By Mark Peterson
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Who is on the money in Korea, and what does it mean?
When the 1,000 won note came out, the powers that be had decided that a true cultural hero was the 16th century Confucian scholar, Yi Hwang, known also as Toegye. Soon thereafter, the descendants and disciples of the "other 16th century pillar of Confucian philosophy," Yi I, better known as Yulgok, were able to get their man on the 5,000 won note. The 10,000 won note has the image of the great Confucian king, Sejong.
The theme so far has been Confucianism. Two Confucian scholars and a king whose primary legacy was Confucian scholarship. He was the inventor of the Korean alphabet, but he did several other things that showed he was an ideal Confucian monarch.
It's interesting to me that the "king" figure was not a military king, like Yi Seonggye, the founder of the Joseon Kingdom, or Wang Geon, the founder of the Goryeo Kingdom, or Muyeol, the king of unification under the Silla Kingdom. Rather, the king chosen to represent Korean history was the scholar-king, the exemplary Confucian king.
Twentieth-century figures were replaced. Syngman Rhee had been on the money, but his less-than-happy demise and removal from office left him off the money. Other twentieth-figures have been rumored to be considered for the not-yet-minted 100,000 won note; we hear Kim Ku a name we hear that is under consideration. Also replaced on notes in the 1950s and 60s, was Yi Sunsin, the famous admiral who is known for the turtle boats.
But what we've got are prominent 16th century scholars on the 1,000 won and 5,000 won note, and a scholarly king on the 10,000 won note. This was the case for some years, when we came up with the 50,000 won note. And who was chosen to grace the cover of this bill? A woman. The decision-making process probably focused on the decision to feature a woman, and then the debate was probably on which woman.
The anti-Japanese freedom-fighter and martyr, Ryu Gwan-sun, might have been considered, but may not have been a good choice because of the potential disruption to Japanese business relations. The famous 16th century writer, Heo Nanseorheon, may have been considered. The 18th century princess, Lady Hong Hyegyeong, who chronicled the death of her crown prince husband in her diary, Hanjungnok, might have been considered.
But the decision was to feature Shin Saimdang. What did she do? She was the mother of Yulgok, who was already on the W5000 note. It was more than the fact that she was an author and a poet. It was more than she was an artist and that her art was featured on the reverse side of both the 50,000 won note and the 5,000 won note.
The key was, once again, Confucianism. Not only was Shin Saimdang a talented woman, she fulfilled the role of the ideal Confucian woman in that she was likened unto the mother of Mencius. And inasmuch as Mencius was an exemplary disciple of Confucius and was taught and trained by a dedicated mother, so Yulgok an exemplary disciple of Confucius in Korea was taught and trained by a dedicated mother.
Confucians, who are often criticized as being less-than-fair to women, respond by pointing out the roles of women in an ideal Confucian world. The ideal Confucian role for women, traditionally, is that of the "yangcheo, hyeonmo" ― the "good wife, and wise mother." And the best example in China was the mother of Mencius, and the parallel best example in Korea was the mother of Yulgok.
Shin Saimdang was the mother of seven children in addition to being an acclaimed artist and poet. Her greatest success was child number three ― Yulgok, who became a great scholar and one of the "two pillars" of sixteenth century Confucian philosophy, the formative period for subsequent scholarly schools in Korea. Not only that, but Yulgok passed his first exam when he was only 13 years old, when his mother was still alive. She died young; the year after Yulgok's first exam success. So, she had a direct impact on her young son. She taught him at the first, at home, before he moved upward into the educational system of the Joseon Kingdom.
Who is on the money? Two Confucian philosophers, a Confucian king, and a Confucian mother. The theme is Confucianism.
Mark Peterson (markpeterson@byu.edu) is professor emeritus of Korean, Asian and Near Eastern languages at Brigham Young University in Utah.
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