What really happened to Chief Gang Sangin?

[ronin]

What really happened to the real Chief Gang Sangin? I liked this character along with Yun Hwe in the beginning when he was a drunken "has been". Was he trying to give the symbols of Military Command to King Sejong out of sincerity to the people? Or was he trying to make the new King Sejong a puppet king (since he still seems weak) with Chief Gang behind the real power like the military leaders in the Goryeo Dynasty in the Age of Warriors TV series or the Shoguns and Daimyos in Japan during medieval time? It seems like there's more to his story than what's shown in the TV series. Thanks ahead for any historical input.

[ajk]

I don't know, ronin, but that's a good question. I did get the impression that there was a fair amount of historical support for the story and that he was a real minister and was really executed on that date, but I wondered how much of the story behind it was true, especially the part about him stealing the authority tablets.

It certainly is becoming clearer why Taejong is going after Shim On. First Shim goes to the king and tells him to give military authority to his son so that all of the state authority is with the king, and then Gang (who’s one of Sejong’s supporters and was with him for those years in the north) suddenly steals the tablet symbols and tries to give them to Sejong. What else would we expect Taejong to think about all that, especially so many loyal retainers having burned him during his own reign? He must think he’s doing the right thing for Sejong.

But as for why Gang really took those tablets…well, my reaction to it was, here’s a guy who’s taken orders for his whole life, and then all of a sudden he has this tough problem and he has to think his way out of it. So he tries to think hard, and the result is a dumb idea. Yun Hwe was there and should have been wise enough to talk him through the problem rather than abandon him to it.

[Candylover]

Next is what I posted on the Philadelphia historical group. I hope it will be helpful.
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Today I had some spare time, so I translated more passages of Annals of the Chosun Dynasty to learn about the victims' crime. My translation is neither complete nor interesting, but it might give some ideas of how the writer of GKS summarized the history and what she created.

Aug. 25, 1418
The abdicated king ordered that Deputy Minister of Defence Kang Sang-
In and Chae Ji-Ji be arrested and imprisoned, because Ministry of
Defence made report to the king first, not to the abdicated king.
Whenever the reporters went to the king, he refused tp listen to the
reports, saying "Why didn't you make report to the abidicated king?"
Hearing about it, one day the abdicated king told Kang Sang-In, to
see what Sang-In meant by acting like that, "What are the uses of the
ivory plate and the plum plate?" Kang Sang-In replied, "They are used
to call subjects." The abdicated king took out the plates and
said, "Now I don't need these anymore. Take these to the palace."
When Kang Sang-In brought them to the palace, the king asked, "What
are these?" Kang Sang-In said, "These are used to call generals (from
all over the country)." The king had Sang-In take the plates back to
the abdicated king. The abdicated king said to Won Suk and Choi Yun-
Duk, "In my message, I've already asserted that I would take charge
of important military affairs, but Sang-In and others (in Defence
Ministry) only report to the king and not to me. Besides, previously
when I ordered that the candidates for government posts be listed,
Sang-In put his younger brother Kang Sang-Rye on the list, and when
the king gave his brother sajik(a government position) on the basis
of the list, he said to me, as a token of thanks, 'His Majesty
appointed my brother Sang-Rye to sajik (on his own).' Sang-In
deceived the king." The abdicated king also had Choi Hahn deliver his
message to the police, saying "Previously I said to the king, 'You
will inherit my concerns. In spite of my lack of virtue, I know many
(military) people since I reigned for a long time. So I will take
charge of military affairs on my own.' But now the Defence Ministry
does not report to me except for patrol activities (minor ordinary
activities). What's the matter with my listening to military reports?
Investigate who was the first to propose to skip the reports to me.
Torture could be necessary." Therefore the Defence Ministry awaited
the official decision on its punishment, No Hui-Bong was ordered to
examine all the military affairs, and Won Suk was ordered to go to
the Defence Ministry and stay awake all night (to check the Defence
Ministry).
[my two cents: The ivory plate with king's signature inscribed on it
was used to concentrate an army, close and open the gates of the
capital city; plum plates were used to call court officials and
generals. So they were the symbol of military command. The fact that
the year 1418 was King Sejong's first reign year and he had been
deprived of military command by his father explains why he didn't
know about the plates. The Minister of Defence Park Seup, who was
newly appointed when King Sejong ascended the throne, also didn't
know who the reports should be made to, according to his later
confession. Deputy Minister of Defence Kang Sang-In, who had been the
right-hand man of the abdicated king for 30 years, knew every details
of military affairs and was the workhorse of the ministry.]

