A Study on the Characteristics and Significance of Jeongyung-Moonshin (專經文臣) Policy during the Reign of King Soon-jo (純祖)

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the characteristics and significance of “Jeongyung-Moonshin (專經文臣)” policy during the reign of King Soon-jo (純祖). This study is structured as follows. Chapter 2 examines the implementation patterns of the policy by dividing King Soon-jo’s reign into three major periods: the early period (Year 1-11), the middle period (Year 12-26), and the late period (Year 27-34). Through this periodization, the study aims to analyze the actual operation of the system. The primary sources utilized include chronological records such as the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, compiled by the Joseon government. Based on these sources, this chapter will investigate key aspects of the policy’s operation, including its administrators, participants, and the handling of evaluation results. Chapter 3 builds upon the findings of Chapter 2 to explore the key characteristics and significance of the policy. This section examines the entire operational process highlighting its notable features. The discussion will focus on critical aspects such as king’s direct supervision of the examination (親臨), crown prince’s direct supervision of the examination (代臨), a chief examiner designated by the king’s order (命官), the management of participant lists, the rewards for high achievers, and the penalties imposed on absentees and underperformers.