King Yeongjo

This Book, King Yeongjo, is based on the catalog of the 2011 Jangseogak special exhibition “The Great King Yeongjo.” It is customary to add the title “Great King (daewang, Ch. dawang)” as an honorific to the deceased King of the Joseon Dynasty. However, King Yeongjo (r. 1724-1776) was one genuinely worthy of the title “Great.” During his fifty-two year reign, the longest of all the in Joseon, he left numerous accomplishments, both progressive in the sense that he implemented new policies to adapt to the changing era, and conservative in the sense he focused on emphasizing the pre-established laws as stated in the National Code. In spite of these accomplishments, King Yeongjo remains relatively neglected in the historiography of the Joseon dynasty. Thus, this book serves as one of the various steps in restoring the significance of King Yeongjo, who righteously deserves the title, “the Great.”

The book consists of four chapters. The first chapter provides an overview of King Yeongjo’s reign, starting from his birth, appointment as the Brotherheir Apparent, key events during his reign, and ending with his death. Accompanied with various visual and written materials, this chapter provides key details and events that shaped the reign of King Yeonjo, including but not limited to critical events before his ascension to the throne, the failed military coup in 1718, and his entrance to the Giroso, the “Hall of Senior Officials.” The second chapter examines the key accomplishment of King Yeongjo, exemplified by his so-called Six Grand Achievements. Namely, the abolishment of factional strife (Tangpyeong), reduction of head tax (Gyunyeok), dredging of the Cheonggye stream (Juncheon), reduction of female slave’s tax (Bokgo), opening new career opportunities to sons of concubines (Seojung), and revival of the spirit of the National Code (Jakjeong). In the third chapter, we take an in-depth look at King Yeongjo’s family?his parents, his female companions, and his descendants. As well as introducing his family, the chapter will also demonstrate minute yet fascinating details on various rituals and institutions related to the royal family of Joseon, not to mention how these events were recorded and reproduced in written works. The fourth and final chapter consists of King Yeongjo’s works?both his written compositions and his calligraphy. In addition to being an accomplished monarch, he was also a prolific writer and left numerous works in poetry and prose, sometimes as later compilations, and sometimes in his handwritten works that have been preserved in the Jangseogak Archives.