Aug. 27, 1418
The police made a report, "We tortured Kang Sang-In and other six
men, but they insist that they were just careless. Please permit us
to torture Park Seup and Yi Gak together." The abdicated king
answered, "It's been a short time since Park Seup was appointed (as
Defence Minister), so put him aside. Kang Sang-In has been following
me from the time when he was young, and obtained important posts in
the Defence Ministry. But he has forsaken my favor, become an
ingrate, and always thiks about deceiving me. Previously he deceived
the king into appointing his brother to a governement post, and then
he said to me that the king appointed his brother. His crime is
serious. Torture him harshly to the extent that he is not dead.

Aug. 29, 1418
The abdicated king pardoned Park Seup and Kang Sang-In due to their
previous contributions, and Kang Sang-In was banished to his
hometown. Kang Sang-In had been the servant of the abdicated king
long before he ascended the throne. The abdicated king sent a verbal
message to him, "You served me for 30 years, and that's why I
pardoned you. I call for your grave reflection."

Aug. 30, 1418
Government inspectors proposed that Kang Sang-In and Park Seup be
punished, but the abdicated didn't agree.

Sep. 6, 1418
Government inspectors proposed that Park Seup be punished, but the
abdicated king just banished him.

Sep. 14, 1418
Minister of Justice, Kim Yeo-Ji and others sent up a memorial to the
abdicated king, saying "The fundamental of politics is to mete out
reward and punishment justly. If reward and punishment is not justly
meted out, how could we promote virtue and reprove vice? We proposed
that Kang Sang-In, Park Seup, Kim Ja-On, Yi Ahn-You, Yang Yeo-Gong,
Song Eul-Gae, Chae Ji-Ji, and Yi Suk-Bok be punished, but Your
Majesty just banished Kang Sang-In and Park Seup on the basis of
their will. Deceiving the king is unforgivable in spite of their
contribution to the state. If their minor contribution can grant them
pardon, it's unjust."
The abdicated king demoted Kang Sang-In to a slave belonging to
Danchon county, banished Park Seup to Sacheon.

Nov. 3, 1418
In the living room, the abdicated king said to Cho Mal-Saeng, Won
Suk, Jang Yun-Hwa, and Ha Yeon, "I talked over Kang Sang-In's affair
previously, but didn't bring it to a conclusion. Now I'd like to talk
it over with you again. I appointed him to the Deputy Minister with
my special favor, but he didn't appreciated it. He didn't make
military reports to me and the only reports he made to me were "All
quiet" at every hour. Moreover three days later after the king
succeeded to the throne, he came to me and said that the hawks that
had been supplied from every province should be presented to the
father king (not to the king), and I agreed to him and ordered him to
instantly make it official by documents. But Sang-In put off making
official documents for four or five days. I reminded him of the
official documents, and only then he suggested that the king be
consulted before the official documents are made and delivered. I
agreed to him. What's more, when I called Kim Guk-Jin who had been
banished to Hongju, Kang Sang-In didn't bring him. If he had been
faithful to both me and the king, how could he have behaved like
that? His conduct suggest that he is plotting treason. He's stupid
and evil. He should be interrogated again." Won Suk said, "Park Seup
insists that he just followed Sang-In (in skipping report), but it's
unbelievable." The abdicated king sent Jang Yun-Hwa to the houses of Left
and Right Ministers to ask their opinions. Minister Park Eun
said, "No crime can rival that of Sang-In in its seriousness, but he
was lightly punished thanks to the benevolence of Your Majesty. Now
that we have a chance to interrogate him again, I am really glad." Yi
Won's opinion was the same as Park Eun's. The abdicated king ordered
the police to arrest Kang Sang-In, Park Seup, Chae Ji-Ji, and Yi Gak
again.

