Confucian Reform in Chosŏn Korea
Yu Hyŏngwŏn's Pan’gye surok
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Book Description
Pan’gye surok (or "Pan’gye’s Random Jottings") was written by the Korean scholar and social critic Yu Hyŏngwŏn(1622-1673), who proposed to reform the Joseon dynasty and realise an ideal Confucian society. It was recognised as a leading work of political science by Yu’s contemporaries and continues to be a key text in understanding the intellectual culture of the late Joseon period.
Yu describes the problems of the political and social realities of 17th Century Korea, reporting on his attempts to solve these problems using a Confucian philosophical approach. In doing so, he establishes most of the key terminology relating to politics and society in Korea in the late Joseon. His writings were used as a model for reforms within Korea over the following centuries, inspiring social pioneers like Yi Ik and Chŏng Yakyong. Pan’gye surok demonstrates how Confucian thought spread outside China and how it was modified to fit the situation on the Korean peninsula.
Providing both the first English translation of the full Pan’gyesurok text as well as glossaries, notes and research papers on the importance of the text, this four volume set is an essential resource for international scholars of Korean and East Asian history.
Table of Contents
Volume One: Introduction to Pan’Gyesurok Pan’Gyesurok Preface Pan’Gyesurok Foreword Biographical Account 1.Clauses on the Distribution of the Field and the Determination of Taxes 2.Idle Talk Volume Two: Research Papers 1.Regulations for the Land Survey, Military Service and Taxation 2.Various Discussions on the Field System 3.Various Illustrations of the Measure of the Zhou Dynasty 4.Preface to the County and District System 5.Provinces 6.The Officials 7.Towns 8.Governance and Civilization 9.Postscript to the Random Jottings Volume Three: 1.Local Organization of the Field System 2.Household Registers 3.Maritime Grain Transport 4.Regular Government Expenditure 5.Accounts 6.Special Taxes 7.Ever-Normal Granaries and Village Granaries 8.Famine Relief Measures 9.Dams and Dikes 10.Planting Trees Volume Four: 1.Cash Currency 2.Coarse Cloth 3.Private Markets in Empty Places 4.Articles of Various Opinions of Famous Officials of the Chosŏn Dynasty on the Failures of Government Appendices
Editor(s)
Biography
Yu Hyongwon(1622-1673) was a social critic and scholar of the late Joseon period, who wrote under the pen name of “Pan’gye”. Bae Woosung is a Professor in the Department of Korean History at the University of Seoul, South Korea.