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2019 | Book

Old Wealth Horse to New Wealth Ox Read chapter Read first chapter

Agriculture and Korean Economic History

Concise Farming Talk (Nongsa chiksǒl)

Author: Seong Ho Jun

Publisher: Springer Singapore

Part of: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft" , Springer Professional "Technik"

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About this book

This book is an economic history of the Chosŏn dynasty (1392-1910). The Chosŏn dynasty is not only known for managing the northeastern regions of Asia for 500 years as the exemplars of Confucianism, their kingdom was also one of the greatest so-called “agricultural states under Heaven.” The Chosŏn dynasty has been briefly explored academically by Western scholars, but their findings have some limitations. The period of 1400-1600, in particular, has been too poorly reported on in the English language to gain the attention of the Western knowledge society. This book aims to fill the gaps in the existing research and will be of interest to economists, scholars of Korean history, agriculturists, and ecologists.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter

General Introduction

Frontmatter
Chapter 1. Old Wealth Horse to New Wealth Ox
Abstract
The mystery of whether the origin of East Asian agricultural techniques is in the upland, mountainous districts or lowland delta areas cannot be known for certain. This chapter shows that Koreans experienced a transition from the nomadic pastoral world to the settled agricultural world to maximize food production, resulting in Korea’s transformation into a great so-called agricultural state under Heaven.
Seong Ho Jun
Chapter 2. Choson’s Settled Population by King’s Reign (1392–1910)
Abstract
The upland mountainous area of Northeast Asia and well-watered hilly places were the cradle of Korean civilization. Until the fifteenth century, the nomadic people migrated to the northern part of Korea. The continual development of this vast upland area gradually brought about an Agriculture Revolution in the economic geography of Korea. By the sixteenth century, the upland had become Chosŏn’s economic center of gravity and the granary of the country.
Seong Ho Jun
Chapter 3. What Climatic Change During the First Global Age Tells Us
Abstract
During the beginning of the fifteenth century, East Asia also suffered from extreme starvation due to droughts. The period just after the enthronement of King Sejong marked the highest recorded natural disaster and famine reports. This chapter explains an intensive system for the expansion of tillage and food production created remarkable land-use systems which are rich in significant diversity evolving from the co-adaptation of a community with its environment.
Seong Ho Jun
Chapter 4. Emerging Seed Science in CFT
Abstract
The emergence of grain seeds in international trade and diplomacy in the fifteenth century not only indicated the climatic change, but also served as contributing factor to the birth of the seed science. This is one of the most famous cases where the Chinese imperial court demanded and obtained early-sowing varieties from other countries. The origin of these varieties is known to be the Vietnamese mountain area where the rice terraces had been developed.
Seong Ho Jun
Chapter 5. Drought: Enduring and Leguminous Plants Science
Abstract
This chapter presents the historical link between the compilation of CFT and the invention of hangŭl through supporting historical records, highlighting the fact that Korea’s seasoned farmers possessed the creative technologies earnestly sought by the state in the fifteenth century. The development technologies for early-sowing rice varieties and legume crops were sown on top of the embankments as they were resistant to drought in their early stages of growth. Thus, the intercropping of barley and legumes, wherein the former needed shade and the latter needed sunlight, was the perfect match. The technologies explained as the origin of extremely rapid population growth and the development of labor-intensive industries which continued until the eighteenth century in East Asia’s Industrious Revolution.
Seong Ho Jun
Chapter 6. The Organization of CFT
Abstract
CFT is organized into three parts: preface giving an overview of farming and background information regarding the publication of CFT; Part II is the main body composed of eleven chapters. The last part reviews the glossary.
Seong Ho Jun
Chapter 7. Conclusion
Abstract
The existence of CFT in fifteenth-century Korea testifies to the inventiveness and ingenuity of Korean farmers in their use and management of limited resources, biodiversity, ecosystem dynamics, and ingenious use of physiognomies of the Korean topography, categorized for traditional knowledge, practices, and technologies.
Seong Ho Jun

English Translation of Concise Farming Talk (Nongsa chiksǒl)

