Moon-gok, Kim Suhang(1629-1689), born in the 7th year of the reign of King Injo, suffered the second Manchu invasion and served in government service in the reigns of three successive kings: Hyojong, Hyeonjong and Sukjong. The period saw the completio...
Moon-gok, Kim Suhang(1629-1689), born in the 7th year of the reign of King Injo, suffered the second Manchu invasion and served in government service in the reigns of three successive kings: Hyojong, Hyeonjong and Sukjong. The period saw the completion of Joseon Neo-Confucianism according to 《SeongHakJipYo》 written by Yulgok, Yi I(1536-1584), when Confucian scholars strove to realize the ideal Neo-Confucian society ruled by Li(禮) after Injo's Restoration(Injo Banjeong).
During the time, the Royal Lecture developed as a forum for political debate and the lecturer was appointed from Confucian scholars; in economy, the methods of rice transplantation and fertilizer application enabled the country to produce sufficient food, and cotton cultivation spread all over the country; socially, agricultural communities were formed based on the main family(Jong-ga) and clan rules and Confucian scholars established Confucian academies(Seowon) as an educational institution, which also controled communities; in culture, Joseon seemed to become a more civilized nation than China, which led many independent innovations in painting(Jin-gyeong), calligraphy, blue and white porcelain, Korean literature, music(Pansori), dress(Hanbok) and food.
In such a background, Kim Suhang, as a politician and philosopher, led reforms with U-ma Song Siyeol(1607-1689) who paid fealty to Joseon Neo-confucianism: enacting the Uniform Land Tax Law(Daedongbeob) and the military tax added to aristocrats(Hopoje), designing Relief Policies including Grain Loan(Hwan-gok), carrying out the rule which allowed the offspring from the low-born father follow the maternal status as the ordinary people, and reforming the land-grant system awarded to royal family members.
Moon-gok was a grandson of Cheong-eum Kim Sangheon(1570~1652) who kept the hard-line policy toward Qing dynasty, and his granduncle was Kim Sangyong whose granddaughter became Queen Inseon, King Hyojong's primary wife and King Hyeonjong's mother. Accordingly, Queen Inseon was his second cousin on the paternal line.
He passed a civil service examination in the reign of King Hyojong and started dominating politics as holding the important offices. And he invited Song Siyeol and Song Jun-gil and granted an amnesty to Yu Gye to restore him; they led the reforms of the time.
During the reign of King Hyeonjong, Kim had consecutively held various government posts, and was finally promoted to the high ranking officer, UUiJeong.
Moon-gok sided with U-am in the two disputes about the Dowager Queen's mourning duties(Gihae Yesong, Gabin Yesong) and about the affairs of moving the site of King Hyojong's tomb(Yeongneung). On the other hand, he was against the Southern faction(Nam-in): Heo Mok(1595-1682), Yun Hue(1617-1680) and Yun Seondo(1587-1671). Moon-gok was in charge of the education for the crown prince with Song Siyeol and Song Jun-gil.
Kim, however, was exiled when opposing the Southern faction after the Western faction(Seo-in) failed in the dispute(Gabin Yesong) and the Southern faction took power. He dominated politics again as a prime minister after a bloody dispute(Gyeongsin Daechulcheok). As the Western faction later split between the Old Learning(Noron) and the Young Learning(Soron), Kim sought the policy of Tangpyeong(favoring no faction over another). He, however, disagreed with Soron's opinion about Nothern Campaigns; Noron supported war against Qing dynasty and Soron opposed it. Kim supported Song Siyeol, a member of Noron and criticized Yun Jeung who belonged to Soron. His life ended when he was exiled and ordered to drink poison after a bloody dispute(Gisa Hwanguk).
During the reign of King Sukjong, his sons led politics after redressing the grievance of Moon-gok.