Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 350
Episode 350 Let’s make a play board! (4)
“It may be a good idea, but the land of Joseon is larger than you think. Ssireum and bull fighting can be held on their own in towns where entertainment venues are installed, but the common people cannot. Even if we register all the talented people from all over Joseon to perform, there will be quite a few areas where the schedule is empty. “Isn’t it impossible to hold wrestling competitions and bull fights every time that happens?”
Maeng Sa-seong, who was quietly listening to Hyang, pointed out problems that could arise.
Hyang immediately nodded at Maeng Sa-seong’s point.
“Of course there is such a problem. So, I plan to mobilize gisaeng as an alternative.”
“Are you talking about gisaeng?”
“Yes, it will mainly be gisaeng (official ladies), but among them, we will select gisaeng who are excellent at singing and dancing and have them perform.”
While explaining, Hyang flipped through the paper.
The next page showed a bird’s eye view of the wooden stage installed in the amphitheater.
“The floor of the amphitheater is made of sand. Therefore, when there is a performance by a troupe of talented people or a performance by gisaeng, we set up a wooden stage like this and have them perform.”
Maeng Sa-seong, who was listening to Hyang’s explanation, pointed out a problem.
“As expected, it is a good method, but courtesans’ pride is sky-high and their temperament is famous for being fierce. There is even a saying that goes, ‘No one leaves credit in a gisaeng house.’ People who pursue profit are gisaengs. “Are you sure you’ll agree to the performance?”
“Of course it’s not free. Anyone who wants to see a performance must pay for a ticket. All you have to do is pay the gisaeng a fee for their trouble at an appropriate rate from the admission fee secured in that way. And when it comes to pride, you have to compete.”
Sejong’s eyes lit up at Hyang’s words.
“Competition? Are you saying the gisaengs also want to compete?”
“yes.”
“how?”
“As I said at the beginning, the area where this general entertainment center can be installed is in the lower limit of the county. Then, officials from nearby prefectures are divided into groups and made to perform. After some time, the superiority and inferiority among the gisaeng will be decided. Then, the gisaeng will hone their skills out of pride, and the people will not miss the opportunity to see more and more excellent skills. And if we officially hold a competition to compete in these skills, more people will flock.”
Kim Jeom intervened in Hyang’s explanation.
“It’s a national competition… Considering all the competitions, I think the expenses will be quite a bit.”
“Of course, the expenses will be quite a bit, but it may be less than expected.”
“how?”
“The courtesan who wins the national competition is entitled to perform at court and royal events.”
“aha!”
King Sejong and the ministers all exclaimed in exclamation at Hyang’s words.
There were many various events held by the royal family and government. There were many ancestral rites that had to be kept solemn, such as the ancestral rites held at the Temple of Literature or the ancestral rites held at Jongmyo Shrine, but there were also many events that had to be overflowing with excitement, such as the birthday party of the king and queen. And courtesans were mobilized to add excitement to these events.
In general, gisaengs from Hanseong were mainly recruited, but there were many cases where famous gisaengs from other provinces were brought in. And being called like this not only increased the pride of the gisaeng herself, but also the pride of the residents of the area.
“Hey guys .. hey guys! You have no scent! Who is Maehyang? She is a woman of great beauty who can dance in front of the king! “Such rude things!”
The ministers began to nod their heads at Hyang’s explanation. Seeing that, the scent began to harden.
“If only the performers are mobilized, the number is limited, so there may be cases where the same performance has to be performed over and over again. If that happens, people may get bored easily and not visit entertainment venues. So, we plan to widen the door to these types of competitions and performances.”
“Wide the door?”
“Yes, I plan to allow Gagi (family wives) to appear as well. To expand further, fraud is possible, but it is very difficult to distinguish fraud from prostitution. “We are thinking about ways to do this.”
“Hmm….”
Hearing Hyang’s explanation, King Sejong and the ministers predicted the possibility.
* * *
Going was a pretty good move even for King Sejong and his ministers. Gagi was the practice of selecting beautiful female servants from high-ranking noble families and training them in dancing and singing. They were responsible for creating excitement at events such as family feasts. In addition, when influential figures from outside came, he created excitement at a banquet to welcome guests and was even in charge of the reception.
Because it is presented not only to members of the family but also to outsiders, the family that holds Gagi puts a lot of effort into selecting and nurturing Gagi.
In history before Hyang intervened, it was rumored that during the reign of King Munjong, Jeongbal had his female servant learn singing and dancing, and that her talent was superior to that of courtesans. Even during the reign of King Seongjong, Hong Yun-seong and An Bin-se taught the flute and harp to their servants. (Note 1)
Of course, there was the problem that she was a gisaeng and not an official courtesan, but since she was also a commoner, there seemed to be no particular problem.
However, Sejong pointed out another problem.
“The people who are formidable in terms of pride are prestigious noblemen. Will they easily put their best performances on stage?”
“Would they give up the opportunity to show off their skills in front of Abama? And those who place high in the national competition will be given the opportunity to perform on a national tour. “Everyone in the country will know your family’s name, and you’ll make a lot of money along the way, right?”
“Hmm….”
“Of course, there is a very high possibility that the problem of exploitation will arise. Therefore, the high-ranking officials and top performers draw up a contract regarding the distribution of performance profits created by the government, and all profits are transacted only through the battlefield.”
“Hmm…”
Sejong thought Hyang’s explanation was plausible, but he still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was lacking.
“But no matter how much you tour the country, will it make a lot of money?”
Hyang immediately answered King Sejong’s question.
“There is a saying that goes around the author, ‘Row when the water rises.’ Of course, we need to generate additional revenue.”
