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Person1019 – 1083

King Munjong

Eleventh king of Goryeo, whose reign marked the height of the dynasty; father of Uicheon

With the Final Revision of the Jeonsigwa in 1076, he granted land only to serving officials, improved the treatment of military officers and reorganised official salaries. He gave officials of the fifth rank and above hereditary gongeum land, entrenching aristocratic lineages. He established Namgyeong and founded Heungwangsa temple, and private academies such as Choe Chung's flourished in his reign.

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4 related events

  1. 1
    AD 976 – 1076The Jeonsigwa Land Systemmonarch

    Goryeo granted officials, by rank, the right to collect rent from farmland (jeon) and firewood land (si).

  2. 2
    1055Choe Chung’s Academy and the Rise of Private Schoolsmonarch

    When the retired chief minister Choe Chung opened his Nine-Course Academy, twelve private schools flourished; as state schools declined, later kings revived them.

  3. 3
    1076Final Revision of the Jeonsigwamonarch

    Munjong revised the jeonsigwa again, granting land to serving officials only, reducing the amounts and narrowing the gap between civil and military officials.

  4. 4
    1097Uicheon Founds the Cheontae Schoolrelated figure

    Back from Song, Uicheon founded the Cheontae school at Gukcheongsa, seeking to unite Seon meditation under the doctrinal schools.

People who appear alongside

  • King GyeongjongAD 955 – AD 981

    Fifth king of Goryeo, who created the first jeonsigwa land-grant system in 976

  • Choe ChungAD 984 – 1068

    Chief minister turned teacher whose Nine-Course Academy led the private schools; called the "Confucius of the East"

  • King Yejong1079 – 1122

    Sixteenth king of Goryeo, who sent Yun Gwan to build the Nine Forts and revived state schooling

  • Uicheon (National Preceptor Daegak)1055 – 1101

    Royal monk, son of Munjong, who studied in Song, compiled the Gyojang and founded the Cheontae school in Goryeo

  • King Sukjong1054 – 1105

    Fifteenth king of Goryeo, who minted coins such as Haedong tongbo and created the Byeolmuban army

Themes this person appears in

  • Changes in the Land SystemAD 687 – 1950

    From nogeup to the end of office land — how the rights granted to officials shrank, and gave way to modern land ownership

  • Educational Institutions Through the AgesAD 372 – 1943

    From the Taehak and Gukhak to the Gukjagam and Seonggyungwan, modern schools and the colonial education ordinances — state schools that trained officials and the private schools that filled the gaps

  • GaeseongAD 901 – 2003

    From Wang Geon, lord of Songak, to the Kaesong Industrial Complex — Gaegyeong, Goryeo’s capital for five centuries, and home of the Song merchants