Throughout Joseon, nurous tenant farrs began migrating to the Samnam region, becoming dependent on various local governnt offices, military barracks, and provincial offices.
As these tenant farrs and their families stayed for a day before departing, the respective governnt 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 farrs to continue?
Heo Jo imdiately 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 imdiately implent 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 farrs 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 farrs.
***
The traditional practice of Byeongjak Bansu, where the harvested crops were split equally between the landlord and tenant farr, 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 farrs. This system was sowhat rational under a rice farming system with irregular yields due to inadequate irrigation facilities.
However, over ti, various problems began to erge.
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 pri example. Straw was crucial for farrs, 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 farrs 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 farrs.
Lastly, there was the issue of excessive interference by landlords.
From the tenant farrs 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 farrs slacking off or secretly taking crops before the harvest.
Therefore, landlords either personally intervened or appointed overseers to manage and supervise tenant farrs. However, this oversight was often harsh, leading to constant complaints among the tenant farrs.
***
The undercurrents of discord that had been gradually accumulating ca to the surface due to King Sejongs water managent projects.
With King Sejongs initiation of active governance, the water managent 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 erging 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 farrs.
How is it fair that just across a ditch, so 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 farrs vented their frustrations.
Another factor that stirred the tenant farrs was the developnt of comrce 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 farrs to seriously consider relocating.
* * *
This was the Third Plan that King Sejong had ordered his ministers to implent.
Until now, too many of our people have been solely reliant on agriculture. To address this issue, we encourage the relocation of tenant farrs.
The success of the Third Plan, designed with this goal in mind, was facilitated by agents of the governnt discreetly spreading rumors.
Eventually, many tenant farrs 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 al?
Its not nonsense, Ive heard so news. Over in Suwon, theres a rchant group planning to expand their dicinal herb gardens significantly. They aim to sell these herbs to Ming and Japan.
Realizing his wifes words werent re 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 rchant 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 dicinal 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 farrs like us.
That makes sense.
ntioning the children made Gapseong nod in agreent.
***
Among many non-aristocrats at the ti, 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 so knowledge of them.
rchants ford 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 rchants were the physicians. To properly read dical texts written in Chinese characters, knowledge of them was essential.
Craftsn, especially those connected with the governnt, ca next. To fulfill orders from the court, military barracks, and administrative offices on ti, it was necessary to be able to read official docunts.
Lastly, the situation for peasants and fishern was sowhat unique. While a significant number could read, very few could write.
This was largely due to public notices posted by the governnt offices. Since most of these notices were closely related to their lives, many peasants could read the Thousand Character Classic to so 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 governnt began to circulate, causing excitent among mothers with children.
* * *
ntioning 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 rchant group in Suwon was it?
It was the Daejin rchant group in Suwon.
Suwon is about 50 li (approximately 20km) from here Wife, pack so rice balls! Ill be back in two days! And gather so coins too!
Yes!
At Gapseongs words, his wife excitedly rushed to the kitchen.
The tenant farrs 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 rchants 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 ti theres a feast or a morial 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 farrs instead of keeping many slaves, confident in his control despite knowing the farrs growing discontent.
The landlord, who had always been dismissive of the tenant farrs 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 farrs had already left, and Mansik was influential among the remaining farrs. It was clear that if Mansik also left, there would hardly be any farrs 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 ti! Hows that?
100 won!
100 is too much, lets settle at 60 won!
After a monts 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 docunted 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) encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Contents/Item/E0058714
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