Product Code Database
The Sarim (sometimes known as Saarim), or "forest of scholars", was a powerful faction of literati who emerged in the Early Joseon period under Kil Chae, and would later come to dominate Middle and Late Joseon politics in Korea. After outliving the Hungu faction, the Sarim faction experienced several breakups during and after the reign of King Seonjo (1567–1608) into the Western and Eastern factions; these factions would also experience their very own splits in the coming years. By the 19th century, Joseon court politics would see a shift in control from scholarly factions towards the 'in-law families'; for most of the 19th century, the Jangdong branch of the Andong Kim clan was in control of the government.
When King Seongjong (1469–1495) became the ninth king of Joseon, he invited Kim Chong-jik and his disciples, who came to be called Sarim scholars, to his court and supported their political growth. They primarily served in so-called Three Offices, from which challenged the entrenched "Hungu" officials, who accumulated great power and wealth by supporting King Sejo when he usurped the throne from his nephew.
However, the Sarim faction, whose origin stems from denial of the legitimacy of Joseon dynasty, was vulnerable to Hungu's attacks because it questioned the legitimacy of King Sejo's usurpation and primarily engaged in the censorate role against the king and ministers. After four major purges that saw Cho Kwangjo and many others executed, the Sarim scholars again retreated to rural villages where they continued to spread their philosophy through local schools called seowon and maintained their power base through the system of Hyang'yak.
While the Hungu faction declined over the years without any ideological successor to replace it, the Sarim faction maintained its identity through the "martydom" of the earlier generation and came to dominate court politics during the reign of King Seonjo in the latter half of the 16th century. By then, Sarim philosophy coalesced around the teachings of the philosophers Yi Hwang and Yi I. From that time, the Sarim faction maintained political power for much of the Joseon dynasty.
These factional splits grew out of allegiance to different philosophical schools and regional differences. For instance, the Eastern faction was largely Yeongnam-based, and its subfaction Southerners were mainly followers of Yi Hwang while Northerners coalesced around the school of Jo Shik. Gyeonggi and the Chungcheong-based Western faction were largely followers of Yi I, of which the followers of Sŏng Hon then split to form the Soron faction, while Song Si-yŏl's followers became the Noron faction. These divisions were often further driven by questions concerning royal succession or appropriate royal conduct. The factions were often named after the location of their leader's house.
The Westerners were led by Sim Ŭigyŏm, Myeongjong's brother-in-law whose house was on the west of the palace. Although Sarim scholars were usually hostile to royal in-laws as a corrupting influence, Shim was Yi Hwang's disciple and protected Sarim scholars by impeaching his uncle who was planning another literati purge. In addition, many Westerners were disciples of Yi I and Sŏng Hon and followers of Giho school while many Easterners were disciples of Yi Hwang and Jo Shik and followers of Youngnam School. Easterners emphasized moral purification of the ruling class and rooting out corruption of earlier period while Westerners emphasized reforms that would strengthen the country and improve livelihood. (Easterners blamed Sim Ŭigyŏm's ill-willed opposition to Kim Hyowŏn's appointment at a key position in Ministry of Personnel for split while Westerners blamed Easterner's self-righteous attack.) Yi I attempted to prevent the factional split by appointing Sim Ŭigyŏm and Kim Hyowŏn to provincial posts far away from the court and arranging truce between Easterner Yi Pal and Westerner Chŏng Ch'ŏl. After Yi I's death, however, the conflict between two factions became more intense as the Easterners impeached Sim Ŭigyŏm and Chŏng Ch'ŏl, leading to their dismissal, and gained upper hand.
In 1589, Easterner Chŏng Yŏrip was accused of treason because he had formed a society with his supporters that met each month to study and receive military training. The history of the Sarim after its split is very complicated because there is a wealth of conflicting historical accounts written by each faction. This is especially true with what became known as Gichuk Treason Case of 1589 (기축옥사), the bloodiest purge in Joseon history by far. There is still a dispute about the nature and purpose of Chŏng Yŏrip's group of armed supporters and whether it was treason or frame up. His group was not a secret society as it helped the local government in the fight against the Japanese marauders. On the other hand, it appears that Chŏng truly had revolutionary ideas that were close to republicanism. He believed that the world was something to be shared and therefore could not have one master. His group, called "Great Common Society"(대동계), could be joined by anyone regardless of his social status, and it spread throughout Honam province and to other regions as well. Chŏng Yŏrip committed suicide after his arrest was ordered, which was considered the admission of guilt, and letters of Easterners were discovered in his house.
