Kim Kwiyŏng
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Great Lord of Sangnak Kim Kwiyŏng | |
|---|---|
| Left State Councillor | |
| In office 11th month of 1581 – 7th month of 1583 | |
| Preceded by | No Susin |
| Succeeded by | Chŏng Yugil |
| Right State Councillor | |
| In office 10th month of 1581 – 11th month of 1581 | |
| Preceded by | Chŏng Yugil |
| Succeeded by | Chŏng Chiyŏn |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1st day, 11th month of 1520 Ch'ŏngp'ung, Joseon |
| Died | 29th day, 5th month of 1593 Huichon, Joseon |
| Resting place | Chungju, South Korea |
| Citizenship | Joseon |
| Party | Easterners |
| Occupation | Literati official |
| Awards | 2nd P'yŏngnan Merit Subject |
| Clan | Sangsan Kim clan |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 김귀영 |
| Hanja | 金貴榮 |
| RR | Gim Gwiyeong |
| MR | Kim Kwiyŏng |
| Art name | |
| Hangul | 동원 |
| Hanja | 東園 |
| RR | Dongwon |
| MR | Tongwŏn |
| Courtesy name | |
| Hangul | 현경 |
| Hanja | 顯卿 |
| RR | Hyeongyeong |
| MR | Hyŏn'gyŏng |
Kim Kwiyŏng (Korean: 김귀영; Hanja: 金貴榮; 1st day, 11th of 1520 – 29th day, 5th of 1593) was a Korean scholar-official of the mid-Joseon period. After passing the civil service examinations in 1547, he held a range of central posts, including offices within the Three Offices, and gradually advanced through the bureaucracy amid the factional politics and institutional strains of the mid-sixteenth century.
While serving as Inspector General during King Myeongjong's reign, Kim submitted several policy memorials addressing perceived shortcomings in state governance. The most notable of these, the Chinp'yep'aljoso ("Memorial on Eight Current Abuses"), outlined issues concerning royal authority, personnel administration, social customs, education, and corvée labor. His memorials emphasized administrative discipline and institutional reform, drawing on Confucian political norms, though many of the proposals were not implemented.
In the late sixteenth century, Kim reached the highest ranks of government, serving successively as Right and Left State Councillor. His tenure coincided with intensified factional conflict between the Easterners and Westerners, and in 1583 he resigned following royal criticism arising from an impeachment controversy involving Yi I. In 1589, Kim participated as an investigating commissioner in the state inquiry into the alleged rebellion of Chŏng Yŏrip. Following his service as an investigating commissioner, he was invested as a Second-rank Py'ŏngnan Meritorious Subject, and was ennobled as Great Lord of Sangnak.
During the Imjin War, Kim was assigned to escort Prince Imhae to Hamgyong Province. In 1592, he was captured during a local uprising in Hoeryong by Kuk Kyŏngin and subsequently transferred to Japanese custody. He was later released but was stripped of office and sentenced to exile. Kim Kwiyŏng died in 1593 while traveling to his place of banishment.
Kim Kwiyŏng was born on the 1st day, 11th month of 1520 at the government office of Ch'ŏngp'ung, Joseon.[1] He belonged to the Sangsan Kim clan; his father was Kim Ŭngmu (김응무; 金應武), and his mother was a lady of the Seongju Yi clan, the daughter of Yi Sugwan (이수관; 李守寬).[2] In 1532, at the age of thirteen, he studied under Yun Kwan.[3] In 1537, Kim married Yun Kwan's daughter.[3] Three years later he passed both the Classics Licentiate Examination (생원시; 生員試[4]) and Literary Licentiate Examination (진사시; 進士試[4]).[5] In 1547, he passed the literary section of the special state examination held in the royal presence (알성시; 謁聖試[6]) with third-tier honors (병과; 丙科).[7]
Career during Myeongjong reign
Early career
In 1549, Kim was appointed Awaiting-order Editor (대교; 待敎[8]) of the Office of Royal Decrees (예문관; 藝文館[9]).[10] He concurrently served as an Associate Compiler (기사관; 記事官[11]) at the Office of State Records and participated in the compilation of the Veritable Records of Jungjong.[2] Thereafter, in 1550, he assumed posts including First Copist (저작; 著作[12]), Erudite (박사; 博士[13]).[14][15] The following year, he successively held posts as Deputy Compiler (부수찬; 副修撰[16]) of the Office of Special Advisors, as well as Fourth Censor (정언; 正言[17]) at the Office of the Censor-General.[18][19]
In the 5th month of 1555, when approximately sixty Japanese vessels invaded Jeolla Province, he was sent to Gwangju as a staff officer under the Supreme Inspector Yi Chun'gyŏng. Following the incident, he was promoted to the senior third-rank title of Grand Master for Comprehensive Governance (통정대부; 通政大夫[20]).[21] In the 9th month of the same year, together with figures such as Kim Hongdo (김홍도; 金弘度[22]), Yu Sunsŏn (유순선; 柳順善[23]), and others, he was selected for the royal privilege of sagadoksŏ (사가독서; 賜暇讀書[24]), a system under which selected officials were granted leave for study.[25] Subsequently, in the leap 11th month of 1555, he was appointed Senior Section Chief (정랑; 正郎[26]) of the Ministry of Personnel (이조; 吏曹[27]).[28] He successively held a number of offices, including Regulation Transcriber (검상; 檢詳[29]) of the State Council, Chŏnhan (전한; 典翰[30]) of the Office of Royal Decrees, Sixth Royal Secretary (동부승지; 同副承旨[31]) of the Royal Secretariat, and magistrate of Chuncheon.[32] On the 22nd day, 1st month of 1564, he was appointed Inspector General (대사헌; 大司憲[33]) of the Office of the Inspector-General.[34]
