There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 200

The Qinghaejin ships that reached Byeokrando began to unload trade goods.

Various spices, exotic artifacts, and even gold and silver received as payment were among them.

Above all, the enormous amount of saltpeter caught the court’s attention.

“Saltpeter, an enormous amount of saltpeter!”

It was worth sending ships all the way to distant Tianzhu [ancient Chinese name for India].

It was a real jackpot.

“The Jowa Kingdom’s cooperation was significant. Our trading post there collected and provided information on where saltpeter is found in Tianzhu.”

‘I’m glad I sent my uncle.’

He may lack tact, but he’s not incompetent, so he was a great help in developing trade routes.

“All the gunpowder we loaded was handed over to Jowa Kingdom.”

“Were there any problems with the quality?”

“Their king was very satisfied and requested that we send ships three times a year.”

I was worried that it might absorb moisture while crossing the sea, as it’s quite a distance, but it was worth processing it into granules.

“Three times a year, huh? They must be having a hard time at home too.”

We’re also gaining quite a bit of maritime experience by sending ships here and there, so it wouldn’t be impossible if we just increased the number of ships.

But they seem desperate to ask us first.

“The country is in turmoil due to rebellion, and Muslims are taking advantage of the situation to rise up. In Jowa Kingdom, they believe in the trinity of Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu, not Islam, so they are fighting each other.”

‘Is this also a religious war?’

Islam is, of course, Islam.

Joseon and Islam may seem unrelated, but there are people who believe in Islam in this country as well.

Some have been flowing in from the Yuan Dynasty since the Goryeo period, and aren’t the Ortog merchants I brought also fundamentally Muslims?

From the perspective of Confucian scholars, Buddhism, Islam, or any other religion are just heretical groups, so they don’t seem to care much.

‘As I recall, Indonesia was also an Islamic country.’

Then does this mean that the end result of this fight will be a victory for Islam?

‘Hmm······.’

A creeping suspicion arises that I might have grabbed a rotten rope [made a bad decision].

‘No, there’s no need to worry yet.’

I don’t know if they’ll last for hundreds of years before collapsing, or if they’ll naturally become Islamized over time, or if they’ll be completely destroyed soon and perish along with our trade ships, as I fear.

‘Is it best to give them strength in the current situation?’

No need to think too complicatedly. I should just sell them gunpowder as they want.

It would be good if Majapahit revived, but even if it doesn’t, I’ll still make money.

Anyway, that neighborhood must be tough.

‘A religious war, huh?’

I’m glad that’s a concept that has no connection to Joseon.

===

“Burn it more, more!”

“Drive out the shamans who confuse the people and disturb the world!”

The Seonangdang [village shrine] was burning, and the Confucian scholars gathered around it raised their fists and shouted.

When a country falls, the foundations that made up that country are easily denied.

Just as Neo-Confucianism was labeled as a deeply rooted evil when Joseon fell, Buddhism in this era was also labeled as a deeply rooted evil of Goryeo and became the target of suppression.

However, it had been a thousand years since Buddhism was introduced to the Korean Peninsula.

Because Buddhism had taken root for so long, even Yi Saek, one of the founders of Korean Neo-Confucianism, and Yi Seong-gye, who founded Joseon, were devout Buddhists, so it was difficult to replace it easily.

Thus, as Great Master Muhak carried out a Buddhist purification movement and worked to improve its constitution, it gradually began to breathe.

“The temples have already returned their land and servants, so how can vulgar scholars step in and seize the temples’ property?”

“You assaulted a monk who came to investigate the census? This is obstructing the work of the government, so we cannot let it go! Punish them severely with a clubbing!”

“It would be better to punish them with labor re-education rather than clubbing······.”

The government also had no choice but to be aware of the monks who assisted in administrative work, so they had to provide appropriate protection.

However, shamans were different.

Temples at least belong to a religious order, but shamans have no unified organization and each sits in their own village, performing rituals.

They had just lived so-so when they were suppressed along with Buddhism, but as protection for temples was strengthened, they became a concentrated target due to the balloon effect.

“The monks are at least less evil and take on some of the work in the villages, but these so-called sorcerers and shamans contribute nothing to the world and only extort money by worshiping miscellaneous gods, so how can we leave them alone?”

Even in the original history, scholars frequently burned temples, cut off the heads of Buddha statues, and assaulted monks.

This destructive instinct was directed entirely at shamans without backing.

Even if they were local magnates with official positions, it wouldn’t be much different.

“Let’s break down superstition!”

“Let’s learn, let’s teach!”

When you wear a 완장 (armband), you naturally gain power in your shoulders, and it is human psychology to want to wield that power.

This was also largely intended by the Crown Prince.

What better motivation to move people than pride and responsibility?

This armband psychology was effective in leading the development of the hometown, but it was also common for it to backfire.

“The country is going to build a big road, but you dare to oppose it? What’s so important about this sacred tree that you’re spreading false rumors?”

“This, this sacred tree has been providing shade to the villagers for a thousand years. There is a god in old trees, so you must not cut them down carelessly!”

“I have been directly ordered by His Highness the Crown Prince to break down the old customs of my hometown! You are blocking the town’s major project under the pretext of a mere ghost, so you are a reactionary who has been taught by His Highness the Crown Prince! What are you doing? Give this sorcerer a lesson!”

“Oh, if you look closely, this sacred tree is thick and good for using as timber.”

This level of conflict of opinion is common, and

“This knife looks good for cutting rice straw? I’ll have to put it out for the village.”

