Yeongjo of Joseon

Long ago, a king ruled in Korea. His name was Yeongjo. He was the 21st king of his land.

Yeongjo wanted to help his people. He worked to make taxes lower. He even ate less food at his meals. He did this to save money for others.

He also shared books with the people. This helped them learn more. He wanted everyone to be smart.

Some people in the palace did not get along. This made his work very hard. He tried to make them act fairly.

He had a very sad time with his son. It was a hard part of his life. But people still remember him as a kind king.

Yeongjo was the 21st king of Korea. He ruled for nearly 52 years.

His life was not always easy. In the palace, different groups of leaders fought for power. These groups were called factions. Yeongjo tried to fix this. He used a policy called Tangpyeong. This way helped different groups work together fairly.

Yeongjo cared deeply about his people. When there were floods or bad harvests, he felt sad. He believed he must be a better leader to help them. To save money for the poor, he lowered taxes. He even ate fewer dishes at his own meals. He also shared books written in Hangul. This was the Korean script. It helped more people learn to read.

There was a very sad part of his rule. His son, Crown Prince Sado, died in 1762. Sado had mental illness and caused trouble in the palace. Yeongjo ordered him to stay in a wooden rice chest. After eight days, Sado died.

Even with this tragedy, many remember Yeongjo. He worked hard to follow kind rules. He helped the country grow strong.

Yeongjo was the 21st king of the Joseon dynasty in Korea. He was born on October 31, 1694. His father was King Sukjong. His mother was a woman from the Haeju Choe clan. Because his mother was from a low social class, Yeongjo faced many hard times. People in the palace often treated him with resentment. Before he became king, he was known as Prince Yeoning.

His path to the throne was full of fighting between political groups. These groups were called factions. One group was called the Noron. Another group was called the Soron. In 1720, his half-brother, King Gyeongjong, became the ruler. Soon after, Prince Yeoning became the Crown Prince. The Soron group even tried to harm him during a hunt. They pretended to look for a white fox in the palace. Eventually, King Gyeongjong died in 1724. Many people suspected Yeongjo was involved. However, some historians think the king died from bad seafood.

Yeongjo became King Yeongjo on October 16, 1724. He ruled for nearly 52 years. He wanted to stop the fighting between the factions. He used a plan called the Tangpyeong policy. This policy tried to make things fair for everyone. He also wanted to follow Confucian ethics. These are rules about being kind and doing what is right. He was a very bright and observant leader.

He cared very much about the lives of his people. When there were floods or droughts, he felt he had failed. He believed a good leader must have great virtue. To help the poor, he lowered the military tax by half. He even ate fewer dishes at his own meals to save money. He helped people learn by sharing books written in Hangul. This is the Korean script. He also used tools like the pluviometer to measure rain.

There was a very sad event during his long reign. His only surviving son was Crown Prince Sado. Sado struggled with mental illness and caused trouble in the palace. In 1762, Yeongjo ordered his son into a wooden rice chest. Sado stayed in the chest for eight days before he died. This was a very difficult time for the royal family. Later, Yeongjo's grandson, Yi San, became King Jeongjo. Yeongjo is buried in the Wonneung royal tomb.

Yeongjo was the 21st monarch of the Joseon dynasty in Korea. He ruled for nearly 52 years, making his reign one of the longest in the dynasty's history. Born as Yi Geum on October 31, 1694, he was the second son of King Sukjong. His mother, Royal Noble Consort Suk, came from the Haeju Choe clan. Because his mother was of low social birth, Yeongjo faced much political resentment. This social background shaped his early life as Prince Yeoning. He had to navigate a court filled with intense rivalry and suspicion.

Before he became king, Yeongjo was caught in a struggle between political factions. These groups, known as factions, were the Noron and the Soron. In 1720, his elder half-brother, Yi Yun, became King Gyeongjong. Shortly after, Yeoning was named Crown Prince Brother, or Wangseje. This appointment caused great tension between the political groups. In 1721, the Soron faction attempted to assassinate Yeoning during a hunt. They used the excuse of searching for a white fox to approach him. Yeoning survived by seeking shelter with his adoptive mother, Queen Dowager Hyesun.

When King Gyeongjong died on October 11, 1724, Yeongjo ascended the throne. Some members of the Soron faction accused him of being involved in his brother's death. However, historians suggest Gyeongjong may have died from food poisoning. This might have been caused by contaminated seafood, such as shrimp. Yeongjo officially became King Yeongjo on October 16, 1724. His reign was marked by his commitment to Confucian ethics. He believed a ruler must possess high virtue to lead successfully.

To reduce political fighting, Yeongjo implemented the Tangpyeong policy. This policy aimed to reconcile the different factions through equal recruitment. He wanted to end the strife that hindered the country's development. During his reign, he also faced Yi In-jwa's Rebellion in 1728. This rebellion was started by the Namin and Soron factions. They claimed Yeongjo was not the legitimate heir to the throne. The royal army eventually defeated the rebels and suppressed the uprising.

Yeongjo focused heavily on improving the lives of common people. He lowered the military service tax by half to help the poor. To fund this, he added taxes on salt, fisheries, and vessels. He also encouraged the use of currency by increasing coin casting. To help farmers, he distributed books written in the Korean script, Hangul. He even used a pluviometer, a tool to measure rainfall, to monitor weather. Yeongjo often practiced what he preached by reducing the number of dishes at his own meals. He felt that his own lack of virtue caused natural disasters like floods or droughts.

His economic policies led to significant social changes in the 18th century. Mercantile activities grew rapidly as capital accumulated through wholesale systems. Even some aristocrats, known as yangban, began engaging in merchant activities. The capital city, Hanseong, became a major commercial and industrial hub. There was a high demand for handicrafts like brassware and dining tables. This era also saw an increase in the printing of popular fiction and poetry. People enjoyed reading satires that criticized the greed of government officials.

A very dark event occurred in 1762 involving his son, Crown Prince Sado. Historical records state that Sado suffered from mental illness. He reportedly committed violent acts within the palace. Because Yeongjo could not execute him without affecting the royal lineage, he chose a different punishment. He ordered Sado to climb into a large wooden rice chest on a hot summer day. Sado remained in the chest for eight days before he died. This event remained a significant controversy in Korean history.

Yeongjo died on April 22, 1776, at a relatively old age. His grandson, Yi San, later became King Jeongjo. Jeongjo's reign began with political tension due to his father's death. Yeongjo is buried in the Wonneung royal tomb in Guri. His long reign is often described as one of the most brilliant periods of Joseon. He left a legacy of Confucian rule and economic reform. His efforts to improve the status of commoners helped change Korean society forever.