Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 402
Episode 402: Higher education institutions. (4)
A scholarship project was carried out by the upper management to attract those who entered the engineering academy.
* * *
Joseon’s educational institutions that were created as the war progressed started with the most basic educational institution, Socialist School, and were rising in rank to middle schools and various academies.
All children enrolled in the Social Democratic School received free education.
This was Sejong’s decision.
“It is right that among the people living in Joseon, all people except slaves should have a minimum level of education and knowledge of duty. That is why we created the Social Democratic Institute, so it is not right to receive tuition from the Social Democratic Institute.”
In this way, tuition at the Social Democratic School was completely free, and children attending the school were provided with one free meal.
However, starting from middle school, you had to pay tuition.
“This is a choice made by the people in order to learn more advanced knowledge, so it is right for them to pay tuition. “This is not simply to make money through teaching, but to learn responsibility for one’s choices.”
King Sejong wanted the people to learn ‘responsibility for their choices’ early on.
Therefore, students who entered middle school had to pay tuition of 2 silver coins for each semester that lasted for half a year.
Hyang was secretly worried about Sejong’s decision.
“In the past, I just learned at home, but wouldn’t it be repulsive to pay money to get an education?”
However, this was a misunderstanding that arose due to a lack of accurate knowledge of the scent’s origins.
* * *
Looking from afar, private educational institutions such as Goguryeo’s Gyeongdang (扃堂) have continued to exist.
This tradition was even recorded in the ‘Goryeo Dogyeong’ written by Seogeung of the Song Dynasty as follows.
– On the street where the women’s houses are located, police officers and scribes face each other two or three times, and here the children of the people gather in groups to learn the scriptures from the teacher. When they grow up a little, they choose like-minded friends and go to the temple to learn writing. . And from below, even children with nosebleeds learn from Hyang Teachers (Note 1).
For this reason, even in the early Joseon Dynasty, a Seodang was located in every neighborhood.
A private school or Dokseo-dang run by clan families or powerful aristocrats by inviting retired scholars or disadvantaged scholars who have fallen from the past is a
separate academic institution among the families of influential families in the region. Donggye Seodang (洞契書堂), where the children of the family and clan were educated while running a school.
Or, a self-employed Seodang established by the scholar himself to make a living and do pastimes.
In addition to these representative Seodangs, there were many other types of Seodang. In the latter half of the Joseon Dynasty, it was transformed into a basis for maintaining the power of the local noble class.
However, through King Sejong’s gyeongjang, the Seodang (Seodang), which was controlled by local noblemen, was replaced by socialist schools and middle school schools, and the Seodang disappeared
. The influence of the central government, instead of the Minister of Power, began to act more strongly.
* * *
However, Hyang, who could not erase his worries, had no
choice but to make a suggestion to King Sejong. “There are people who have the passion and talent to learn, but are unable to achieve their goals due to poor finances.” “It is possible. We need to take measures for them.”
“Hmm…”
“If they don’t achieve their wishes, where will
that resentment go?” Sejong, who understood the meaning of Hyang’s question, immediately nodded.
“ That must be so. If we look back on the records up to now, there were quite a few people who read the scriptures all night and achieved Hyeongseoljigong (螢雪之功). I forgot about that for a moment.” In
that way, King Sejong created a scholarship law.
-The students whose grades are in the top 20% Among these, those whose family income is in the lower 30% will have their tuition deducted from the government.
-Those who fall under this category must submit a copy of the government’s family register record and a copy of the tax payment record to the school.
In this way, Joseon officially established a scholarship system. The ministers who were organizing
the operation status of the scholarship system soon reported positive results to King Sejong.
“Those who have benefited from the scholarship system are more actively promoting national affairs and actively supporting the government’s events.”
Nara It was natural to be loyal to the king, but the size of the royalist faction, which was more active, was
growing
. I used it quickly.
He approached those who were talented but poor or not wealthy by offering tuition.
If the policy had been to simply provide tuition, there would not have been much difference from the government’s policy, but the merchants’ scholarship was slightly different.
It was broader than the qualifications required by the government, and not only supported tuition, but also supported living expenses while living as a graduate student.
The merchants who supported tuition and living expenses demanded the following conditions from graduate students.
-Maintain your grades while attending academy.
-After completing the academy, you must work at a top company for at least 10 years.
After the 10-year contract period, they were given the option to remain at the top and continue working or become independent and start their own business.
The top companies that put forward these conditions also had their own calculations.
“You will have reached a significant position in about 10 years, but are you going to put that down and move on? “Is that possible?”
Amid this competition between government and private sector, the following rumors circulated among those who tried out for various academies.
‘Once you enter the academy, your life path changes.’
* * *
Most of the educational institutions created through Gyeongjang were related to economics and technical practice, such as industrial academies, engineering academies, medical academies, and military academies.
As a result, appeals flocked to King Sejong.
– In order for a person to live like a human being, he must follow the words of an old sage and live in accordance with the doctrine, and it is the basis of learning to figure out what this doctrine is!