“That’s the knife I ride when I perform rituals! Is there any law in the world that says you can steal it just because it belongs to a lowly shaman!”

“Huh, steal? I’m just moving the location of the item to the village hall!”

“That’s right. Isn’t this the 아나바다 (flea market) spirit I learned in Yeouido [district in Seoul]? You should definitely put it out for the villagers.”

In many cases, they simply 털어대다 (shake off) [take things] without worrying about the aftermath.

===

“Why are you suddenly starting a Cultural Revolution?”

I sighed deeply as I received the report.

There may be no religious war, but there is religious oppression.

‘Why are you breaking down perfectly good Seonangdang shrines?’

They are cultural assets with historical and cultural value in their own right.

This should also be seen as a side effect of the New Village Movement.

There are cases where it is unavoidable for development, but it is too much to just smash it because you are bored.

“Why am I only finding out about this now? You go to and from the outside, so you should have heard enough of these stories.”

Nobun replied to my question.

“How can I tell His Highness about the stories of lowly shamans?”

“That’s my problem to judge.”

I think I know why leaders are always wary of 인의 장막 (a screen of people who filter information).

If the people below only show the information they want to show, the people above will have no choice but to go that way.

I was about to punch Nobun, but I stopped.

Of course, breaking down superstition was also necessary for the path I was going to take.

In addition, shamans basically have no doctrine and operate alone, so there is no management entity, and they often cause material and mental damage to others.

‘That means the proportion of charlatans is bound to be high.’

“If we just crack down on them like this and sweep away even the charlatans, it would be good, but we can’t do that, can we?”

Nobun nodded at my question.

“Even the scholars who throw stones in front call a shaman to perform a ritual when their child is sick.”

Not far away, just last year, a man named Shin Hyo-chang, the former Chongje (摠制) [military title], took his brother-in-law’s body out of the tomb and burned it to cure his father-in-law’s illness.

It was an act committed after listening to the shaman.

Like this, strange things keep happening, but in reality, under the pretext of urgency, they are not grasping the core and only increasing the side effects.

‘Originally, religion tends to seep into the shadows as it is suppressed.’

“It would be better to just 양성화 (bring it into the open) [legalize it]······.”

I muttered.

Wait a minute.

“Scholars also look for shamans when their children are sick?”

“Yes. If medicine doesn’t work, what else can you do but pray to the spirits?”

“Then the common people will be even more so? It will be difficult to find a doctor.”

“That’s right. If you offer a few 되 (a unit of measurement) [approximately 1.8 liters] of rice, they will write you a talisman.”

Surprisingly, shamans have a considerable amount of social trust, considering they are treated as charlatans, right?

‘Medicine······.’

I can use this.

===

There was only one way to sort out the charlatans mixed in among the shamans and prevent the disorderly suppression.

‘The reason why Buddhism is thriving now is because I sorted out the monks once, and Buddhism was united under Muhak.’

All those who opposed the ‘Buddhist Purification Movement’ were sent to the north or to the gulags.

The remaining people were given a background to unite even more.

Based on this organizational power, they were engaging in social work and administrative assistance to create their own shield.

As a result, even scholars could not easily ignore them.

‘This is possible because Buddhism is a proper religion.’

There may be distinctions between denominations, but since it already has a unified doctrine and system, it was able to revive after cutting out the cancerous tumors.

However, the biggest problem with shamanism was that it was impossible to even define what was heresy and what was charlatanism.

Because there is no orthodoxy to compare it to.

‘In the end, the problem is that there is no unified setting book [standardized doctrine].’

With that in mind, I opened my mouth.

“As Choi Chiwon said in the past, our country has its own mysterious Tao that encompasses the three teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.

However, evil people impersonate and arbitrarily use this beautiful Tao, and further deceive the people, which is a big problem.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“So I think we need to organize what is orthodox.”

If we call all the Taoists and shamans and unify the worldview, the rest will all be heretics, making it easier to manage.

‘I’m going to beat down all those who deviate from this.’

That’s what I thought.

Of course, that doctrine is something that I can insert according to my taste, right?

===

It was obvious that if Taoists and shamans were gathered in the capital, the court’s thunderbolts would fall that day, so Crown Prince Lee Je ordered them to be gathered in Gyeryongsan.

As always, the Crown Prince’s order was carried out somewhat forcefully.

“Hey, you sorcerer, come here!”

“There’s a Taoist in this village, right? Bring him here right now!”

“Why, why are you doing this?”

“Why are you doing this, you know better!”

As the oppression intensified day by day, they could not hide their fear as the soldiers were arresting them here and there.

They desperately hid themselves, but they could not overcome the administrative power of Joseon, which stretched to every corner of the countryside.

Those who were dragged to Gyeryongsan argued for a while about the reason for their arrest.

Around the time when the speculation that ‘the Crown Prince is trying to gather Taoists in Yeongsan Gyeryongsan and offer them as sacrifices to the sky’ was rising among the people who had been caught.

They, who were summoned under the pretext of ‘re-education,’ were able to see the large letters on the sign.

– Joseon Shaman Hygiene Guidance Guidelines

And below that were the following words:

– Rats and pests are animals with evil spirits, so beat them to death whenever you see them.

– Avoid contact with or ingestion of contaminants as much as possible.

– Bad energy easily gathers in the hands, so wash your hands frequently to avoid getting sick.

······

“What is all this?”

“What else is it?”

Then someone wearing a 망건 (a type of Korean headband) stepped forward and said.

“These are the things you will have to ‘prescribe’ to the people in the future.”

End