Choi Hyung-guk's Historical Essays (17) Two Characters Encapsulating King Jeongjo's Reign Philosophy—'Today (今)' and 'Use (用)'

The construction of Suwon Hwaseong Fortress during King Jeongjo's reign transcended simple military strategy and defense; it intersected with the decentralization of power concentrated in Seoul through the establishment of a new city. Even today, more than one-quarter of the entire population crowds into Seoul, but the situation was no different in late Joseon. Increasingly, people flocked to the capital, and residential areas of commoners gradually expanded beyond the city walls.

People chase capital. When capital accumulates and populations grow, political power naturally strengthens. That enhanced power, in time, naturally becomes corrupted. No matter how much law and institutions attempt to control it, the limits are clear. Corrupted power demands more capital and leads to more vicious corruption. That suffering falls squarely upon the people.

Therefore, the decentralization of power fundamentally requires the restructuring of space. To dismantle the monopolistic power of Seoul's vested interests, King Jeongjo built Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon and created a space that championed a new commercial city. Today, various government-related public institutions are likewise dispersed across the country in cities such as Sejong and Jeonju and gradually relocate—for the same reason.

King Jeongjo loved Suwon Hwaseong. The fruits of that love can be seen through various documents called Uigwe (儀軌), official records of state projects, and military treatises. At the heart of these lie three books: 『Hwaseong Seong-yeok Uigwe』(華城城役儀軌) [Records of the Hwaseong Fortress Construction], 『Won-haeng Eulmyo Jeong-ni Uigwe』(園幸乙卯整理儀軌) [Records of the Royal Tour to the Garden], and 『Muyedobotongji』(武藝圖譜通志) [Illustrated Manual of Martial Arts].

Suwon Hwaseong was built ostensibly to protect his father, Crown Prince Sado, whose tomb was relocated from Baebongsan in Yangju to Hwasan in Suwon—a symbolic fortress embodying filial piety at its heart. The meticulous care poured into this act of protection is captured in the 『Hwaseong Seong-yeok Uigwe』. Every building comprising the fortress, down to each individual stone, was drawn with precision. Moreover, the tools used in its construction were systematically catalogued.

The 『Won-haeng Eulmo Jeong-ni Uigwe』 documents King Jeongjo's eight-day journey to Suwon Hwaseong, during which he personally rode to commemorate his deceased father and to celebrate his mother, Hyegyeong-gung Hong's, sixtieth birthday—she being the same age as his late father. The account unfolds a special journey featuring thousands of soldiers in continuous procession and depicts, with meticulous brushwork, the nighttime military drills conducted at Suwon Hwaseong.

Finally, the 『Muyedobotongji』, centered on the soldiers of the Janggyonggyeong (壯勇營) garrison who defended Suwon Hwaseong, unified Joseon martial arts. This military treatise was compiled to standardize martial arts training not only among the core military units defending the capital—such as the Hunryeondogam (訓鍊都監), Geumwiyeong (禁衛營), and Eoyeongcheong (御營廳)—but also among the provincial militia forces throughout the nation. Beyond detailed explanations of martial techniques, the book comprehensively compiles the resources required to craft the weapons for each technique and the historical significance of each martial art. In the book's preface, King Jeongjo himself praised it, saying that one could intuitively grasp the subtle mechanisms of martial arts by merely opening the book once.

All three of these books have been inscribed in UNESCO's Memory of the World, testament to their profound significance. The spirit that permeates all three books related to Suwon Hwaseong in King Jeongjo's era is 'practical utility (實用)'. The spirit of pragmatism carries the sincere desire to render something genuinely useful in the present day and, through that meaning, enable future generations to advance one step further.

Though Suwon Hwaseong suffered considerable damage during Japanese colonial rule and the Korean War, it was painstakingly restored based on the 『Hwaseong Seong-yeok Uigwe』, the supreme construction report of its time, and proudly inscribed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. The 『Won-haeng Eulmyo Jeong-ni Uigwe』 is valued as an important historical source revealing microhistorical aspects of royal court culture during King Jeongjo's reign—including food culture, costume culture, and military processions. Furthermore, in the 『Muyedobotongji』, one can discern traces of how techniques transmitted from China, such as dual sword techniques, and those from Japan, such as the Japanese sword, along with various equestrian martial arts connected to the Mongols and northern nomadic peoples, were integrated into Joseon military martial arts. Through this, the text is recognized as a precious historical source illuminating the transformations in contemporary military martial arts and embodied culture.

The spirit of 'practical utility (實用)' that permeates the Jeongjo era is explicitly articulated in the 『Muyedobotongji』 as follows:

"When government officials unfold policies of practical utility, common people preserve livelihoods of practical utility,
scholars publish books of practical utility, soldiers master techniques of practical utility,
merchants circulate goods of practical utility, and artisans craft instruments of practical utility,
what concern should there be for the defense of the nation, what calamity need be feared for the protection of the people!"

"朝廷講實用之政 黎庶守實用之業 文苑撰實用之書 卒伍肄實用之技
商賈通實用之貨 工匠作實用之器 則何慮乎 衛國何患乎 保民也哉"
(『Muyedobotongji』, "General Armaments Section")

Conversely, should government officials neglect the affairs of state and unfold false policies merely for factional benefit, the nation perishes. Should common people, the economic foundation, indulge in idle fantasies and squander resources, families and village communities collapse. Should scholars, the intellectual cornerstone, grow negligent in writing and peddle absurd theories, the world of learning darkens.

Should soldiers, the foundation of national defense, fear physical training and fail to sharpen their weapons, the nation faces military threat. Should merchants, responsible for commerce and logistics, lose enterprise and fixate on monopolistic gain, the flow of goods stagnates. Finally, should industrial workers, the pillars of production, manufacture defective implements or neglect maintenance, machinery ceases to function.

When this occurs, only a few privileged elites monopolize wealth and honor, rendering the very defense of the nation meaningless, creating a strange world devoid of value in protecting the people. This transcends left and right politics; it concerns the fundamental question: 'What should be at the center of how we live?'

In the 『Muyedobotongji』, alongside the character 'use (用)', the most frequently appearing character is 'today (今)'. The answer to the question 'What is essential and useful to us right now?' is precisely 'practical utility (實用)'. And 'today (今)' is the starting point for advancing toward the 'future'. While scholars often discuss 'practical learning (實學)' and 'seeking truth from facts (實事求是)', they sometimes inadvertently fall into the realm of empty theory. True pragmatism lies in first considering what we must accomplish right now, solely for the sake of future generations.

Even if the present moment is somewhat difficult and arduous, our role in living today is to shed an extra drop of sweat not for ourselves, but for those who come after us.