Nov. 21, 1418
After the police made Kang Sang-In kneel in glass four times, he
said "I thought the military command of a country should come out
from one commander, so I didn't make reports to the abdicated king.
And it was due to its difficulty (and delicacy) that I couldn't tell
the abdicated king why I didn't report to him. I also talked it over
with Park Seup, and suggested to skip reporting to the abdicated
king. He agreed." "One commander" meant the king (not the abdicated
king). Because he didn't still confess, the police made him kneel in
glass again. He said in a rage, "Then, I betrayed the king." The
interrogation continued, and he said more angrily, "Then, I just
wanted to be the king's favourite."
When the abdicated king tried to abdicate in 1406, Kang Sang-In cried
out so prominently that the abdicated king instantly recognized it.
When he actually abdicated in 1418, many subjects cried out bitterly
and loudly, but this time Kang Sang-In's sadness didn't reach those
of the many other subjects. He was prominent once again and the
abdicated king instantly noticed it again.

Nov. 22, 1418
When the the royal police interrogated Kang Sang-In, he said, "On day
in front of the palace gate I came across Shim Cheong (Shim On's
younger brother), who said 'The size of the palace guards are small,
so the king is not closely guarded. Why didn't you increase the
number of guards?' I answered, 'If the guards (who serves the
abdicated king outside of the palace) are brought back, there would
be no problem.' Shim Sheong said, 'We need not talk it over if the
guards are concentrated.'" Kang Sang-In also said, "When I dropped in
the house of Minister of Interior Yi Gwan, he asked me, 'What made
you seldom drop in my house these days?' I replied, 'I am very busy
since I have to go to both the palace and the residence of the
abdicated king.' Yi Gwan said, 'What do you feel about serving two
kings? I think all commands should be given by one commander.' I
said, 'I agree with you, but have no choice.'"
Sang-In was again made kneel in glass. After that he confessed, "I
don't remember the exact date, but one day outside of the abdicated
king's hall I said to Shim On, "I think we need to increase the
number of the guards up to 3,000 since they have to serve both the
king and the abdicated king now," and he agreed. Later then I
happened to have something to talk over with Shim On, so I went to
his house in the evening. When I said "The military commands should
come out from one commander(the king), not from two commanders(the
king and the abdicated king)," he agreed. When I said the same thing
to Yi Jong-Mu, he also smiled approval. When I met Minister Yi Won on
the road outside of the palace gate, and asked what he thinks about
the military commands coming from the two commanders, he said, "What
could I say about it?"

Nov. 23, 1418
When the police reported Kang Sang-In's confession, the abdicated
king said "As I said before, at last we have come at a true knowledge
of the affair. The interrogation should proceed so that this high
treachery can be removed." Cho Mal-Saeng said, "No one doubts about
the faithful father-son relation of the two kings, and Your Majesty's
taking charge of military affairs is only for this country. But this
people bewilder us by trying to transfer the military command (from
that abdicated king to the king). No one should be granted pardon."
Kang Sang-In was confronted with Yi Won and Yi Jong-Mu. Yi Won
said "Deputy Minister Kang, you should not make us guilty," and Yi
Jong-Mu said the same thing. Kang Sang-In said, "I couldn't stand
flogging. I was caught in a trap." Shim On's absence made him unable
to be confronted with Kang Sang-In. Previously, Kang Sang-In was
tortured many times, but he showed a little spirit. At that day, he
could hardly speak.
The police made Shim Cheong (Shim On's brother) kneel in glass, but
he didn't confess. After kneeling in glass again, he finally began to
confess, "My brother On said 'Military command should come out from
one commander' and I agreed."
Hearing about it, the abdicated king said, "The ringleader is Shim
On! His clans including Sang-In and Yi-Gwan should be executed, and
(their dead bodies should be) displayed all over the country."