Chŏng Ch'ŏl, famous poet and head of the Western faction, was in charge of investigating the case and used his authority to start the widespread purge of Easterners during the Treason Case of 1589 who had slightest connection with Chŏng Yŏrip. According to Easterners' accounts, Chŏng Ch'ŏl tortured even 80-year-old mother and 8-year-old son of Yi Pal, leader of Eastern faction. According to Westerners' accounts, Chŏng Ch'ŏl tried heroically to save Yi Pal and Choe Yeong-gyeong from Seonjo's wrath. In any event, 1,000 Easterners were killed or exiled in the aftermath. It is also believed that Seonjo used this incident to weaken the Sarim's power.
The Southerners, led by Yu Sŏngnyong, were initially in power after Japanese Invasion in 1592, and maintained the policy of coexistence with Northerners and Westerners until its effort to reach peace agreement with Japan failed. The Northerners, now in power, split again over the proper successor to Seonjo, who had no legitimate son. Greater Northern faction supported Prince Gwanghae while Lesser Northern faction supported the newly born Grand Prince Yeongchang, with the death of Grand Prince Yeongchang and the dethronement of his mother resulting in the victory of the extremist Greater Northerners. During Prince Gwanghae's reign, Greater Northern faction split further and persecuted other factions until Southerners and Westerners joined their forces in a coup d'état that deposed Prince Gwanghae and placed Injo on the throne.
With the Westerners back in power, Joseon politics entered more stable stage in which they competed with Southerners in relatively peaceful coexistence for about 100 years. But under Hyojong's reign, the Western faction was becoming more powerful.
The two factions were also in conflict over the issue on fighting the Qing Dynasty, which was considered a barbarian government (as opposed to Ming dynasty) that threatened Joseon's national security. The Southern faction, led by Hŏ Chŏk and Yun Hyu, supported war against the Qing while the Western faction wanted to focus first on improving domestic conditions. Under Sukjong's reign the factional fight became more intense and deadly since Sukjong frequently replaced factions in power with another one to strengthen the royal authority. With each change of government, which was called hwanguk (환국 換局), literally turn of the state, the losing faction was completely driven out of politics with executions and exiles.
Five years later in 1694, Southern faction was planning another purge of Western faction, accusing them of conspiracy to reinstate deposed Queen Inhyeon, when Sukjong began to regret deposing Queen Inhyeon and favor Consort Suk of Ch'oe clan (Consort Ch'oe), an ally of Queen Inhyeon and Noron faction. Angry with Southern faction's attempt to purge Westerners, Sukjong abruptly turned around to purge Southerners and brought the Western faction back in power. The Southern faction would never recover from this blow, also called Gapsul hwanguk (갑술환국). Sukjong demoted Queen Jang to Consort Jang and reinstated Queen Inhyeon. Consort Jang was eventually executed (with poison) for cursing Queen Inhyeon after the latter died. Soron faction supported the crown prince, Consort Jang's son, while Noron faction supported Consort Ch'oe's son, Prince Yeoning (later to become Yeongjo). Late Queen Inhyeon and newly installed Queen Inwon were childless.
Under the reigns of Yeongjo and Jeongjo in the 18th century, the kings pursued a strict policy of equality, favoring no faction over another.Lee (1984), p. 223. However, in Jeongjo's reign, strife re-emerged as the ruling Noron faction split further between the Byeokpa and Sipa, two groups which cut across the earlier factions and differed in their attitudes concerning Yeongjo's murder of his son, who was also Jeongjo's father.
In the 19th century, Joseon politics shifted as in-law families rather than scholarly factions came to dominate the throne. For most of the 19th century, the Jangdong branch of the Andong Kim clan was in control of the government, which led to rampant corruption throughout the country.
|
|
