This is the sixth of a 20-part of Jangseogak series in collaboration with the Academy of Korean Studies (AKS). Jangseogak houses Jeseon Kingdom's documents. ㅡ ED.
By Won Chang-ae
Chief researcher of the Academy of Korean Studies
There is much debate about "edupoor" these days. It refers to households where parents spend excessively on education on the belief that their child's entrance into a prestigious college is the foundation for a successful life.
Such devotional support for children's education also existed in the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910).
"Since you have dedicated yourself to writing, you should prepare for the gwageo or the national civil service examination. I hope you obtain the book titled ‘Chaekmunkyusik' to help you with your studies... By the way, your servant said that you only have 5 guan left to cover your stay. I understand studying costs money! Last I time I checked 1 guan (3.75 kilograms) of coins equals 7 mal (56 kilograms) of rice at market prices. I assume that will sustain you for a few months. Do you think you can make it on that for the summer? If not, let me know."
This is an excerpt from a letter held by a descendant of a person from long ago named Ha Jeung who was from Changju.
The letter, which is housed in the Jangseogak Archives, was written by Ha Eung-un who lived in Jinju.
It was addressed to his second son, who was studying away from home during King Yeongjo's reign.
Ha Eung-un recommended the book "Chaekmunkyushik" hoping his son will be able to thoroughly prepare for the gwageo examination.
To take this exam, the examinee should be able to write about various genres. Among the given topics, "daechaek" was a compulsory subject that required the examinee to criticize national policy and suggest alternatives.
In that letter, Ha Eung-un instructed his son to be more concerned about writing practice while studying, but on the other hand, he reassured his son about the financial costs.
This was not only the case of Ha Eung-un!
All parents in noble families wishing for their children to successfully pass the gwageo examination were committed to supporting their education.
To present themselves as noblemen, they had to have a member of the family who passed the gwageo and served in government within the last four generations. As the child's passing the gwageo determined the status of the family, it was inevitable that parents become obsessed with their education.
It was common to see families of local nobleman sending their smartest descendants to study in Seoul to help them pass the gwageo examination by raising scholarship funds.
It is known that the Joseon Kingdom was a hierarchical society and even without passing the national civil servant examination, there were other ways to enter government service.
Then why did numerous scholars spend their entire lives as students longing to pass the gwageo and why did some government officials continuously take the gwageo examination even after entering government service by "eumseo," the protected appointment system for hereditary privilege?
Passing the gwageo examination was an opportunity to achieve personal fame and prestige as well as honor one's family.
During the 500 years of the Joseon Kingdom, the number of applicants who passed "mungwa" or the literary examination of the gwageo numbered only about 15,000 and the number of applicants who passed the preliminary test for the literary examinations was no more than 45,000.
Passing the gwageo examination was as difficult as finding a needle in haystack. The Joseon Kingdom was a civil administration country that gave preferential treatment to successful test takers of the gwageo examination.
The king bestowed a certificate on those who were appointed as government officials after passing the gwageo examination and held a celebration for them.
In particular, those who entered government service by passing the literary examination could be easily promoted to the level of high-ranking officials after serving in important posts at principal departments unless they had political or health problems.
After looking into the backgrounds of 364 ministers in the Joseon Kingdom, it turns out that 323 of them came from among those who passed the literary examinations. That is why the gwageo examination was described as a ladder to success at that time. Every scholar wished to climb this ladder to success.
The pressure of the examination was unspeakably great as the examinees knew that they would only be granted opportunities if they passed it. Even today, we hear the news of some students committing suicide, depressed about results during college entrance exam season.
This might have been same in the Joseon era where some scholars fell into despair after failing the examination over and over again, but we can also find the successful story of a scholar, who overcame the despair of pressure and failure in the examination and created his own destiny, from an ancient document in the Jangseogak Archives.
During King Yeongjo's reign, there was a scholar by the name of Ha Jeong-hwang who lived in Jinju. His family was a well-known noble family in Jinju, though not a single family member passed the gwageo examination within the last four generations.
He felt responsible for raising the status of his family and unsuccessfully challenged himself to take the literary examinations for 10 years.
Nearing the age of 40, he decided to give up the literary examination and set his sights on the military one. Switching focus was tough. The man who used to memorize Confucian classics and write poetry and prose now had to learn how to shoot an arrow straight.
As the deadline for the examination approached, he attempted to change his name in the belief that a new name would give him good spirits. He submitted a petition for a new name to the governor of Jinju.
As the petition showed his earnest wish to pass the gwageo examination, the governor immediately approved it.
Ha Jeong-hwang changed his name to Ha Myeong-sang, and passed the military examination at the age of 40. In addition, he even went on to become "tongchi chungchu pusa" or the 2nd rank of civil officials in the military sector.
Today, both parents and children are growing weary from overheated competition for a better education. However, this fever of education has been a driving force in Korea, a small country with little natural resources.
It is time to learn positive attitudes from the lives of our Korean ancestors who lived life to the fullest and progressively even under the pressure of the hell-like examination called gwageo.
