Black Corporation: Joseon

In the late summer of the 14th year of King Sejong’s reign (Imja year, 1432), not long before Chuseok.

Hyang, who had voluntarily entered Geunjeongjeon after a long time, reported to King Sejong.

“Your son has something to report to Father.”

“If it’s about the budget, there isn’t any.”

At Sejong’s firm answer, Hyang slightly turned his head and pouted. But soon, composing his expression, Hyang reported to Sejong again.

“The first round of translations of the medical texts is complete.”

“Really!”

Sejong brightened at Hyang’s report.

Hyang gestured to the eunuch who had followed him. At Hyang’s hand signal, the eunuch handed thick books to the Chief Royal Secretary.

Receiving the books through the Chief Royal Secretary, Sejong examined their contents.

“They’re all written in Jeongeum (the vernacular form of Hunminjeongeum)?”

“Yes. Thanks to that, the work was greatly reduced.”

“Even if reduced, it wasn’t an easy task. We should reward those who did the translations.”

“They will consider it an honor.”

Listening to Hyang’s answer, Sejong looked at the books again and spoke.

“Now we can make progress in training military doctors.”

“That’s right.”

The books Hyang presented to Sejong were translations of Ibn Sina’s “Canon of Medicine” (القانون في الطب) and parts of various medical texts written by Galen (Claudius Galenus).

As the regular Alexandria route was established, Hyang imported large quantities of medical texts from the Byzantine Empire and Islamic countries.

The reason for importing these medical texts in large quantities was to train a large number of medical personnel, especially military doctors.

***

“We need to establish a Military Medical Department at the Military Academy.”

As the reforms began, Hyang had early on insisted on the need to establish a Military Medical Department at the Military Academy. The ministers showed a somewhat lukewarm reaction to Hyang’s assertion.

“Military doctors? Is it really necessary to create a Military Medical Department?”

“Wouldn’t it be an unnecessary expenditure?”

“If a war breaks out or there’s a conflict and soldiers need to be deployed, we can mobilize doctors from the Royal Clinic or nearby villages. That’s how it’s been done until now, and there haven’t been any particular problems.”

Seeing the ministers who thought it was ‘unnecessary expenditure’, Hyang strongly emphasized its necessity.

“If doctors are drafted when a war or conflict occurs, what will we do if an epidemic breaks out in another region?”

“Then, we could mobilize doctors from nearby areas…”

“Are you suggesting we rob Peter to pay Paul?”

“…”

“Moreover, as our naval warships increasingly venture further into distant seas, shouldn’t we assign at least one military doctor to each ship?”

“…”

The ministers fell silent at Hyang’s points.

“I’ve been thinking, and I find the Crown Prince’s proposal reasonable. The territory under our Joseon’s rule is gradually expanding, and will continue to do so. And as the Crown Prince said, our navy’s ships will be venturing increasingly farther. We need someone who can devise countermeasures if illness strikes in unfamiliar foreign lands. So, let’s establish a Military Medical Department in the Military Academy that we’re preparing to set up.”

“We receive your command!”

Though Sejong’s order was given like this, progress was not quick. It was repeatedly pushed back due to the establishment of public schools and middle schools, and then because of the Giyubangyan rebellion and the Horun (barbarian invasion) caused by Yi Manchu and Mengtemu.

***

However, this delay was paradoxically fortunate for the Military Medical Department.

Hyang muttered while flipping through reports.

“They say life is like a seesaw…”

Through the Giyubangyan rebellion and the Horun, limitations in mobilizing doctors were discovered. Then, as the navy advanced to Alexandria and sweeping operations against pirates and Japanese raiders occurred in Joseon’s coastal waters, the necessity for doctors was acutely felt.

Eventually, though it started as a forced measure, the ministers began to seriously review the plan.

“It would be good to focus the medical skills taught in the Military Medical Department mainly on treating external injuries.”

“That seems right, doesn’t it? Looking at the recent rebellion and Horun…”

Among the ministers reviewing the plan, Hyang voiced his opinion.

“We should add not only external injuries but also diseases and pharmacology.”

“Diseases and pharmacology, you say?”

“Isn’t the battlefield not a clean place? Isn’t the battlefield a place where even clean water, which is most important, is hard to obtain? Isn’t it naturally a place where diseases are rampant?”

The ministers nodded at Hyang’s point. Especially, military commanders like Jo Mal-saeng nodded so vigorously it seemed they might strain their necks.

“That’s right! Even in military tactics, polluting water is listed as the first method of the scorched earth tactic to break the enemy’s offensive!”

“Water can somehow be solved with purification frames, but when fighting in unfamiliar places, the spread of diseases is inevitable. To properly maintain combat power, preparation for this is certainly necessary! We’ve already experienced this in the recent Horun.”

***

In the process of suppressing the Horun caused by Yi Manchu and Mengtemu, a considerable number of soldiers were incapacitated by disease – according to reports, influenza was the most likely culprit.

Upon examining the reason, it was found that unlike soldiers from Pyeongan-do and Yeongan-do (Hamgil-do) who were accustomed to the harsh northern environment, soldiers who came as reinforcements from the south were overwhelmed by the harsh northern winter.