Nov. 26, 1418
The abdicated king said to Park Eun, Cho Mal-Saeng, Yi Myung-Seok,and
Won Suk, "Kang Sang-In and Yi Gwan committed a serious crime enough
to have them executed, and Shim Chung and Park Seup's crimes are less
serious. Since Shim On, the ringleader hasn't returned yet (from
China), how about confronting Shim On with them before execution?"
Park Eun replied, "If you're thinking about cross-examination, Sang-
In is indispensible and other three are not. But Shim On's treason is
so self-evident that we do not need cross-examination and need not
put off the punishment. As for treasion, telling a principal from an
accessory is not requird. Please don't grade their punishment." The
abdicated king ordered that Kang Sang-In be torn into pieces, and the
others be beheaded. Before the execution, Kang Sang-In cried out that
he is innocent and was made guilty by flogging.

Dec. 5, 1418
Ahn Su-San, Shim On's brother-in-law (Shim On's wife's brother) was
arrested under the suspicion of sending a servant to meet Shim On to
the border. But the abdicated king released him because the royal
police made a report that it was Shim On's wife who sent a servant.

Dec. 22, 1418
Shim On was brought back (from the border) under the escort of Yi Uk, and interrogated. He,
not knowing Kang Sang-In and others had been executed, requested that
he be confronted with them. After flogging and kneeling in glass, he
said "I can't escape (this situation)," and began to confess, "What
Sang-In and others confessed is all right. As a soldier, I just
wanted to assume military power, and talked it over with Kang Sang-In
and the others who were executed. Except them, no one talked it over
with me."

Dec. 23, 1418
Previously, the police questioned Shim On, "What position did you
want to put the abdicated king in?" Shim On replied, "Does your
contrived question mean that I will be rude to the abdicated king?"
The police reported, "Shim On said he would behave insolently to the
abdicated king." The abdicated king thought for a long while and said
to the king. "I've been thinking about bestowing a poison on him (as a
death penalty). Now that I heard about his confession, I have no
choice but to bestow a poison." He said again, "In spite of his
execution, the Queen (his daughter) need not necessarily be deposed."

[jojo]

Thank you Candylover! That was quite interesting.

[MTR]

That was superb thank you .
Now what do the annals of Joseon say about the Crown Princess Scandal ?
Another interesting point is Cho Mal-saeng ,its true that he was banished for corruption and Sejong faced a veritable uproar from his ministers for sparing his life,Sejong's claim was Cho was too talented to die as in the series ,after 5 years Cho was given a pardon and awarded a governorship .

[ajk]

Once again I can't thank you enough for your generosity, candylover. Very nice of you to take time to share this stuff with us.

Kneel in glass?!? OUCH! That's a new one on me.

[tinkerbell]

Thanks Candylover! It's always good to know the real history.

[Candylover]

My translation is nothing as compared to the hard work of ajk. And Thanks for you guys' attention. Since the crown princess's scandal seems to be what many people here are interested in, I translated a passage related to it. As usual, it's from Annals of the Chosun Dynasty. Of course, there are other related passages in the annals, but I believe that in the passage I translated, King Sejong summarized the scandal on his own so we can grasp what really happened at that time. And I have to admit that King Sejong's frankness quite surprised me. Hope you enjoy it!
(If the moderator considers my translation contains sexually offensive stuffs, he/she is free to hide all or parts of my translation. Any suggestions or corrections to my transaltions are welcome!)

