The Production of Agricultural Books and the Establishment of Intellectual Authority by the Governing Group in Late Goryeo and Early Joseon

Studies on agricultural books produced during the late Goryeo and early Joseon period have paid little attention to their cultural implications. This paper examines how the governing group of this period aimed to preserve social order through establishing intellectual authority in the process of agricultural knowledge production. In late Goryeo, Kang Si, the governor of Hapju, published Nongsangjiyao including prefaces written by Seol Jang-su and Yi Saek, which claimed the social roles of Confucian scholar-officials. In this formulation, scholar-officials tried to strengthen their awareness and expand their influence as the governing group. During the reign of King Taejong, Nongsangjiyao was translated into the Idu script to promote local agricultural guidance. The translation, conducted with linguistic and experiential adaptations, localized and standardized Chinese agricultural knowledge. In addition, the governing group displayed agricultural techniques at demonstration sites, asserting their legitimacy in governance and edification. In order to introduce advanced agricultural techniques, King Sejong ordered the compilation of Nongsajikseol, based on the rhetoric of “environmental diversity” and the intellectual contributions of veteran farmers. By validating their knowledge and documenting it in written form, the governing group positioned themselves as the creator of Joseon’s agricultural manuals. This paper shows a way of understanding the governing group’s agenda and strategies of knowledge production during this period.