“What is the most urgent national issue right now?”
Joseon in times of chaos is handing over to the present in crisis.
Exceptional insight and fundamental solutions!

I wonder if there has ever been a time when South Korea was not in crisis.
While the majority of the people struggle to take care of themselves in the face of the uncertainty brought about by revolutionary change in many areas, no one is willing to engage in responsible politics that embraces everyone.
It appears that the main force behind the effort to revive the tumbling economy and the chaotic society has also disappeared.
They know what the most urgent national issue is right now, but they consistently pretend not to know.


The situation of Joseon, which was founded on this land several hundred years ago, was not much different.
Nevertheless, attempts to present fundamental solutions with extraordinary insight have continued.
This book, "The King Asks Desperately and the Subject Answers Risking His Life," deals with the king's "chaekmun" and the subject's "daecheop" (countermeasures) that were administered in the form of the civil service examination during the Joseon Dynasty.
We sought to comprehensively plan and prepare response measures for the most pressing issues and tasks of the time, including national management and national vision.
The leader of the nation, the 'king', asked with a desperate heart, and the talented 'subordinate' who assisted the leader risked his life to come up with a proper answer.


If we consider how ancient documents, which remain merely as relics and have historical value, can have contemporary value, it is because the king's desperate question and the subject's answer, prepared with the determination to die for their lives, hundreds of years ago are directly connected to our lives today and concern issues that recur even today.
In particular, the minister's policy is not only a concentrated reflection of his personal philosophy, historical awareness, and analysis of reality, but he also speaks only of the right words and correct statements in various fields such as economy, politics, administration, and welfare.
When you follow that advice, it is very useful and practical.

Taejong asked, “What were the factors that enabled Dangwoo and the three generations to achieve such an excellent reign?”
(...) Taejong's question was how the wise kings of the past were able to carry out such virtuous politics, and how we can emulate such politics and put it into practice today.
This is the variable's answer to this.


The way to govern a country should be rooted in the heart, and the laws to govern a country should be appropriate to the times.
If the principles are not rooted in the heart, they cannot form the foundation for politics, and if laws are not enacted in a timely manner, they cannot serve as tools for achieving good politics.
The key to preserving the mind, creating the way to heal, and establishing the method of healing according to the times lies in maintaining the middle way. There is no other way to maintain the middle way than to be rectified.
--- p.20~21

Yeonsangun said, “I have heard that talented people are the country’s greatest asset.
“Since ancient times, when an emperor has achieved great politics, there has never been a time when he did not consider acquiring talented people as a top priority,” he said, and asked why Joseon felt it lacked talented people despite introducing various selection methods, and how to “promote virtuous people so that they can flourish like trees and be used for the good of the world and help govern the country.”
The eye says:


May the gods desire that Your Majesty, by observing the practicalities of your own actions and attainments, enlighten the minds of the people and cultivate talents.
If talented people are constantly produced and every household is filled with them, Your Majesty's selection of talented people will be like taking items from a wealthy household, and nothing will go as planned.
How could a lack of talent be a cause for concern? Your Majesty asked about acquiring talent, and I answered with a concise, yet eloquent, "cultivating talent."
--- p.54~61

Jungjong asked why we are not consistent, and how the great kings of the three generations were able to remain consistent.
This is the right answer to this question.
Since ancient times, kings have wanted to do things well from the beginning to the end.
But as the Book of Songs says, even if you do well at the beginning, you won't be good until the end.
Confucius once said, “The human mind is something that can be preserved if held, but is lost if let go. It comes and goes without warning, and you cannot tell where it goes.”
Everyone's heart is different in what it catches and what it lets go of, and this is where the distinction between good and evil is determined.
If you start well, it's because you've made up your mind, but if you end poorly, it's because you've lost your mind.
It is truly a fearful thing, for good and evil depend on whether you keep your heart or lose it.
I humbly beg that Your Majesty keep this in mind from beginning to end and do not neglect it in the slightest.
--- p.84

The second question from the ancestors is, “There are four elements to studying: respect, reflection, discipline, and repentance.”
We will focus on Jo Hee-il's answer to the question, "Can you tell me more about that?"
Scholars of old always progressed by building up their skills sequentially from their current situation, rather than suddenly jumping through hoops and studying difficult subjects.
Broadly speaking, there are four aspects to learning, and each of these four has its own stages and order.
When studying, you must first understand the principles of things and use them as a stepping stone to learning and as a target to move toward the Way.
Next, we must be very careful and restrained when we are alone, thus making our inner selves very solemn, and we must be very careful about our outward expressions of words and actions, making our demeanor very respectful.
We must delve deeper into what we already know, and we must not give up on our academic pursuits, thinking that what we know now is enough.
Also, if you see a good deed, you must put it into practice. You should not stop doing good deeds because you think that what you have done is enough.
From the foundation of learning to the small details of daily life, we must cultivate both our inner and outer selves and practice them diligently to shine brightly.
(...) The way to pursue learning is to first know what to do and then put it into practice in order.
--- p.145~146

What did Kwon Yi-jin see as the problem with King Sukjong's politics? He pointed out the following.
Even though they promised to protect the people, they did not provide them with a place to live, so in every household, husbands and wives are leaving their hometowns with their children and wandering in search of a way to survive.
The purpose of surveying land is to correct boundaries, but the land acquisition of the wealthy has increased.
He tried to show mercy by forgiving unpaid taxes, but it did not reach the homes of the common people.
They want to reduce taxes by revealing the Daedong Law, but the government offices are crying out that their warehouses are empty.
(...) Just as when fire burns, smoke comes out, and when water flows, the soil gets wet, there is no such thing as work that is without merit, or service that is without effect.
But Your Majesty, your work has been ineffective and has come to this point. How can this be?
--- p.201

Jeongjo lamented, “During the Han and Tang dynasties, there were many people who spent their entire lives holding only one position, so the spirit of establishing government offices and dividing up duties has not completely disappeared, but the customs in our country these days are the opposite of this.” He asked for a solution.
This is Jeong Yak-yong's answer.
He said, “Because he changes agricultural officials frequently, he doesn’t know how much revenue there is and how little expenses there are. And because he changes military officials frequently, he doesn’t remember which military affairs should be prioritized or which military officers are useful.
“The reason that the judgments made by the previous official are overturned by the successor is because the Ministry of Justice changes frequently, so there is a lot of resentment in Oksong, and the reason that the officials are ignorant of the rules is because the Ministry of Rites changes frequently, so it is impossible to verify the rites,” he answered.

--- p.220~221