In 1566 the Queen Mother died, and no sooner was it announced than the monk who had been such a favorite with her was banished to Quelpart and there beaten to death. This done, the officials demanded the death of Yun Wŭn-hyŭng. The King refused to kill his uncle but deprived him of all official position and drove him away from the capital.
Chapter IV.
King Sŭn-Jo takes the throne.... a memorable reign.... reforms.... northern invasion.... a prophecy.... mourning costume.... rise of the political parties.... party strife.... literature.... border war.... condition of affairs in Korea.... charge of effeminacy untrue.... condition of Japan.... Japanese envoy.... Hideyoshi.... his demands refused.... second envoy.... delay.... Korea’s condition acceded to.... renegades executed.... conspiracy.... a coward envoy.... Hideyoshi’s ultimatum.... Korea refuses.... Tairano.... the King’s answer to Hideyoshi.... the King informs the Emperor.... preparations for war.... generals commissioned.... the army of invasion.... lands on Korean soil.... Japanese firearms.... the cowardly provincial general.... the fall of Tong-nă.... a faithful defender.... cowardly officers.... the Japanese move northward.... a martinet.
In 1568, as King Myŭng-jong lay dying, his Queen summoned the officials to consult about the succession but ere they arrived the King expired. They asked her to nominate a successor and she named Prince Hă-sŭng a youth of seventeen, second cousin to the deceased King. He is known by his posthumous title Sŭn-jo So-gyŭng Tă-wang. The Queen who nominated him acted as regent until he should reach his majority.
This reign is perhaps the most memorable of any in this dynasty, for in it occurred the great Japanese invasion which brought the land to the verge of destruction and which has ever since colored the Korean conception of the Japanese.
The first years of the reign were spent in correcting the abuses brought about by “Little Yun” and in removing from office all those who had been connected in any way with him. The whole kingdom was canvassed for wise and scholarly men to put in the places of those who had been removed. Books intended for the instruction and elevation of the people were published and distributed far and wide.
The wild Ya-in across the Ya-lu were crossing that river and taking possession of fields in Korea proper, near the town of Kang-gye. The King sent a force under Gen. Kim Tong-yung to dislodge them. The intruders were chased across the river and into a narrow defile where they turned on their pursuers. Taken thus by surprise the Korean forces were thrown into confusion and were put to flight, but not till after their general had fallen. A second expedition chased the intruders to their villages, and burned them out.
In the following year the Prime Minister Yi Chun-gyŭng died, but before he expired he gave voice to a prophecy which has become historic. He said:—“Since I have begun to examine men’s minds I find that opposing factions will arise and that in their train great evils will follow. The king should studiously avoid showing favoritism to either of these factions. The first symptom of the rise of such factions should be met with stern resistance.”
In the year 1572, the relations with the Japanese were as follows:—Since the seventh year of King Chöng-jong, when the Japanese in the three ports revolted, there had been little communication between the two countries, but a few Japanese had been allowed to live in the three settlements by sufferance. But now the Japanese sent a friendly message asking that the old relations be resumed. The prefect of Fusan added his influence in favour of granting the request, and the Japanese were allowed to resume operations at Fusan alone, three li below the prefecture, which means about half way down the bay from the present village of Fusan. From that time the former relations seem to have been renewed, but no envoys went from Korea to Japan. It was decreed by the Korean government that should a Japanese land anywhere upon the coast except at Fusan he should be dealt with as a pirate. Officials were set to watch the Japanese and see to it that they did not overstep the strict regulations.
It had not been customary for the people to assume mourning on the death of a royal personage, but when the Queen Regent died in 1575 the custom was begun, and each citizen wore a white hat, belt, and shoes.