Shin Don's Reforms

Overview

Shin Don (辛旽, ?–1371) was a Buddhist monk who led reform politics during the reign of King Gongmin. His birth name was Pyeonjo (遍照), and he was from Yeongsan County. King Gongmin, after the Red Turban invasions of Goryeo and the Heungwangsa Rebellion strengthened the powerful aristocratic families and military leaders, sought to change the political situation by entrusting government to an outsider who belonged to no faction. During Shin Don's rise to power, which lasted from 1365 to 1371, reforms of land and slaves through the Jeonmin Chujeong Dogam, the reconstruction of the Sungkyunkwan, and revisions to the personnel system were carried out. The dates in this article and its timeline are based on the lunar calendar. Because most of the sources consulted give dates only to the month, no conversion to the solar calendar was made.

Background

• Social and economic disorder: Since the period of Yuan interference, powerful families increasingly seized the land of others to expand their estates and turned free commoners into slaves. The Red Turban invasions destroyed household registers, further weakening the state's control.
• Balance of political forces: In the course of repelling the Red Turbans and suppressing the Heungwangsa Rebellion, military leaders such as Choe Yeong gained greater influence, while the established powerful aristocratic families remained strong. The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture explains that King Gongmin, seeking a figure bound to neither the existing aristocrats nor the military leaders, chose Shin Don.
• First meeting: Around 1358 (7th year of Gongmin), he first met the king through an introduction by Kim Wonmyeong.

Development

Rise to Power (1365)

In May 1365 (14th year of Gongmin), Shin Don became the king's mentor and took part in state affairs. This occurred shortly after Princess Noguk died. Soon afterward, Chanseongsa Choe Yeong was demoted to magistrate of Gyerim, and officials from the military faction were exiled. In June, Kim Bo became prime minister. Shin Don was enfeoffed as Marquis Jinpyeong in July, and in December he received the highest titles, including Yeongdo Cheomuisasa, Panjung Bangamchalsasa, and Chwiseong Bu-wongun, thereby seizing real power.

Establishment of the Jeonmin Chujeong Dogam (1366)

In May 1366, Shin Don expanded the Hyeongin Chujeong Dogam, which had been set up to calm public unrest during a drought, into the Jeonmin Chujeong Dogam (田民推整都監), and he himself became its chief. This agency, often called the Jeonmin Byeonjeong Dogam (田民辨正都監), returned land seized by powerful families to its original owners, and it freed people who were wrongfully enslaved when they appealed that they were free commoners. The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture records that this measure won broad popular support, and that the slaves called Shin Don a "sage" (聖人).