Chapter 130
Chapter 130
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 130
Chapter Title: Sejong's Enlightenment (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A world where everyone lives with the duty to learn.
To create such an ideal nation, they must find a way even the youngest commoners can easily learn.
This was a concept unimaginable in Joseon up to now.
Yet, in a Joseon where Neo-Confucianism breathes and strives to follow the ways of Confucius and Mencius, this was an ideal that must absolutely be achieved.
"A nation where the people of Joseon learn and understand the principles in Elementary Learning, knowing proper conduct and all the rites befitting a human being. A nation where everyone can taste the joy of learning."
Kim Dae-bung's words captured exactly the ideal realm he had only vaguely imagined.
That was why he wanted to immediately send an eunuch to his home, urging him to return to the palace at once, seat him right in front and press him to spill every thought he had.
But to just toss out this clue and dare to run away (go home)—
This was like a beauty of national treasure caliber loosening her skirt, on the verge of revealing her naked body clad only in thin white undergarments (the underwear of Joseon times), only for Japanese pirates to suddenly appear, saying 'Hello, we're the pirates!' and flipping the whole scene upside down.
For pulling off such an utterly disloyal act, Kim Dae-bung deserved to be worked like Jiang Ziya, steadily paying off his crime.
Since Jiang Ziya lived 160 years, working him just that long should suffice.
"A nation where the four classes of people become sages through learning. What beautiful words."
Enraptured by the enlightenment Kim Dae-bung had given him, Sejong didn't even notice King Taejong had arrived, and began writing down his own insights.
He felt he had to record them all before even a sliver of these insights and inspirations slipped away.
King Taejong watched Sejong like this and smiled warmly.
The eunuchs had loudly announced his arrival several times when he came, and he had sat down close enough to touch with an outstretched arm, yet his son still hadn't noticed.
Seeing him so intensely absorbed, it was clear Sejong had gained a profound enlightenment through this contest.
King Taejong had never read wuxia novels, so he didn't know that disturbing someone in deep meditation could lead to 'deviation into the demonic'...
But from his own experience studying for the exams, he knew that when a blocked part of understanding was about to break through, any interruption would lead to nothing.
"Until the Crown Prince finishes organizing his thoughts, I shall stay quiet without making a sound, so you do the same."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Sejong maintained his focus for over one shichen (two hours).
When Sejong was this concentrated, even if someone drew a sword and held it to his throat right in front of him—with a bit of exaggeration—he wouldn't notice.
Having organized his enlightenment and future goals completely, Sejong finally set down his brush.
He caught his breath and spoke.
"This should do it."
As Sejong let out a sigh of relief, King Taejong suddenly appeared in his view.
His father, looking at him with a very pleased smile.
"Ah, Father? When did you arrive?!"
"I've been here since one shichen ago."
"Oh, how could that be. I am truly sorry."
"No need to apologize. Seeing you so diligently turning what you learned in the contest into your own was truly joyful as a father."
To King Taejong, Sejong was already a perfectly accomplished king.
Even if he took the unfair exams of the previous Goryeo era, he would undoubtedly take first place, his scholarly achievements were that outstanding.
Moreover, his physical strength and martial prowess were now exceptional.
He even had a deep understanding of commerce, which was very hard for King Taejong himself to grasp.
He seemed even better at handling soldiers now.
Thus, King Taejong acknowledged, 'You're better than me now,' and had mostly withdrawn from all duties.
He hadn't completely let go because his son was human and could err, and he wanted to help then.
"I heard words that set my heart racing. As a king, as a single Confucian scholar, I want to stake my life on it—no, even lay down my life to achieve this goal."
"What is it?"
"I want to create a nation where all the people learn the ways of Confucius and Mencius, conduct themselves rightly, and know the joy of learning."
King Taejong laughed heartily at those words.
When a child says before his father that he'd stake his life on a goal, it initially angers him a bit, but hearing what the goal was made him understand immediately.
In today's Joseon, only the rich learn, and only the rich pass the exams to take office.
