Jo Gwang-jo

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Jo Gwang-jo

Hangul	조광조
Hanja	趙光祖
Revised Romanization	Jo Gwang-jo
McCune-Reischauer	Cho Kwang-jo

Pen name

Hangul	정암
Hanja	靜庵
Revised Romanization	Jeong-am
McCune-Reischauer	Chŏng-am

Courtesy name

Hangul	효직
Hanja	孝直
Revised Romanization	Hyojik
McCune-Reischauer	Hyochik

Posthumous name

Hangul	문정
Hanja	文正
Revised Romanization	Munjeong
McCune-Reischauer	Munchŏng

Jo Gwang-jo (1482-1519) was an ambitious Korean Neo-Confucian scholar who passed the Gwageo in the early 1500s. He argued that Officer examination were too philosophical and detached from the practical needs of the government. The supplementary examination was called an "examination for the learned and the virtuous" (hyeollanggwa). This was an abbreviated examination, held in the presence of the king. The candidates had to be recommended by their local magistrate as men of the highest integrity. Jo challenged the conservatives of the King's court which resulted in the purge of 1519. (Gimyo massacre of scholars) ^[1]

After Jo Gwang-jo challenged the king's Merit Subject awards, enraged Merit Subjects convinced King Jungjong to move against "Jo Gwang-jo's clique."

The resulting purge pitted the cautious conservatism of older, experienced politicians against young, impetuous Neo-Confucian literati whose actions and influence were seen as a grave threat to Joseon society and the foundations of the dynasty.

There are criticism in that his ambition was too ideal. His words made Jungjong abolish Sogyeokseo which was based on Taoism of Korea for taking ceremonies. The reason was to practice real world of confucianism in Joseon.

Additionally, he tried to get rid of high wages of other subjects, especially who helped Jungjong to take the throne. It is believed that had an effect on others' antipathy to Jo.^[2]

[edit] See also

[edit] Sources

Kalton, Michael (1988). To Become a Sage (HTML), Translation from Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning by Yi T'oegye (1501-1570), Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-06410-1. Retrieved on 2006-05-14.