, it was not a sufficient amount, so this alone could not be the answer.

Clothes could be solved somehow, but the topknotted hair was a hotbed for all kinds of pests.

“The topknot is the problem!”

The naval doctors concluded. And, Hyang was pushed back when he insisted on eliminating the topknot with these data and conclusions.

However, the poor conditions on board forced the naval commanders to make a decision.

“Let’s encourage cutting the topknot!”

They had to take the form of ‘encouragement’ to appease the soldiers, as well as the officers from the Sadaebu [scholar-officials in Joseon dynasty].

The same was true for the long-distance mobile patrol unit of the army and navy.

Even on land, it was not easy to find a clean river or spring.

Even if a river or spring looked clean on the outside, a slight mistake could lead to all sorts of waterborne infectious diseases, starting with stomach upset.

Therefore, even if they found clean water, they had to go through the cumbersome process of boiling it at least once.

Therefore, the clean water treated in that way was primarily used for drinking water, and cleaning the body always had to be pushed back.

In this situation, the long-distance patrol unit also had to suffer from skin diseases. Especially in the hot and humid summer, they suffered from skin diseases as well as pests that smelled and rushed in, and lice and fleas were swarming in helmets and hats.

In the end, the army and navy also recommended removing the topknot.

Of course, Sejong’s approval was required to implement this policy.

Sejong asked with a serious face to the military’s request that came up through Jo Mal-saeng.

“The topknot has been a tradition passed down from the old Joseon Dynasty, do we really have to get rid of it?”

Jo Mal-saeng and the Chief of Staff immediately answered Sejong’s question.

“The military in charge of national defense must do what it must do to properly perform its duties. Maintaining the combat power of soldiers is one of the things that must be done.”

Sejong had no choice but to approve the military’s answer.

“If you really have to do it, do it. But! Don’t do it by force, and keep your original intention and only encourage it.”

“We will definitely do so!”

That’s how the topknot began to disappear from the military.

* * *

The high-ranking officials of the military were worried about getting rid of the topknot, but the backlash from the officers and soldiers on the front lines was less than expected.

“Well. It’s better to cut my hair than to suffer from boils.”

“Hair grows again….”

“And… aren’t there one or two guys without topknots?”

The last word was the true heart of native Joseon people.

As Gyeongjang [period of reforms] progressed and Joseon’s territory expanded, indigenous people from other regions infiltrated Joseon society.

And, the military was the place where these foreigners settled the most.

Thanks to this, the Joseon army was full of people with all kinds of hairstyles.

Joseon people with topknots, Jurchen people with pigtails, as well as those with disheveled hair or those who shaved their heads completely.

In addition, the changed way of thinking of the Joseon army also played a part.

‘It’s not who you are that matters, it’s whether you do your part well or not!’

Based on this change in thinking, the topknot began to disappear little by little.

* * *

The change that started in the military soon began to spread to society.

“Hmm…. A man must have a topknot to be treated like an adult!”

In the beginning, these negative reactions were the main ones, but over time, changes continued little by little.

“It’s so easy to wash and dry!”

“It’s so easy to just scoop up well water and wash it off!”

Joseon men who realized the comfort of short hair began to cut their topknots one by one.

And reports related to this went straight to Geunjeongjeon [main hall in Gyeongbokgung Palace], and Sejong stroked his beard.

“‘Resistance to eliminating the topknot is decreasing.’….”

Sejong, who was checking the contents of the report, looked at the officials.

“Should I cut it once? What do you think?”

None of the officials answered Sejong’s question right away.

After a long silence, Hwang Hee stepped forward.

“I think it would be better to take some more time and look into it.”

“…Let’s do that.”

And, Hyang, who heard this story, muttered with an absurd expression.

“When I told you to do it, you resisted so much….”

The topknot was disappearing like this, but there were still many who insisted on the topknot until the end.

“I’m not a monk! Why should I cut my topknot!”

“Hey! I have the face of a Sadaebu!”

There were many who insisted on the topknot while adhering to traditional values, but there were also those who insisted on the topknot for unexpected reasons.

