Jeong Yak-yong

Jeong Yak-yong (5 August 1762 - 7 April 1836), often simply known as ‘Dasan’ (茶山, one of his ‘ho’ / pen-names meaning ‘the mountain of tea’) was a thinker of the later Joseon period.

The Son of Heaven is chosen by the people.

Quotes

• 夫天子何爲而有也。將天雨天子而立之乎。抑涌出地爲天子乎。五家爲鄰。推長於五者爲隣長。五鄰爲里。推長於五者爲里長。五鄙爲縣。推長於五者爲縣長。諸縣長之所共推者爲諸侯。諸侯之所共推者爲天子。天子者。衆推之而成者也。
  • (Modern Korean): 무릇 천자는 어떻게 하여 그 지위를 가진 것인가? 하늘에서 천자가 내려와 즉위한 것인가, 아니면 땅에서 솟구쳐 나와 천자가 된 것인가? 5가가 1린이 되고 5가에서 우두머리로 추천된 자가 인장이 된다. 5린이 1리가 되고 5린에 의해서 우두머리로 추천된 자가 리장이 된다. 5비가 1현이 되고, 5비에 의해서 우두머리로 추천받은 자가 현장이 된다. 여러 현장이 함께 추대한 자가 제후가 되고, 제후들이 함께 추대한 자가 천자가 되니, 천자란 여러 사람들이 뽑아서 만들어진 자이다.
  • In general, how did the Son of Heaven come about? Did he descend from Heaven, or did he emerge from the earth? A leader is chosen to be the head of the neighborhood when five houses become neighbors. A leader is chosen to be the head of the village when five neighborhoods become neighbors. A leader is chosen to be the head of the county when five villages become neighbors. Several heads of counties choose a feudal lord, and several feudal lords choose the Son of Heaven. Thus the Son of Heaven is chosen by the people.
  • Tang-ron (탕론, 湯論)