Jeong Jung-bu

From New World Encyclopedia
Jeong Jung-bu
Hangul 정중부
Hanja 鄭仲夫
Revised Romanization Jeong Jung-bu
McCune-Reischauer Chŏng Chungbu


Jeong Jung-bu (1106 – 1179) was a medieval Korean soldier cum dictator during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). He he qualified in the military section of the civil service examination and made the army his career. He is most noted for leading a coup d'état in 1170, the Musin Jeongbyeon (Revolt of military officers), dethroning the king and initiating a hundred-year military reign on the Korean Peninusula.

Early Life

Jeong was born in 1106; he learned martial arts and military tactics early on. He was reported to have been a seven-foot[1] giant with great confidence and, more than his fellow soldiers, intelligence. He was a diligent soldier and his loyalty earned him the trust of the king. He was promoted through the ranks to Chief of General Staff.

Background

The Goryeo Dynasty was founded as a Buddhist nation and governed in its early period under a policy that put civilian authority over military. This policy benefited the dynasty well during its early days, and many civilian officials were also able military commanders, such as Gang Gam-chan and Yun Gwan. As time passed, however, military came to be seen and treated as servants or even slaves of the civilian officials and royal advisers. It was King Mokjong who, not long after a major invasion into Goryeo by nearly a million Khitan forces in Manchuria, in 998 had placed the military under civilian control. In such tense times this caused a coup d'état by General Gang Jo and triggered another massive invasion from the north. In 1014 military officers were angered at being unpaid that year because the government ran out of funds after having to pay civilian officials first; Generals Choi Jil and Kim Hoon attempted but failed a military rebellion. Later the government went so far as to close the military academy. Army officers suffered more and more as the their treatment harshened and their position in society and in public affairs eroded over the 11th and 12th centuries.

The Coup

In 1167, during the royal banquet of King Uijong, Kim Don-jung, son of powerful aristocrat Kim Bu-sik(author of Samguk Sagi), burnt Jeong's long beard with candle, and mocked him and the whole military. The incident incensed Jeong against the arrogant aristocrats and civilian officials.

In 1170, King Uijong went to his royal villa to rest and to hold another feast, and he also held a martial arts competition. A youth soldier won the event, and was praised by the king. Then, many of king's advisers to the court and eunuchs forced General Yi So Eung, who was at his late fifties, to face the champion, who was about 20. The old general, of course, was not able to fight the young champion and fell down to the ground. Then, a young civilian official named Han Röe, insulted the general and even slapped him across his face in front of the king and many fellow soldiers. General Jeong, who could not stand the advisers' attitude anymore, knocked Han out and insulted him. The incident caused the long grievances of military to explode; young soldiers, notably Colonels Yi Ui-bang, Yi Go and Chae Won, urged Jeong to launch a coup d'état against the entire government and the king, who favored civilian officials over army. Jeong first ignored their opinion but later agreed to revolt against the government. With his order in the name oh commander-in-chief, the whole army rebelled against the king and his advisers. Almost all of advisers, including Kim Don-jung and Han Röe, were killed and King Uijong was overthrown; then he set up a puppet king, King Myeongjong, beginning the 100-year military rule of Korea.

However, after the coup d'état in 1170, the leaders of the revolution began to feud each other; Generals Yi Go and Chae Won were killed by General Yi Ui-bang for treason. Then Yi visited Jeong, who adopted him as a son, only for a while. In 1173, a survived civilian official Kim Bodang rebelled in northeastern border, trying to restore the civilian order under deposed King Uijong. Yi Ui-bang decided to assassinate Uijong; and after he killed the ex-king, Yi put down the rebellion, which put Yi on the peak of the power. Then Yi began to oppress Buddhism and Confucianism, executed many civilian administrators and scholars, raped royal family members and forced the Crown Prince to marry his daughter. His despotic reign caused the grief of many people, and finally in 1174, a chain of rebellion that lasted for 50 years began in Pyongyang by Cho Wi Chong. Yi Ui-bang sent massive troops to put down the rebellion.

General Jeong, who promoted himself as Prime Minister, decided to put an end on Yi's reign of terror; he ordered his son, Jeong Kyun and his son-in-law, General Song You In, to kill Yi Ui-bang. Yi was finally murdered by Jeong Kyun, and the power passed to Jeong Jung-bu. Jeong continued to fight against rebels in Pyongyang; however, slaves and people of lowest class of present-day Gongju rebelled against the government. Jeong managed to crush the uprising of Cho, and entered negotiation with outcast rebellion leaders Mang Yi and Mang So Yi, but as the official army continued its campaign against the uprising, Mang brothers revolted again. They were executed in 1177, ending the rebellion; but many other impoverished people continued to revolt against the government.

With the law and order crumbling over the whole nation, Jeong decided not to retire from politics even though he was at his late 70's. His son Jeong Kyun, backed by his powerful father, committed bribery from many officials who tried to gain more power and support from the reigning family; even Jeong's servants and slaves took bribes from politicians and brawled with some of them on the street. Politics drifted toward iniquity, and many people thought another coup d'état was necessary to put an end on Jeong's unjust rule; and in the end, General Kyung Dae Seung, the youngest general of Goryeo army, revolted against Jeong in 1179, murdering Jeong Kyun and Song You In. Jeong Jung-bu was arrested for corruption and treason, and executed in public few days later.

Notes

  1. An educated guess (seven feet is a bit more than two meters). Anyway, he was extremely tall.

See also

  • Goryeo
  • List of Korea-related topics


Preceded by:
King Uijong
Military Leader of Goryeo
1170–1179
Succeeded by:
Kyung Dae Seung

Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.