Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 180

Chapter 180

Throughout Joseon, numerous tenant farmers began migrating to the Samnam region, becoming dependent on various local government offices, military barracks, and provincial offices.

As these tenant farmers and their families stayed for a day before departing, the respective government offices, barracks, and provincial offices promptly reported to their higher authorities. These reports were eventually collected and organized at the Ijo office in Hanyang.

The organized reports were submitted daily to King Sejong. After reviewing the reports, King Sejong looked around at his ministers.

Things are progressing smoothly.

Indeed, Your Majesty.

How long do you expect the migration of the tenant farmers to continue?

Heo Jo immediately responded to King Sejongs question.

It is expected to continue until the early part of March.

Then, will there be enough farmland for them to return to?

Kim Jeom promptly answered King Sejongs query.

If the current trend continues, we will run out by the end of February.

Hmm

Upon hearing Kim Jeoms response, King Sejong glanced at the calendar.

The end of February is not far off. Then, we must immediately implement the third plan and also prepare for the fourth plan without any delay.

Your command will be obeyed!

As the ministers bowed, King Sejong reiterated his instructions.

The success of this strategy depends on the safe completion of the fourth plan. Bear this in mind and devote your utmost sincerity.

We shall heed and execute Your Majestys command!

The ministers responded in unison.

* * *

As the mass migration of tenant farmers progressed, a question began to circulate among them nationwide.

Why do we have to give half of our crop rent to the landlords?

This question marked the beginning of doubts about the long-unchallenged practice of Byeongjak Bansu (sharing half the harvest with the landlord) among many tenant farmers.

***

The traditional practice of Byeongjak Bansu, where the harvested crops were split equally between the landlord and tenant farmer, dates back to the Goryeo Dynasty.

At the end of each farming year, during the harvest, the crops were divided equally between landlords and tenant farmers. This system was somewhat rational under a rice farming system with irregular yields due to inadequate irrigation facilities.

However, over time, various problems began to emerge.

In years of poor harvest, the rent might be reduced or even waived, but this only happened if the yield decreased by more than 70% compared to an average year. In simpler terms, the situation had to be dire, bordering on starvation, for the rent to be reduced.

Then there was the issue of by-products after the harvest, with straw being a prime example. Straw was crucial for farmers, used for thatching roofs, making ropes, weaving sacks, and more. However, when landlords provided the seeds, they often took all the straw as well.

Another problem was related to taxes.

Originally, tenant farmers were exempt from taxes. However, due to various reasons, taxes were imposed. In northern regions, landlords often bore the tax burden, but in the southern granary regions, it fell upon the tenant farmers.

Lastly, there was the issue of excessive interference by landlords.

From the tenant farmers perspective, Byeongjak Bansu was advantageous during lean years but a loss during bountiful ones. Landlords also saw downsides due to the fixed distribution rate, as it could lead to tenant farmers slacking off or secretly taking crops before the harvest.

Therefore, landlords either personally intervened or appointed overseers to manage and supervise tenant farmers. However, this oversight was often harsh, leading to constant complaints among the tenant farmers.

***

The undercurrents of discord that had been gradually accumulating came to the surface due to King Sejongs water management projects.

With King Sejongs initiation of active governance, the water management projects led to a reduction in droughts and floods. Yearly crop yields steadily maintained average levels, and the frequency of bountiful years increased, bringing these grievances to the forefront.

The primary catalyst for these emerging complaints was the vast scale of land confiscated by the state through the Giyu Rebellion.

Almost 60% of the farmland in the Samnam region was transferred to the royal court, and those farming on this land were only required to pay 30% of their produce as rent, which was a significant provocation for the tenant farmers.

How is it fair that just across a ditch, some only have to pay 30%, while others have to pay 50%?

Landlords who had not participated in the rebellion breathed a sigh of relief for surviving, but it created a paradoxical situation where tenant farmers vented their frustrations.

Another factor that stirred the tenant farmers was the development of commerce and industry.

Participating in road construction earns a steady monthly wage, they say! And if managed well, its better than tenant farming!

Even day labor in the city earns as much as tenant farming!

The state is about to establish schools where anyone but slaves can send their children to learn!

Rumors like these circulated, prompting tenant farmers to seriously consider relocating.

* * *

This was the Third Plan that King Sejong had ordered his ministers to implement.

Until now, too many of our people have been solely reliant on agriculture. To address this issue, we encourage the relocation of tenant farmers.

The success of the Third Plan, designed with this goal in mind, was facilitated by agents of the government discreetly spreading rumors.

Eventually, many tenant farmers began to make decisive choices.

In a small rural village near Anseong in Gyeonggi Province.

Wife, lets have a talk!

At his wifes behest, Gapseong sat down on the wooden porch again.

Whats the matter?

Lets move.

Gapseong looked astonished at his wifes words.

What? Are you out of your mind, talking nonsense after a hot meal?

Its not nonsense, Ive heard some news. Over in Suwon, theres a merchant group planning to expand their medicinal herb gardens significantly. They aim to sell these herbs to Ming and Japan.

Realizing his wifes words werent mere fanciful talk, Gapseongs expression turned serious.

And then?

They need people to manage the vast herb gardens and are offering a monthly salary. Two silver taels a month!

Gapseongs curiosity faded with his wifes words.

With such good conditions, locals must have already snapped up the opportunity.

Thats not the case. The merchant group is specifically looking for people with experience in growing herbs.

Is that so?

Gapseongs expression changed again, sensing an opportunity.