Later, after checking the related reports, Hyang muttered with a deflated expression.

“Even on this palm-sized Korean peninsula, the natural environment differs between north and south? Is that so? No, the ones who went up were from the Gyeonggi garrison, so that’s just a quarter of the way, isn’t it?”

***

With the strong support of the military department who had experienced this firsthand, Hyang went a step further.

“And I believe we should also teach basic military tactics in the Military Medical Department.”

“Military tactics, you say?”

At Hyang’s proposal, not only the ministers but even the military department all looked dumbfounded.

Seeing this reaction, Hyang added a more detailed explanation.

“Let’s imagine an epidemic breaks out. The doctors in the area where the epidemic first occurs will step up first, and the court will also send out doctors and female physicians from the Royal Clinic, but won’t the military doctors located closest be the first to be mobilized?”

The ministers and commanders nodded as they considered Hyang’s point from various angles.

“That’s the most likely possibility.”

“There won’t be time to wait for support from Hanseong with doctors right next door.”

“What does treating an epidemic mean? Isn’t it a war to stop and repel the existence of an epidemic that has invaded to kill our people of Joseon? Think back for a moment. How similar are the activities to prevent an epidemic and the movements to prevent the invasion of foreign enemies?”

At Hyang’s words, the ministers and commanders who briefly recalled their memories nodded once again.

When foreign enemies invade, the first step is to confirm where they’ve attacked and what their scale is.

Next, defensive lines are formed around the enemy’s occupied areas to block the enemy’s advance while simultaneously cutting off their supply lines.

By tying down the enemy’s feet like this, they are gradually annihilated.

This was the most basic defensive tactic written in military manuals. And the method of dealing with the outbreak of an epidemic was similar to this.

The ministers and commanders who understood the example Hyang gave agreed to add ‘basic military tactics’ to the curriculum.

The problem was that this ‘basic military tactics’ was “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu.

“The Art of War? Isn’t that too advanced?”

To Hyang’s point, the commanders asked back with faces that said it was nonsense.

“The Art of War is a must-read that anyone applying for the military exam should read and master, isn’t it? Isn’t it?”

“Well, that’s true, but… Well. Let’s do it that way.”

Stepping back, Hyang muttered inwardly.

‘I sometimes feel that there are many things reversed when comparing the 21st century and now.’

Things that were considered basic in the 21st century were either very advanced knowledge or skills in the current Joseon, or vice versa, frequently.

‘Anyway, my condolences to the gentlemen who will study what’s considered both the beginning and the ultimate in military tactics…’

Hyang was turning his head away after starting this himself.

***

After overcoming one hurdle like this, Hyang, the ministers, and the commanders moved on to the next issue.

The next problem waiting was related to the overall Military Academy – the issue of the education period.

Regarding this education period, the military insisted on 10 years, while others argued for 6 years.

“6 years? That’s too short! Military texts are just as deep as the Confucian classics if we consider their depth! 6 years is too short!”

“It took at least 10 years of study to apply for the military exam! At least!”

The ministers standing at the opposite end of the military department arguing for 10 years didn’t back down either.

“10 years? Even if you study for 20 years, not just 10, aren’t you the ones who treat them as novices if they haven’t experienced actual combat? It’s better to teach only what’s necessary and then finish in actual combat! 10 years? Are you going to earn that budget?”

“Even if it’s 10 years, doesn’t that include the time to learn basic studies like the Thousand Character Classic? Since they’ll come through public schools and middle schools anyway, can’t we subtract that time?”

“This is discriminating against the military class!”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Even for selecting civil officials, it’s stated that they can apply for the civil service exam if they complete public school or middle school! What nonsense about discriminating against the military class? If you argue like that, it’s discriminating against the civil class!”

The confrontation between both sides showed no signs of backing down. However, both sides had valid reasons. The military wanted well-polished talents, while the ministers wanted to supply talents with necessary abilities within a limited budget.

As this confrontation between the two sides continued, Hyang intervened.

“How about going with a 6-year course for now? I said ‘for now’.”

“Did you say ‘for now’, Your Highness?”

“Yes.”

Nodding, Hyang explained in more detail.

-For the first 3 years at the Military Academy, students learn the most basic military knowledge, weapon skills, and unit operation methods.

-After learning for 3 years, they take an exam, and those who fail are assigned as lower-ranking officers like military instructors or garrison commanders.

-Those who pass the exam learn advanced military knowledge and unit operation techniques for the next 3 years.

-Those who pass this total 6-year course are appointed and placed as patrol officers or acting officers according to their rank.

-Afterwards, those who have worked with excellent performance evaluations for at least 5 years are tested and promoted to high-ranking officers starting from commanders of 10,000.

-Those who start as military instructors or garrison commanders can be promoted to flag bearers or patrol officers if they record excellent performance evaluations for 3 years. Subsequently, if they record excellent performance evaluations for 5 years, they are given the opportunity to challenge the promotion exam.

“What do you think?”

The ministers immediately agreed with Hyang’s proposal.

“It’s a good plan! Since the current promotion process for civil officials also goes through a similar process, we can solve the issue of fairness!”

Having received the support of the ministers, Hyang turned to the military personnel.

“What do you think?”

“Please give us some time…”

“Of course.”