Abstract

The goal of both Jeong Yakyong and King Jeongjo was to resolve the gap between rich and poor that in their day was increasing due to landowners buying up extensive areas of land. They regarded this as a question of executing justice. Therefore, Jeong argued the hamlet-land system, and later supplemented this with the well-field system, as he believed this would equalize the people’s livelihoods while increasing government revenue. Jeongjo also implemented the well-field system for land reform, albeit on a trial basis for a short period in some towns. Jeongjo’s goal was to allow villagers to be farmers in times of peace and soldiers in times war, though ultimately he did not achieve this aim. Later, Jeongjo implemented the military provision-land system of his predecessor King Yeongjo, fearing the implementation of the wellfield system would cause popular resentment. Jeong Yakyong’s long-term proposal was for the implementation of the well-field system nationwide. In this, Jeong’s proposal was reformative, whereas Jeongjo sought only to maintain the existing land system. But both Jeong and Jeongjo’s support of rice paddies meant the maintenance of an existing system, not reform. In his reform proposals, Jeong’s focus was on justice, while that of Jeongjo was social stability.