.jpg/dims/resize/740/optimize) |
Chief researcher of the Academy of Korean Studies
There is much debate about "edupoor" these days. It refers to households where parents spend excessively on education on the belief that their child's entrance into a prestigious college is the foundation for a successful life.
.jpg) |
"Heungpae" or certificate issued to Ha Myeong-sang after passing the military examination in 1751 (in the 27th year of King |
.jpg) |
| A petition submitted to the governor of Jinju by Ha Myeong-sang in 1751 / Courtesy of Jangseogak Archives |
"Since you have dedicated yourself to writing, you should prepare for the gwageo or the national civil service examination. I hope you obtain the book titled ‘Chaekmunkyusik' to help you with your studies... By the way, your servant said that you only have 5 guan left to cover your stay. I understand studying costs money! Last I time I checked 1 guan (3.75 kilograms) of coins equals 7 mal (56 kilograms) of rice at market prices. I assume that will sustain you for a few months. Do you think you can make it on that for the summer? If not, let me know."
This is an excerpt from a letter held by a descendant of a person from long ago named Ha Jeung who was from Changju.
The letter, which is housed in the Jangseogak Archives, was written by Ha Eung-un who lived in Jinju.
It was addressed to his second son, who was studying away from home during King Yeongjo's reign.
Ha Eung-un recommended the book "Chaekmunkyushik" hoping his son will be able to thoroughly prepare for the gwageo examination.
To take this exam, the examinee should be able to write about various genres. Among the given topics, "daechaek" was a compulsory subject that required the examinee to criticize national policy and suggest alternatives.
In that letter, Ha Eung-un instructed his son to be more concerned about writing practice while studying, but on the other hand, he reassured his son about the financial costs.
This was not only the case of Ha Eung-un!
All parents in noble families wishing for their children to successfully pass the gwageo examination were committed to supporting their education.
To present themselves as noblemen, they had to have a member of the family who passed the gwageo and served in government within the last four generations. As the child's passing the gwageo determined the status of the family, it was inevitable that parents become obsessed with their education.
It was common to see families of local nobleman sending their smartest descendants to study in Seoul to help them pass the gwageo examination by raising scholarship funds.
It is known that the Joseon Kingdom was a hierarchical society and even without passing the national civil servant examination, there were other ways to enter government service.
Then why did numerous scholars spend their entire lives as students longing to pass the gwageo and why did some government officials continuously take the gwageo examination even after entering government service by "eumseo," the protected appointment system for hereditary privilege?
Passing the gwageo examination was an opportunity to achieve personal fame and prestige as well as honor one's family.
During the 500 years of the Joseon Kingdom, the number of applicants who passed "mungwa" or the literary examination of the gwageo numbered only about 15,000 and the number of applicants who passed the preliminary test for the literary examinations was no more than 45,000.
Passing the gwageo examination was as difficult as finding a needle in haystack. The Joseon Kingdom was a civil administration country that gave preferential treatment to successful test takers of the gwageo examination.
The king bestowed a certificate on those who were appointed as government officials after passing the gwageo examination and held a celebration for them.
In particular, those who entered government service by passing the literary examination could be easily promoted to the level of high-ranking officials after serving in important posts at principal departments unless they had political or health problems.
After looking into the backgrounds of 364 ministers in the Joseon Kingdom, it turns out that 323 of them came from among those who passed the literary examinations. That is why the gwageo examination was described as a ladder to success at that time. Every scholar wished to climb this ladder to success.
The pressure of the examination was unspeakably great as the examinees knew that they would only be granted opportunities if they passed it. Even today, we hear the news of some students committing suicide, depressed about results during college entrance exam season.
This might have been same in the Joseon era where some scholars fell into despair after failing the examination over and over again, but we can also find the successful story of a scholar, who overcame the despair of pressure and failure in the examination and created his own destiny, from an ancient document in the Jangseogak Archives.
During King Yeongjo's reign, there was a scholar by the name of Ha Jeong-hwang who lived in Jinju. His family was a well-known noble family in Jinju, though not a single family member passed the gwageo examination within the last four generations.
He felt responsible for raising the status of his family and unsuccessfully challenged himself to take the literary examinations for 10 years.
Nearing the age of 40, he decided to give up the literary examination and set his sights on the military one. Switching focus was tough. The man who used to memorize Confucian classics and write poetry and prose now had to learn how to shoot an arrow straight.
As the deadline for the examination approached, he attempted to change his name in the belief that a new name would give him good spirits. He submitted a petition for a new name to the governor of Jinju.
As the petition showed his earnest wish to pass the gwageo examination, the governor immediately approved it.
Ha Jeong-hwang changed his name to Ha Myeong-sang, and passed the military examination at the age of 40. In addition, he even went on to become "tongchi chungchu pusa" or the 2nd rank of civil officials in the military sector.
Today, both parents and children are growing weary from overheated competition for a better education. However, this fever of education has been a driving force in Korea, a small country with little natural resources.
It is time to learn positive attitudes from the lives of our Korean ancestors who lived life to the fullest and progressively even under the pressure of the hell-like examination called gwageo.
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