Research on Governing theories the Noron group(老論) members of Lee Seok-Jo(李奭祚) at the end of the 18th Century

Author: Hwang, Mi-Sook

Page: 5-44

Abstract

Lee Seok-Jo as a scholar gentry in Suwon wrote 『Jipsul(輯說)』 based on his deep insight and knowledge in his life, and passed Eungjae(應製) in his 80s for Confucian scholars in Suwon. Jipsul was written to analyze problems which were caused by rapid changes of Suwon but also to propose a plan for ordinary people' economic fundamentals. This study examines the policy development of country village(鄕村) and Lee Seok-Jo's theory of reformation in Suwon in the Jeongjo era of late 18th-century Chosun.

Lee Seok-Jo was the one who was influenced by Song Si-Yeol(宋時烈)' learning. Jipsul consists of four books of Won(元)·Hyeung(亨)·Ri(利)·Jung(貞); it draws a line between Naepyun(內篇) and Woaepyun(外篇) in content. In this way, it is meaningful; Lee Seok-Jo clarified his study was based on 『Banguesurock(磻溪隧錄)』 of Ye Hyeong-Won(柳馨遠), his learned role-model, because Yu was in Lee's opposite fraction.

The first point that Lee Seok-Jo recognized in 『Jipsul』 was Yanghyunjae, emphasizing the significance of education in order to build a new village in Suwon. In other words, he insists that they should be educated by combining Bangrijae(坊里制), and should be selected according to Gonggeujae(貢擧制). Lee Seok-Jo noticed that decayed scholars' influence on agriculture, industry, and commerce led to the expansion of the whole social problem.

Although Lee Seok-Jo declared that Jungjunjae(井田制) should be practiced, because of the realistic difficulty of the implement, he designed the implement of Hanjunja(限田制). Lee Seok-Jo tried to provide land of 50 Bu(負) to Junin(田人), and distribute land by determining Gyeulbu(結負) according to the status in order to prevent negative effects which were caused whenever Gyeulbu was determined every year. Likewise, Lee Seok-Jo's land reform theory was the method to adjust the rate of landholding via gradual land redistribution.

Lee Seok-Jo's commercial theory for the industrial development of Suwon was the reasonable plan based on ‘Mubonbomal(務本補末).’ This was the plan to make Suwon a commercial province of Hannam(漢南) which was the center of the materials and a central distribution of commodities(物貨). In addition, he insisted to make a post town by moving three stations(三驛) into around Suwon.

As seen in Lee Seok-Jo's current affairs theory in 『Jipsul』, he suggested a practical alternative from a national perspective. Regardless of any political fraction, 『Jipsul』 was a social reform plan which was designed for ordinary people's life stability

Key Words

『Jipsul(輯說)』, Governing theories(經世論), Lee Seok-Jo (李奭祚), Gonggeujae(貢擧制), Hanjunja(限田制), Jīngshìjìmín(經世濟民), Mubonbomal(務本補末).