"You're right. In the previous Goryeo, only aristocratic families could pass the exams. Now in Joseon, not just yangban but even commoners pass, so it's much better. But even those commoners are just the local rich folk; truly poor people never pass the exams."
"And why is that? Isn't it because the threshold to learning is too high for the poor?"
"The threshold to learning is too high?"
King Taejong couldn't understand that.
Because to him, learning was inherently difficult, and that was natural.
It was like people without washing machines finding hand-washing clothes tiring but not inconvenient, or those without indoor toilets taking outdoor ones for granted.
"They say Sanskrit can write all their words with just 43 characters. And the Japanese use hiragana, only 50 characters. But Chinese characters require knowing at least tens of thousands to write, and even the simpler clerk's script has thousands... Is that easy?"
"Indeed. It must be hard."
"I envy those using Sanskrit and the Japanese in this regard. With such easy-to-write characters, how accessible learning must be."
Sanskrit actually has an insanely complex grammar and messy orthography.
The Japanese use hiragana too, but only in extremely limited contexts.
"Thus, I shall create characters as easy to know as those in Japanese and Sanskrit. Characters that record sounds as they are heard."
"Are you saying you'll invent them yourself?"
"For Joseon, I shall. Even a mere subject like Kim Dae-bung didn't spare his life to offer loyal counsel for Joseon, and countless other loyal retainers devote themselves... How could I, as king, hesitate before this mere difficulty?"
"You're right. Creating new characters is surely difficult and arduous. But I believe you can do it."
Sejong wanted to focus on creating characters for the time being.
Because new script would make learning easy, let the people know propriety, and strengthen Joseon.
"From now on, in the time left after evening court, I shall devote myself to making characters."
"Your resolve is truly admirable. Then from tomorrow, let's increase your training by half. A person needs at least three and a half shichen (seven hours) of sleep a day to keep a clear mind, so after court, spend one shichen on characters, and use the rest for exercise."
Sejong's pupils shook greatly.
What kind of monstrous talk was this?
What did creating new characters have to do with exercise...?
"When I studied for the exams, I realized that those with weak bodies, no matter how smart, struggle to pass. Because to study well, physical strength is essential above all, and their frail bodies made concentration hard."
This was what 21st-century civil service and professional exam passers all agreed on.
Only with a healthy body can you build the stamina to focus and pass those exams.
"Creating new characters will be several times harder than passing the exams. Won't you need even more stamina?"
"......"
"Instead, I won't take you hunting. My one joy in old age was hunting with you every full moon, but since you hold such grand purpose, I can't make you waste time on my leisure. Of course, while I'm away, the palace guards and commander will watch if you're exercising."
King Taejong decided not to take Sejong hunting.
Instead, he deployed the grandfather-only ultimate move: dragging his grandsons along to play.
Having his grandsons watch grandpa shoot arrows to catch game, roast it over fire themselves, sprinkle salt and pepper—how delicious.
It would restore grandfatherly dignity and bring him closer to his grandsons—what could be better?
The pretext was solid too.
Just say it's to let the grandsons run outside, cultivate heroic spirit, and maintain health.
"Only a healthy body allows great scholarly achievement. Confucius was said to have a large build and strength surpassing warriors. Isn't that the greatest proof that the body must endure for study? Yes, rest well today. From tomorrow, you'll train harder."
King Taejong said this, laughing heartily as he went out.
Father's victory.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Did you send word home that my evening court would be late?"
"Hearing from the palace servants that you might suddenly attend the contest, I rushed home and told Madam right away."
"Well done."
If her husband suddenly said he'd be late without reason, how worried would Gyeol be?
So he had to inform her in advance.
I myself hadn't thought of it, suddenly dragged to the contest, so good thing he handled it.
"I need to head home and rest. And when is your child's wedding? That day, I'll take leave to attend..."
Mid-sentence, I saw a young master from a yangban house and a noble lady hurriedly fleeing outside.
From inside the house, a drunken man was bellowing loudly.
That must be County Magistrate Kwon Je of Jincheon's residence, and that young master who came out... Kwon Ram?