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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 November 2023
THE KING GIVES RICE TO THE POOR AND REJOICES WITH THEM AT SINPUNGNU GATE
IT HAD BEEN six days since the king left the capital. On his fourth day in Hwaseong, he was scheduled to hand out rice to the people at dawn at Sinpungnu Gate and hold a feast for the elderly at Nangnamheon Hall. In other words, it was a day to show the king’s compassion for the people of Hwaseong. The king wanted to share with local people the celebrations for his mother’s sixtieth birthday and extend his generosity to the people of Hwaseong and all corners of the nation.
The rice-giving event was thoroughly planned. Those who received rice had been selected beforehand from among the Hwaseong locals in need of government support. According to the plan, the beneficiaries included 539 people in four categories (widowers, widows, orphans and only sons) and 4,813 poor people (5,352 in all).
The rice was given in four locations of the city. In the urban area around the fortress, rice was distributed at Sinpungnu Gate in the presence of the king. Along the periphery, rice was distributed by royal secretaries at three government storehouses. A total of 368 sacks of rice (about 29,500 kilogrammes) were given to about 6,000 beneficiaries (more than initially planned), amounting to one tenth of Hwaseong’s population.
When the horn sounded three times at five forty-five, the king, dressed in military attire, headed to Sinpungnu Gate on horseback. When he arrived, he sat on the second floor of the gate tower. The king said to Yi Jo-won, the Sixth Royal Secretary in charge of the Board of Public Works:
Go and distribute rice and give the same amount of porridge to each person. Let it be widely known that the rice and porridge are given thanks to the kindness of the king’s mother.
Concerned that the porridge might be cold, the king said:
Bring me a bowl of porridge. I will taste it myself.
The king said to Second Royal Secretary Yi Man-su:
Today’s feast will be held to pay respects to the elderly. So, do not let the elderly wait in line behind the officials too long.
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