Sensing the shift in her husbands mood, Gapseongs wife spoke with more conviction.

Thats why we need to act fast! Where else can you find a monthly salary of two silver taels? We toil away at tenant farming, barely scraping by after paying the crop rent and taxes, and thats after swapping our white rice for mixed grains.

Thats true

Gapseong nodded, agreeing with his wife.

Thanks to the medicinal herbs youve grown in our backyard garden, weve managed to hold on a bit longer. So, why not take on the herb garden ourselves?

It sounds promising, but

Torn between interest and fear, Gapseong hesitated. Seeing her husbands reluctance, his wife brought up their children.

This spring, we should consider sending Gapsik and Byungsik to school! We cant just let our kids end up as tenant farmers like us.

That makes sense.

Mentioning the children made Gapseong nod in agreement.

***

Among many non-aristocrats at the time, there were quite a few who were proficient in Chinese characters.

Although not as perfectly literate in Chinese characters as the aristocracy, a considerable number of people possessed some knowledge of them.

Merchants formed the largest group among these literate individuals. The necessity of writing contracts, keeping ledgers, and creating promissory notes for transactions made literacy indispensable for conducting business.

Following the merchants were the physicians. To properly read medical texts written in Chinese characters, knowledge of them was essential.

Craftsmen, especially those connected with the government, came next. To fulfill orders from the court, military barracks, and administrative offices on time, it was necessary to be able to read official documents.

Lastly, the situation for peasants and fishermen was somewhat unique. While a significant number could read, very few could write.

This was largely due to public notices posted by the government offices. Since most of these notices were closely related to their lives, many peasants could read the Thousand Character Classic to some extent.

Of course, when a public notice was posted, they could ask a nearby scholar-official to read it aloud for them. However, this often resulted in significant humiliation, as not all scholar-officials would read the notices kindly, with many displaying scornful expressions while reading.

Due to such grievances, even the lower-class peasants had a strong desire to educate their children. Of course, during the early Joseon Dynasty, education was an unattainable dream during years of famine, but as living conditions improved, the enthusiasm for education began to rise again.

Rumors about Samin Hakdang (schools for commoners) discreetly spread by the government began to circulate, causing excitement among mothers with children.

* * *

Mentioning their children made Gapseong seriously contemplate.

For Gapseong and his wife, their two sons were precious. Originally, they had three brothers, Gapeulbyung, but lost one to famine and disease.

After much deliberation, Gapseong made a decision.

Which merchant group in Suwon was it?

It was the Daejin merchant group in Suwon.

Suwon is about 50 li (approximately 20km) from here Wife, pack some rice balls! Ill be back in two days! And gather some coins too!

Yes!

At Gapseongs words, his wife excitedly rushed to the kitchen.

The tenant farmers actions prompted a reaction from the landlords.

What are you doing, Mansik! Its almost planting season!

In a rural area of Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, a dispute was unfolding between a nobleman and a peasant.

In response to the landlords question, the peasant replied in a brusque tone.

Cant you see? Im packing up!

The sight of the peasant loading both large and small household items and bundles of clothes onto a sizable cart caused the landlord to beat his chest in frustration and raise his voice again.

Thats exactly what Im asking, why are you packing up?

Im moving!

Moving? To where?

To Suwon! I heard theyre opening workshops at a merchants there and hiring people, so Im moving!

But if you leave, whos going to tend to the crops?

What do I care? Even after slaving away on the farm, half of it just disappears. Whats the point in farming?

But weve shared a life here! How can you just leave without saying anything?

Shared a life? Thats a laugh! So much for shared life! Every time theres a feast or a memorial service, my wife gets dragged away to work in the kitchen all day, I have to chop wood and haul it over, and if the big master decides to go fishing, I have to drop everything and go set the nets in the stream Is that what you call shared life? Yeah, right!

Well, thats

The landlord was taken aback by Mansiks retort. The landlord had a habit of relying heavily on tenant farmers instead of keeping many slaves, confident in his control despite knowing the farmers growing discontent.

The landlord, who had always been dismissive of the tenant farmers grievances to his fellow landowners, was taken aback.

Let them be dissatisfied! If they dont work on my land, what will they do!

Alright then!

As Mansik, with his children loaded onto the cart, grabbed the handle to leave, the landlord hastily blocked his path.

Alright, I get it! Ill only take 30% of the harvest, isnt that enough?

Hmph! Forget it!

As Mansik rebuffed him, the landlord grew desperate. Nearly half of his tenant farmers had already left, and Mansik was influential among the remaining farmers. It was clear that if Mansik also left, there would hardly be any farmers left.

Finally, the landlord made another offer.

30%, and whenever I need your labor, Ill pay you for it!

How much will you pay?

Ill give you 50 won each time! Hows that?

100 won!

100 is too much, lets settle at 60 won!

After a moments hesitation, Mansik nodded.

Fine. Lets go to the trading center and write up a contract!

Do we need to go as far as writing a contract?

To which Mansik replied curtly.

The law requires it, so we must follow!

* * *

Similar incidents unfolded across the country, leading most landlords to reduce the rent to 30% along with various other conditions.

These changes were all documented in contracts, and reports about them were sent up to Hanyang.

King Sejong, after reviewing the reports, smiled and looked at his ministers.

It seems the Third Plan has been quite successful.

Indeed, Your Majesty.

Then proceed with the Fourth Plan!

Your command will be obeyed!

* * *

Reference:

Encyclopedia of Korean National Culture (EncyKorea) http://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Contents/Item/E0058714