“I need a topknot to cover it!”

They were the ones suffering from hair loss.

* * *

And, this change in hairstyle brought about a change in the hair washing room.

Instead of simply washing hair and trimming the topknot, they also managed the hair that had been cut off from the topknot.

After trimming the hair that had been cut off from the topknot and disheveled, they created a new source of income by creating a hairstyle that suits them using fragrant oil or oil.

And, in this part, a competition of pride broke out among the hair washing rooms.

From the Samhan period [ancient Korean kingdoms], men in this land liked to be fashionable. Therefore, it was a common era for men to wear earrings of all shapes.

In such a situation, being able to break away from the topknot – of course, individuality was pursued with Donggot [a type of hat] or other decorations – and have their own hairstyle was very important to the fashionable people in the city.

Thanks to this, the store that had a rumor that ‘there is a skilled hairdresser’ was immediately crowded, and a competition of pride broke out.

* * *

The topknot was riding the winds of change like this, but there were still many things that remained immovable and made Hyang worry.

And, the most representative of these was women’s wigs.

From Queen Soheon at the top to the women of the common people below.

There were distinctions in the size and decorations attached, but there were no married women who did not wear wigs.

“I need to fix this….”

Hyang, who knew the problems of wigs, was worried about how to get rid of them, but the answer did not come easily.

“If I make a mistake, I’ll be in trouble for the rest of my life.”

Hyang vividly remembered the painful memory of having to beg the Crown Princess, Yangwon, and Yangje to become hands and feet because he had said something wrong in the past.

In the end, Hyang, who had been worried for a long time, went to Area 51 and called the artisans together.

“Those who are good at making accessories, come forward! In particular, artisans who know what women like, come out right now!”

At Hyang’s command, the artisans were slowly watching, and Pietro was the first to pop out.

‘Something fun is going to happen, I can’t miss it!’

As Pietro started the ball rolling, other artisans soon began to step forward one by one.

“…9. 10. Up to here! The rest, go in!”

Hyang, who had selected the artisans, dragged them to his office.

“Take a seat.”

Hyang, who gathered the artisans in the conference room attached to the office, brought up the main point.

“From now on, you will be working with me on a new project.”

“You said accessories?”

“That’s right. It’s about making accessories. The goal of this accessory is big.”

At Hyang’s words, the artisans swallowed dry saliva and fixed their eyes on Hyang.

Hyang, who gathered the artisans’ attention, brought up the main point.

“The purpose of this accessory is to replace the wig.”

As soon as Hyang’s words fell, the artisans shouted at the same time.

“It’s impossible!”

“Wigs are something that women can’t take off even if they want to!”

“Women will never stand still!”

The artisans shouted that it was impossible, but Hyang’s expression was firm.

“It will be difficult enough to be considered impossible, but it must be accomplished. There is no more dangerous and troublesome thing than a wig. You all know that, don’t you?”

“….”

The artisans closed their mouths at Hyang’s question.

As artisans who had made accessories for the queen and concubines, they knew very well what a wig was.

‘It’s a good thing to catch people [referring to the weight and instability of wigs].’

In the end, the artisans, who realized that Hyang’s will was firm, asked Hyang with an unavoidable expression.

“Then, what kind of accessory does Your Highness have in mind?”

Hyang answered immediately to the artisans’ question.

“Cheopji [Korean hairpin] and Jokduri [Korean coronet].”

The artisans who heard the items Hyang had chosen closed their mouths and pondered the possibilities.

‘You need a Cheopji to wear a Jokduri.’

‘There may be cases where you only wear Cheopji, maybe?’

‘To properly use Cheopji, you need Cheopji hair, and then you need hair (頭髮, other people’s hair), which is the same as a wig…. Ah! The amount is much smaller!’

‘If you make Cheopji look good, it’s good for fashion.’

‘Jokduri…. If you think of a flower crown (花冠), it might be okay….’

The artisans, who had been pondering the possibilities in silence for a long time, made their own decisions and opened their mouths.

“It looks promising.”

“It might work if we do it well.”

Hyang’s face brightened at the artisans’ words.