A History of Korea (38 page)

In the first few years of the new dynasty, Ch
ng authored many of Chos
n’s foundational documents. These included an early
version of the dynastic law code that, after decades of gestation, would be promulgated in final form eighty years later. In this and other works, Ch
ng displayed a penchant for crafting a working compromise between Confucian ideals, on the one hand, and practical politics on the other. His model for government organization harkened explicitly to the ancient
Rites of Zhou
, one of the core works of the Confucian canon. Ch
ng’s reverence for China’s classical age brought about an affirmation of a universal civilizational order centered on Korea’s allegiance to the Ming dynasty. He did not view this arrangement in terms of China and Korea as separate countries as much as partners reviving the original glorious connections of the mythical era when a Chinese sage, Kija, purportedly brought civilization to Korea. Ch
ng also helped to institutionalize Confucian meritocratic ideals further through an emphasis on using examinations instead of connections to recruit government officials. This likely reflected his own relatively low birth status (he came from a family of local officials, it appears), a point exploited by his enemies throughout his career. Also arising from his own experience—namely, his near-decade spent in political exile—was his emphasis on the welfare of the peasantry, the meek majority whose struggles he witnessed directly in the remote corners of the country. As if these political and philosophical works were not enough, Ch
ng helped to design the layout of the new capital city of Hanyang (Seoul), drafted an official history of the Kory
dynasty—an important work in legitimating the Chos
n—and even composed musical paeans to the new dynasty and its founder.

These accomplishments mattered little, however, in the face of naked ambition from members of the royal house, and Ch
ng’s death served as one of many episodes of bloodshed that surrounded royal succession in the early Chos
n dynasty. Ch
ng’s downfall began with his public support of Yi S
nggye’s decision to appoint Yi Pangs
k, the founder’s youngest son, as the crown prince. Prince Pangw
n, who had long supported Ch
ng’s preeminent standing in the circles of royal advisers, considered this a betrayal and took action, just as he had done several years earlier when he did away with scholar-officials, like Ch
ng Mongju, who had opposed the toppling of the Kory
monarchy. Now Pangw
n set his sights on
Ch
ng Toj
n, who was beaten to death by Pangw
n’s agents in 1398, just as other assailants eliminated the crown prince. The dynastic founder, unable to bear any more of this mayhem among his children, abdicated in favor of another son and returned to his home town of Hamh