But look at the educational institutions being created now!
If you look at the educational institutions being created today, they are all teaching science for profit!
This is not right!
We must create an educational institution that studies the sage’s doctrine!
Complaints full of such content were posted, but King Sejong just snorted.
“joy! What is duty? Didn’t the words of the sage, the Buddha, or the Christ of the West all say the same thing? Is it different from what Hwanwoong said, ‘Hongik Ingan (弘益人間)’? And wasn’t that kind of duty already taught and learned in the Social Democratic Institute? But do we need to study morality? What did these guys who were looking for the right way and only thinking about the right way do? “Isn’t it a rebellion?”
King Sejong’s chilling words made not only the ministers but also the officers break into a cold sweat.
Hyang, who heard those words from below, muttered to herself.
‘That damn rebellion caused a lot of trauma. By the way… If you look at his history before I intervened, he was a fairly moderate person, but he is showing such a strong reaction… Is this also the butterfly effect?’
At that moment, the scent followed the stream of consciousness and fell into Samcheonpo.
‘Wait a minute, listening to Abamama’s words reminds me of the title of the book? ‘I learned everything I needed in kindergarten, right?’
“However, their opinion is not completely wrong.”
Despite seeing King Sejong’s cynical reaction, Hwang Hee came up with something to counter him.
Sejong, whose expression became fierce at Hwang Hee’s remarks, forced his anger to calm down and asked Hwang Hee.
“not without reason?”
It was a short question filled with threats like, ‘If you don’t like it even a little, I will destroy it!’, but Hwang Hee did not back down.
“Of course, you can learn and practice the minimum principles just by learning at the Social Democratic Institute. But this is the minimum. Your Majesty, please compare the situation before you started and now. It has changed to the point where it is appropriate to say that things have changed. So much has changed over the past 10 years, but how much will it change in the future? In order to establish correct doctrine in such a changing world, it is absolutely necessary to think about doctrine. We must study the principles, establish the correct principles, and refine the law according to those principles. Additionally, please think about the barbarians living in Joseon today. “In order to educate people with different lifestyles and habits, we must establish proper principles.”
“Hmm…”
Hearing Hwang Hee’s words, King Sejong let go of his anger and began to think seriously.
“The Prime Minister is not wrong. Certainly, the world is changing faster and faster, but if we do not properly establish principles, it will become outdated and be treated as obsolete, and ultimately it will become a world of immorality. Hmm….”
Sejong, who was thinking about Hwang Hee’s words, looked back at the scent. As Sejong looked at her with bored eyes, Hyang suddenly began to sweat.
‘Why me? What am I? why? why?’
Hyang fell into a state of panic because of Sejong suddenly looking at her.
“Now that I think about it, the Crown Prince said that?”
“Soja?”
“okay. I heard you did that to the monks in the western region? ‘God’s words may be inerrant, but can we be confident that the words written down are also inerrant?’ “That was a very cool comment.”
Hyang responded to Sejong’s words by bowing her head.
“It was just the childish words of a child.”
‘Where on earth is the line leaking?’
Hyang, who grumbled at the fact that even Sejong knew what he had said, soon gave up.
‘shit! There are too many leaks!’
There were too many places to point out, not only the officials present but also the internal officers.
“It’s not wrong, so there’s no need to make excuses like that. Those were really good words.”
King Sejong, who evaluated Hyang’s words favorably, looked back at the ministers.
“There are many people in Joseon who need to hear that. Isn’t that right?”
“There are some people who have narrow opinions.”
In response to Hwang Hee, King Sejong revealed his true feelings.
“As far as I know. Didn’t you copy it again after the Bunseogangyu? Are you confident that there was not a single error in a single sentence or letter while transcribing it like that, discussing it, transcribing what was discussed, and interpreting what you transcribed back into Korean?”
At Sejong’s remarks, the inside of Daejeon froze coldly.
King Sejong’s statement was a shocking statement that shook the foundation of Neo-Confucianism, the national policy of Joseon.
Not only the ministers but also the Hyang were shocked by King Sejong’s remarks and their faces turned white.
‘and! and! and! Abama, you have crossed the line very strongly! If it were in the late Joseon Dynasty, this statement would have caused an uproar as it was said to be serpentine!’
Seeing the faces of the ministers turning white, King Sejong continued speaking.
“Even if what the Master said was not wrong, wouldn’t there have been a single error when those words were turned into sentences and translated into a book, and when the book came to our community and discussed in words? “What do you think, Prime Minister?”
Hwang Hee, who was pointed out, answered by choosing words as carefully as possible.
“Of course, how can there be no error? However, since there are many outstanding scholars in Haedong, such errors are very rare.”
“I guess so… Hmm….”
As King Sejong began to think again, his words slurred, the ministers swallowed their saliva and only looked at King Sejong.
* * *
Note 1) Encyclopedia of Korean National Culture. Seodang items.
http://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Contents/Item/E0027680