October 26, 1436, 18th reign year of King Sejong

In the Hall of Sajeong, The king ordered Chief Secretary Shin In-Sohn and Judicial Secretary Kwon Chae to come up to him, and other subjects to get out of the hall.

The king said, "Of later years things are not going very smoothly, so I feel difficult. Recently I have another peculiar thing, which I'm ashamed of even mentioning. My family has been regulated very well, and I owe that to the Queen. Since She was gentle and not jealous of the concubines, King Taejong admired her all the time, saying that her virtues hang down like boughs and reach down (to her people). That's why my family has been harmonious.
When the crown prince was 14 years old in the 9th year (of my reign), I was told that he needs to get married to bring forth the heirs to the crown, so I appointed a girl from the Kim family to a princess. But Princess Kim was so stupid and not sagacious that she brought about the accident of the 11th reign year. I deposed her and appointed a girl from the Bong family to a princess, but she and the crown prince lived in discord. The Queen and I admonished her and she seemed to have changed a little, but what happens in their bedroom cannot be taught even by their parents. Once when I talked it over with Huh Jo, he said, 'That's a serious problem. Concubines of decent families are needed for the heirs to be born as soon as possible.' After three consorts were newly appointed, Princess Bong was very jealous of them, and when one of them, Consort Kwon got pregnant, she got even more jealous. She said to the escorts around her, 'If Consort Kwon bring forth a son, we all will be kicked (out of the palace),' and cried out. One day, I and the Queen called her to say "You're very stupid. Why are you so jealous of Consort Kwon's having a son? Even though you ought to be joyful, you seems to bear a grudge on her. Don't you think your behaviour is peculiar?" Yet, Princess Bong didn't see her errors at all.
Previously the nursemaid of the crown prince used to do chores in the palace. After her death, another aged maid was picked out to do chores by the Queen. The quiet and sincere maid sent the clothes, shoes, and belts of the crown prince to her father, and made women's clothes for her mother from the crown prince's underware and jackets with Princess Bong's approval. I didn't put blame on her, because I believed that she did that for her parents, but admonished her that underwear is not suitable for making clothes for the parents. After that, I always said to the crown prince, 'Even though you have consorts, you should not keep away from the princess,' and he seemed to perfome some favor for her. Soon the princess said that she is pregnant, and we were overjoyed at the news. But one month later, the princess said, 'I got abortion, and something hard was brought forth. Now it's under the bedquilt.' I sent an aged escort to check it, but she reported me that nothing was found under the bedquilt. She lied.
Moreover while the crown prince was absent in the palace last year, the princess took a peek at unknown people through a break in the wall of the escorts' lavatory. She also tried to send food and things left over unused in the palace to her mother. Despite of the crown prince's disapproval, she secretly sent the food that she left over on her own to her parents. When she presented Song Ki, who helped in her father's funeral, with gifts (of the palace), she didn't inform the crown prince of it.
Considering that she wasn't sensible as women usually aren't, I left her alone. However there seemed to be rumors that the princess loves an escort named So-Ssang and they even share the bed. One day, while So-Ssang was cleaning the rooms, the crown prince abruptly asked her, 'Do you really share the bed with the princess?' She replied frightened, 'Yes.' Since then I have heard several times that the princess loves her so much that whenever So-Ssang goes out of her sight, she gets very angry saying 'I love you so much, but you don't love me that much,' and So-Ssang says to others 'Her Majesty loves me so prominently that I am worried.' Because So-Ssang and Consort Kwon's maid Dan-Ji liked each other, they sometimes slept together. But the princess didn't let them keep company with each other. Another maid Seok-Gah-Ee was ordered to keep an eye on them by the princess.
Since the rumor was afloat, the Queen and I called her and aked about it. She answered, 'On the winter solstice day of last year, the princess called me into her room, while the other escorts were outside the door. The princess wanted me to sleep together with her. Although I didn't want, she threatended me, so I had no choice but to go behind a folding screen half-naked. The princess took off all my remaining clothes, made me lie down, and we played with each other the way a man and a woman have intercourse.'
