This study re-established the local military force organization to understand the multi-aspect roles of ‘byeongyeong’(military barrack) during the late Joseon period within the comprehensive framework of local military organization and explored th...
This study re-established the local military force organization to understand the multi-aspect roles of ‘byeongyeong’(military barrack) during the late Joseon period within the comprehensive framework of local military organization and explored the organization, finance and function of ‘byeongyeong’in ‘hasamdo’(Chungcheong, Jeolla and Gyeongsang Province) military camps.
After the Japanese Invasion of Joseon in 1592, the government defense system changed from national land defense system to capital defense system. During this process, the central military organization and local military organization also changed. The key change in central military organization was the creation of ‘ogunmun’(五軍門) ; while the key changes in local military organization were the creation of ‘sogogun’(束伍軍) and enforcement of ‘yeonjangje’(營將制). The army branch and military unit of local military force became also diversified within such change. The military forces consisted of ‘gamyeong-gun’ force, ‘byeongyeong-gun’ force, ‘jinyeong-gun’ force, ‘sanseong-gun’ force and other forces. Among the forces, the ‘jinyeong-gun’ force had the biggest troop. Among the army branches, the ‘sogogun’ had the biggest weight, which was approximately 36% of total local military forces. This 36% implies that the existing understanding, which is that ‘sogogun’ was the representative army branch of local military organization force during Joseon period, is not correct. Therefore, more diversified study and wider knowledge is required to understand the local military organization during late Joseon period.
The main frame of local military organization during late Joseon period was ‘jinyeong’(military camp) system and the center of it was a ‘byeongyeong’. The ‘jinyeong’ system is most different from previous ‘jingwan’ system by having ‘sokeups’(belonging towns). In ‘jingwan’ system, the ‘eups’(towns) under ‘geojin’ (main camp) performed the role of independent military camps each as a ‘jejin’ branch camp; however, in ‘jinyeong’ system, a ‘jinyeong’ works as an independent military unit and other ‘eups’ did not have any military role. They just gave financial and military support to ‘jinyeong’ as ‘sokeups’.
Within a ‘byeongyeong’ and ‘jinyeong, there were multiple units consisting of various army branches. Representative army branches were ‘ahbyeong’, ‘mabyeong’ and ‘pyoha-gun’. These three army branches could be actually mobilized for battle while ‘sogogun’ existed only on the military organization chart. ‘Gunbyeong’ (troop) in each ‘jinyeong’ and mountain fortress consisted of officers and common soldiers. For them, ‘gunbo’(軍保) was allocated. The ‘gunbo’ allocation principle during the late Joseon period was 1 ‘gunbo’ for 1 foot soldier and 2 ‘gunbos’ for 1 ‘mabyeong’(mounted soldier). In reality, the principle was kept for ‘mabyeong’ but it was not kept for foot soldier. Meanwhile, there was ‘topo-gunbyeong’(law enforcement military force) in each ‘jinyeong’ of ‘hasamdo’. It means that the ‘gunbyeong’ in ‘jinyeong’ consisted of ‘sogo-gunbyeong’ with military function and ‘topo-gunbyeong’ with public order keeping function.
‘Byeongyeong’ was a commanding headquarters of each province so that soldiers can perform given duties. ‘Byeongyeongs’ in ‘hasamdo’ were installed at seacoast during the early Joseon period to protect southwestern seacoast; however, some of them were relocated after the Japanese Invasion of Joseon in 1592 as the importance of inland defense drew attention.
There were many ‘gwanwons’(government employees) in a ‘byeongyeong’ so that soldiers can perform given duty without fail. According to the literature on legal system, there was not any significant change; however, large number of government employees, who were not regulated in law books, increased or decreased in accordance with changes in politics, society and economy. Still, the dominating majority of ‘byeongyeong’ was ‘gunbyeong’. The ‘gunbyeong’ in ‘byeongyeong’ directly belonged to ‘byeongsa’, ‘wuhu’(虞侯) and ‘byeongyeong’. The number of ‘gunbyeong’ in Chungcheong ‘byeongyeong was the smallest among the 4 ‘byeongyeongs’ in ‘hasamdo’. The reason is that Chungcheong-do has smaller area, less population and less production than Gyeongsang-do or Jeolla-do. The common ‘gunbyeong’and lower rank officers are likely to have been ‘supogun’(守鋪軍); while higher rank officers with salary had actual military duty.
The financial income of ‘byeongyeongs’ during late Joseon period was tax collection from counties and prefectures.
Especially, the tax collection concentrated on the county or prefecture where the ‘byeongyeong’ was located. The collected tax was used on tribute to central government and ‘byeongyeong’ operation expenditure. Tribute to central government consisted of tribute to ‘gyeongsa-gunmun’(京司軍門) and tribute to royal court. The ‘byeongyeong’ operation expenditure was mostly ‘jigong’(支供 : salary and expense) of officers and common soldiers. Other than ‘jigong’, the collected tax was used on the repair of military equipment, maintenance of castle fence(城堞) and public buildings(公廨) and purchase of necessary goods. However, all these costs could not be covered by official income; therefore, ‘byeongyeong’ should find another source of finance. It is notable that this separate financial source was established as an official financial income item of ‘byeongyeong’. This implies that a ‘byeongyeong’ operated as an independent financial unit.
After the Japanese Invasion of Joseon in 1592, the production and supply system of weapon changed and the military equipment of ‘hasamdo’ ‘byeongyeongs’ also improved both in quality and quantity. The military equipment of ‘hasamdo’ ‘byeongyeong’ consisted of bows and arrows, gun powder weapons, spears and swords, other weapons, military band(吹打) and military flags(軍旗). However, the quality of them degraded in 19th century as the weapons and military facilities became obsolete and due to poor management system.
The commanding system of local military force during late Joseon period was ‘gamsa-byeongsa/susa-yeongjang-suryeong’. However, the commanding system of local military force during late Joseon period gradually changed by the dynamic relation within the ruling structure. The commanding right was not decided by military aspect or the rank of government position but it was decided by job characteristic and job interest. Consequently, it tells that the military system during late Joseon period went bad.
The major duty of military force was national defense and keeping of political system. The duty was allocated and performed by various members in military force such as ‘wuhu’, who is an ‘ajang’(亞將), officers, ‘ajeon’(working level persons), craftsmen, who made and repaired military flags, ‘gunbyeongs’ and ‘nobis’(servants). Especially, the administrative work and military desk work in ‘byeongyeong’ were systematically handled by the local government employees(鄕吏).
The major function of all ‘byeongyeongs’ in ‘hasamdo’ during late Joseon period was the defense of southwestern seacoast from the invasion of Japanese enemies. However, after the Japanese Invasion of Joseon in 1592, the military function of ‘hasamdo’ ‘byeongyeong’ changed. Jeolla ‘byeongyeong’ and Gyeongsang Left ‘byeongyeong’ concentrated on seacoast defense; while Chungcheong ‘byeongyeong’ and Gyeongsang Right ‘byeongyeong’ concentrated on inland defense. Military training was also one of the important functions. However, military training became just a formality because of the training burden on farmers, indifference and incapability of commanders and spoliation by ‘ajeons’ and officers. Meanwhile, the long peaceful period after the two invasions by Japanese and the changes in society and economy changed the ‘hasamdo’ ‘byeongyeongs’ into public order keeping organizations. This tells the function of local military force including‘byeongyeong’ during the peaceful late Joseon period.