Frontmatter
Chapter 8. Preface
Abstract
Farming is the great foundation of all states under Heaven. Since the ancient times, there has been no sage king who did not commit himself to farm depending entirely on timing. King Sejong inherited the grand design for governing, devoting himself even more to the people’s affairs.
Seong Ho Jun
Chapter 9. Preparing the Seeds
Abstract
Collect seeds of the nine crops and select those that are healthy, unmixed, and not damp. During the winter months, the seeds should be stored in an earthenware jar or wooden tub. In the last month of the year, collect a sufficient amount of melted snow, store it to the brim in a nalgae, for sowing, soak the seeds in the melted snow, take them out, and dry them under the sun, or soak the seeds in a wooden tub filled with urine from the sump on the floor of the cow and horse stable, then take (the seeds) out, and dry them under the sun.
Seong Ho Jun
Chapter 10. Plowing the Soil
Abstract
Plowing should be done slowly. When done slowly, the soil becomes soft, and the ox does not tire. Spring and summer plowing should be shallow, and autumn plowing should be deep. For spring plowing, harrow the soil right after it is plowed; for autumn plowing, wait for the soil to dry out and turn light, then harrow.
Seong Ho Jun
Chapter 11. Cultivating Hemp
Abstract
When the ice melts in the first month, select good fields, plow three times, spread cow and horse manure over the field. When sowing seeds, it is also necessary to sow them evenly and densely.
Seong Ho Jun
Chapter 12. Cultivating Rice
Abstract
There are early-sowing varieties and late-sowing varieties. As for cultivation and sowing methods, there are wet farming its common name is musalmi, dry farming its common name is marǔnsami, and transplanting seedlings its common name is myochong. The weeding method is generally the same for all varieties. Though there are many varieties of rice, in general they are all alike. However, there is a special variety called mebyǒ. Highlands and locations with sources of cold water are all appropriate for this variety.
Seong Ho Jun
Chapter 13. Cultivating Proso/Foxtail Millet
Abstract
When the frost disappears, early-sowing proso/foxtail millet should be sown in the first week of the third month. Late-sowing proso/foxtail millet should be sown between the second week of the third month and the first week of the fourth month, select fields mixed with half fine sand and half black dirt. High and dry areas are appropriate for the nature of proso/foxtail millet, and low and wet places are not.
Seong Ho Jun
Chapter 14. Cultivating Barnyard Grass
Abstract
Low and wetlands are appropriate for barnyard grass. The soil should be plowed in the second week of the second month. Barnyard grass, a late-sowing quick-ripening variety can be sown at the latest in the first week of the sixth month when plowing the roots of barley/wheat.
Seong Ho Jun
Chapter 15. Cultivating Soybeans, Red Beans, and Mung Beans
Abstract
Soybeans and red beans have early- and late-sowing varieties called Bomgali; the late-sowing called Kǔlugali refers to plowing the roots of barley/wheat. The red bean Kǔlugali variety is the same as that of the soybean Kǔlugali variety. However, for this variety you should scatter the seeds on field where barley had been planted, then plow again. In the case of small fields, when barley/wheat is ready to be harvested, make a small furrow in between their rows. Plant the soybeans in this furrow. Then, harvest the barley/wheat. Then using the dirt with the barley/wheat roots still in it, fill the furrow where the soybeans were planted. The relay cropping of autumn barley in soybean fields and the relay cropping of foxtail millet in barley fields follow the same method as this.
Seong Ho Jun
Chapter 16. Cultivating Barley and Wheat
Abstract
As barley and wheat are planted between this and the next year’s harvests, they are the most critical for farms. Barren fields should be sown during White Dew, acceptable fields should be sown during the Autumn Equinox, and fertile fields should be sown ten days after the Autumn Equinox.
Seong Ho Jun
Chapter 17. Cultivating Sesame
Abstract
Wasteland is appropriate for sesame. In the fourth month after it rains, plow the soil and scatter the seeds. Use a koŭmp’a to break up the dirt clods and cover the soil. Hoe no more than twice. Harvest the sesame as it ripens. Tie them into small bundles and make a pile by propping five or six bundles up against each other. When the fruit of the sesame opens, flip each bundle upside down and tap it lightly with a small stick.
Seong Ho Jun
Chapter 18. Cultivating Buckwheat
Abstract
It is good to get the right timing with buckwheat. If the right time is missed and the frost comes, the harvest will be lost. If the Autumn Equinox falls in the sixth month, then the time to sow is within three days before the Autumn Equinox. If the Autumn Equinox falls in the seventh month, then the time to sow is within three days after the Autumn Equinox.
Seong Ho Jun
Chapter 19. Cultivating Cotton
Abstract
Cotton’s nature suits fields that are dry mixed with sand. The fields are plowed completely and left alone in the second week of the second month. Cover the cotton seeds gently with cow manure, wait until their white color cannot be seen, and then cover them in a urine and ash mixture, and cover them again with dried ashes until they are the size of hazelnuts. For barren fields in mountain valleys or plains, dig a wide pit about the width of seat cushion and the depth of the knees after the ice has melted. When the time comes to plant cotton seeds, fill it with urine and cow or horse manure, and cover it with fresh dirt.
Seong Ho Jun
Backmatter
Metadata
Title
Agriculture and Korean Economic History
Author
Seong Ho Jun
Copyright Year
2019
Publisher
Springer Singapore
Electronic ISBN
978-981-329-319-9
Print ISBN
978-981-329-318-2
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-32-9319-9

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