I've been frequently informed of escorts and maids loving each other and sharing the bed. I hated that and only after I made strict regulations so that anyone who departs from the rules would be given 70 or 100 lashes, the customs began to be controlled. Hating the customs, it was the will of Heaven and perhaps I was guided by Heaven. Who would ever have imagined such obscenity of the princess? When having been called and asked about it, she said, 'So-Ssang and Dan-Ji loved each other. They not only shared the bed at night but also put their necks into contact with each other and sucked their tongues in the daytime. But that's what they did, and I haven't shared the bed (with her).' Even though she insists on her innocence, now that every proof is evident, she can't hide it anymore. How could the princess have known that they had brought their necks into contact and sucked their tongues? It's so evident that she got accustomed to seeing such behavior and got envious of it. About other behavior such as peeking through a break in the wall and having her escorts sing (obscene songs), she's made a confession to me. I think what she's confessed is not so important compared to the So-Ssang incident, and I don't mind it, but once I was informed of the thing related to So-Ssang, I've made up my mind to depose her. The role of princess is not light. Now that she lost her virtues, how can she behave responsibly as the Mother of the Country?
But deposing a princess and installing a new one has been considered important in the history. Therefore in China, Emperor Guang-Wu of Eastern Han and Emperor Xuan-Zong of Tang has been criticized for their kicking their wives out of the families. Likewise, if I depose the princess again, it will surprise people. So I was worried about it, and at a loss what to do.
Yesterday, I ordered the two princes, Ahn-Pyeong and Im-Ahn to talk it over with Prime Minister Hwang Hee, Right Minister Roh Hahn, and Minister Shin Gae, and they all consented to deposing the princess. I meditated on the issue repeatedly, and arrived at a conclusion. Confucius and Zi-si (one of the disciples of Confucius) kicked their wives out of the house, and another ancient man kicked his wife because she scolded a dog in front of his parents. They did it for what they really cherished, and now I have no choice but to do the same thing for a great cause. You thoroughly know all about what happened. So prepare a royal order (on the basis of what I told you). When I deposed Princess Kim, I was young enough to let my spirits rise to the skies. At that time I thought such an important thing as deposing a princess should not be treated vaguely, so ordered everything be written down in detail in the royal order, but this time we need not do the same thing. Since the princess's misbehavior of sharing a bed with her escort is too obscene to be written down in the order, the order ought to be prepared to depose her on the basis of her other misbehavior such as jealousy, having no son, and having the escorts sing obscene songs."

Shin In-Sohn, along with Kwon Chae, delivered the king's word to Hwang Hee, Roh Hahn, and Shin Gae, and they all prepared the royal order to be sent up to the king. The deposition was informed to the royal shrine by Kim Maeng-Sung, and the princess was deposed, demoted to the commoner class, and returned back to her her house (out of the palace).

[tinkerbell]

Thanks Candylover. Wow! I can see why it was a scandal. We really appreciate you taking the time to translate this so we know the truth.

[bidaclue]

King Taejong did perform some seriously movements in order to come to the throne and to maintain the system he did what he did but it is so sad that history but cannot put hose deeds in the context of the time he lived in, the situation he experienced as jeopardy to his country, the principles he kept in order to safeguard the system, etc. In all series I watched in shich dipicting of this king was included he was villified to the extreme dhat even the truth was taken out of context. This is so clearly to see in this drama too.

[ajk]

Welcome bidaclue, thanks for joining us. He was a fascinating historical figure, no question. Did you watch the King of Tears series? I thought that was an interesting attempt to show how his thinking developed. Would be interested to hear what you thought of it.
You're always welcome to speak up about any of the series we watch here. Thanks again for joining.