“Additional income?”
“While performing, we make and sell portraits and dolls of the most famous gisaeng and gisaeng. They produce and sell portraits and dolls drawn by painters from Dohwawon and renowned private painters. Of course, we must not forget to sell limited editions or original editions drawn by artists at high prices rather than mass-producing them through printing.”
“Can a portrait or a doll make money?”
Ijik, who had been quietly listening to Sejong’s question, opened his mouth.
“It seems like it would be worth the money. “If you listen to the rumors going around, it is said that there are many men who admire famous gisaengs and want to get a portrait of them and keep it.”
“I’d rather get married…”
Ijik replied with a bitter smile to Sejong’s words that came out without him even realizing it.
“If you lack wealth, it becomes difficult to form a marital relationship.”
Even during this time, marriage was an expensive affair. Of course, it was common to start a household with a bowl of cold water, but to make it formal, a lot of money was spent.
Sejong, who had been appreciating Lee Jik’s explanation, asked Hyang again.
“But you said you were selling a limited edition. Will the limited edition make money?”
In response to Sejong’s question, Hyang nodded firmly.
“It’s possible! For example, have you forgotten the example of Tripitaka Koreana, which was sold to Japanese lords?”
“aha!”
‘According to my experience of being faithful to virtue for a while, I definitely do it!’
* * *
“If your name is known throughout Joseon, there will be families that will respond favorably.”
“Wouldn’t there be more families who would protest against lowering their status?”
“If you’re going to judge grades like that, you shouldn’t raise noblemen!”
King Sejong and the ministers, who had been listening to Hyang’s explanation and predicting possibilities, were slowly coming to a consensus on accepting Hyang’s proposal.
Hyang, who was watching the scene from the side, muttered to herself.
‘Isn’t this how an agency is created? Hey~. ‘Isn’t this creating a historic agency with over 500 years of history?’
Hyang’s imagination was wandering off to the side as he was afraid that someone might be a student of Teacher Samcheonpo.
* * *
One day hundreds of years later.
A girl with a pretty face was very excited and looked for her mother.
“mom! mom! “I got a scouting offer!”
Upon hearing her daughter’s words, the girl’s mother, who was in the kitchen, immediately approached the girl. My mother’s face was full of anticipation.
“okay? “Where?”
“HH Enter!”
“HH Enter? “Where is it?”
“Hansung Hong’s entertainment! “I heard it has a history of over 150 years?”
The mother muttered in a disappointed voice at the girl’s words.
“Only 150 years? If my daughter is good-looking, she should go to an agency that has been around for 3 to 400 years, like PY (Papyeong Yoon) Planning or KC (Gyeongju Choi) Planning….” “
Mom! Do you know how fierce the competition is in places like that? And 150 years of history is no small feat! Do you know how many agencies there are that are only about 50 years old?”
* * *
“Crown?”
“Yes Abama!”
Hyang, who had been daydreaming in Samcheonpo, suddenly came to her senses and returned to reality when King Sejong called her.
“Where are you suddenly preoccupied?”
“sorry. I was a little tired after staying up all night planning this…”
“Don’t be confident about your health just because you’re young, take care of it. “I will call the doctor.”
“I am devastated.”
After such a simple conversation, King Sejong asked a serious question.
“What is the purpose of the pavilion at the entertainment complex we saw earlier?”
Hyang immediately answered King Sejong’s question.
“That pavilion is a place that attracts people addicted to gambling.”
Hyang turned over the paper.
After flipping through a few pages, a piece of paper appeared with a bird’s eye view of the pavilion and a brief description written on it.
“As you can see…”
According to Hyang’s explanation, the structure and purpose of the pavilion were as follows.
-The pavilion must be made of at least three stories.
-On the first floor, the lowest floor, performances by celebrities and gisaeng are held during rainy weather or winter.
-The second floor is a general gambling hall where golpae and Ssangryuk are played. The entire second floor is divided into about 10 spaces, and Ssangryuk or Golpae gambling is conducted in each space.
– Those who can climb the second floor are limited to adult men and women.
-Because men and women are separated, a certain space on the second floor is designated as a space for women.
-The cards and dice used for gambling are strictly those provided by the gambling house. If anyone uses unauthorized dice or goal cards, their identity will be recorded and they will be kicked out as soon as they are discovered. If it is repeated four times, it is immediately reported to the government office and charged with illegal gambling.
-The money you can bet on the gambling table can only be used in gambling halls.
– Anyone who wants to participate in gambling must exchange their money at the currency exchange booth located at the entrance of the gambling hall.
-The amount that can be exchanged is differentiated depending on status. Sangmin can receive up to 50 won in copper coins at a time and can exchange money three times a day. Noblemen can exchange up to 10 nyang of silver at a time, and can exchange money five times a day.
-When exchanging real money for real money, a fee of 1000 pennies is deducted, and when exchanging real money back for real money, 100 pennies is deducted as a fee. However, there is no fee for copper coins worth 5 won or less.
“The purpose of collecting this fee and limiting the number of times is not only to earn profit through currency exchange, but also to prevent excessive involvement and waste of wealth.”
“It’s okay. Then what is the third floor?”
“This is a place for those who play baduk and chess.”
“Hoo?”
King Sejong and the ministers’ eyes sparkled at the idea of creating a separate space for baduk and janggi at the highest place.
Although it degenerated into gambling, Baduk was a game that only literate people learned.
* * *
Note 1) The actual situation of married women during the Joseon Dynasty. Jeong Yeon-sik (Professor, Department of History, Seoul Women’s University). Journal of National History, Vol. 107. National History Compilation Committee. 2005.08.10.