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Study on the loving spirit of Jung Mu, a head of local officer of Hwasun Chonla province, for the people in the late Josun Dynasty.
Jung Mu worked for five years (1681-1686) as a head of local officer in Hwasun(Hyun-gam) Chonla Province in the King Sukjong period in the late Josun Dynasty. During his office, it is reported that he was diligent, and led a humble daily life and shown warm heart felt attitude toward his people based on his loving spirit for the people and showed good examples to others. Also he managed the work having the principle of generosity and fairness. The people were deeply moved by his politics and behavior. The people in order not to forget his excellency and fairness during his term, erect a monument (six storied stone) in which engraved his achievement in Hwasun in Jan. 1684 and this was reported to the King Sukjong and awarded top honored prize in 1685. However, with the passage of time, the monument was worn out and the people re-erect the monument in Oct. 1764 in the King YoungJo period which exists up until now. I have examined various existing historical materials of Jung Mu and found the following points especially connected with his philosophy and the loving spirit for the people.
1) He was detained and experienced a hardship in the office of Unbong Chonla province before coming to Hwasun in 1676 -1677, mainly due to the slander of his surrounding which was later acquitted of false accusation,
2) There were unstable family affairs that the first wife was deceased in 1680 and the second wife in 1683 respectively. As a result, he had wide scope of the life and lived alone to appease his innocence of life.
3) In the fourth year (1684) of his office, he married the daughter of the Pungcheon family Noh Clan, who lived in Jangheung and was able to bring her closer to the people of his wife's village.
Under the above circumstances, he seemed to have thoroughly implemented the his own plan, knowing the importance of a special sense of right conduct and behavior and people-centered administration. Since then, while he was serving as a head officer of other areas, he continued to exert his efforts and the people later erected two monuments for him in Hamyang and Kangwha province which had never been made in the history of Josun Dynasty. The analysis brings really important implications that public officials of our present time should put the first top priority of the spirit of loving the people among other things and always seek the feasible solution for the people and for their perspective.
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