Proposals for reform: Chinp'yep'aljoso
While serving as Inspector General, on the 10th day, 2nd month of 1564, Kim Kwiyŏng submitted a memorial known as the Chinp'yep'aljoso (진폐팔조소; 陳弊八條疏[35]; 'Memorial on Eight Current Abuses'), also referred to as Sojinp'aljo (소진팔조; 疏陳八條[36]).[37][38] Through this memorial, Kim directly identified the causes of eight major abuses spanning politics, society, and the economy, and argued that their resolution depended on royal leadership.[39][40] The contents of Chinp'yep'aljoso outlined eight areas of abuse, which may be summarized as follows:
First, discipline must be rectified.[41] This called for restoring royal authority to ensure the effective enforcement of commands and laws.[42] Second, the inner court must be strictly regulated, meaning that petitions, favoritism, and political interference in personnel and state affairs then prevalent should be prevented.[43] Third, the morale of the scholar-officials must be raised.[44] Kim criticized the situation in which scholar-officials, traditionally regarded as central to state governance by rejecting duplicity through forthright remonstrance and orthodox argument, were unable to speak frankly to the king because of the legacy of the literati purges.[45] Fourth, a sense of shame must be encouraged.[46] He argued that governance should be grounded in the four cardinal principles—propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame—while emphasizing probity and avoiding greed.[47]
Fifth, the cultivation of sound social customs is essential.[48] This article was a warning against the spread of extravagance.[49] Sixth, the appointment of officials is of paramount importance.[50] In this article, Kim pointed out abuses such as bribery in appointments, advancement through hereditary privilege, and discrimination between civil and military officials.[49] Seventh, schools are vital to the education of scholars and to the promotion of morals and moral transformation.[51] Kim argued that extravagance, low morale, and corruption undermined educational institutions and thereby aggravated political abuses, proposing proper schooling grounded in Confucian ideals as the remedy.[52] Finally, corvée labor concerns both the sufficiency of state finances and the mobilization of the people's strength.[53] Kim emphasized the livelihood of the populace and insisted that alleviating abuses in corvée labor required urgent measures such as tax reductions and cuts in expenditures to relieve popular hardship.[54]
Upon receiving the memorial, King Myeongjong stated that he would examine its contents and consider measures to address the abuses identified.[55] Later that month, on the 30th day, he was appointed to Deputy Director at the Office of Special Advisors.[56]
Other memorials
On the 6th day and 14th day, 1st month of 1565, Kim Kwiyŏng submitted memorials in which he discussed the charges and appropriate punishments of Yi Ryang and his associates.[57][58] Yi Ryang had risen to prominence during the reign of King Myeongjong and was accused by contemporaries of exerting influence over personnel administration and targeting political rivals such as Pak Sorip (박소립; 朴素立) and Yun Tusu.[59][60] Yi Ryang had previously been impeached on the 19th day, 8th month of 1563, through a memorial submitted by Vice Director Ki Taehang, and subsequently exiled.[61] Kim Kwiyŏng argued that exile constituted an insufficient punishment for Yi Ryang and called for a more severe penalty; however, King Myeongjong did not adopt this recommendation.[57]
In addition, on the 15th day, 3rd month of 1565, Kim submitted a memorial addressing alleged abuses among Buddhist monks and maladministration within the Royal Treasury (내수사; 內需司[62]).[63] Following the death of Queen Munjeong, Kim also submitted a memorial calling for the punishment of Pou, abbot of Bongeunsa, who had enjoyed royal patronage during the queen's lifetime.[64] Subsequently, on the 3rd day, 8th month, Kim submitted an impeachment memorial against Yun Wŏnhyŏng, a royal in-law who occupied a powerful position at court.[65] None of these memorials were accepted by King Myeongjong.[64][66]
Later that year, on the 10th day, 10th month of 1565, Kim submitted another memorial, the Chinp'yesibijoso (진폐십이조소; 陳弊十二條疏[38]; 'Memorial on Twelve Current Abuses'), which further expanded upon the reform proposals outlined in his earlier memorials.[67][68] Compared with the earlier memorial, Chinp'yep'aljoso, the Chinp'yesibijoso addressed a broader range of perceived abuses, including matters concerning the inner palace, problems within the Royal Treasury, and issues related to Buddhist monks.[69] Chinp'yesibijoso also treated official appointments and administrative responsibility in more specific terms.[49] In the third, seventh, and eighth article, Kim emphasized the role and responsibilities of royal princes, provincial magistrates and military commanders respectively.[70] Kim also addressed the issues of morale and loyal remonstrance, arguing that King Myeongjong did not adequately accept forthright counsel from his officials.[47] Although King Myeongjong expressed reservations regarding certain points, the memorial was formally acknowledged.[42] In the 11th month of 1565, Kim withdrew from office in order to observe mourning rites following the death of his mother.[71]