Friday, February 06, 2009
Hong GilDong
A popular story of an oft-repeated kind.
In the Joseon era in Korea, GilDong was the son of the noble family of Hong, a powerful minister. He was a bastard because his mother was a maid who was beaten to death on the order of the legitimate wife. Disallowed to study or learn military skills because of his status he was also abandoned by the father and ridiculed by the stepmother.
Thus GilDong grew up in the street. Although he was treated as a bastard his lineage gave him power to do what pleased him. The people loathed him, yet they dared not offend him for whatever he freely took from them. Growing up in such an environment he became streetwise and acquired martial arts. Unable to regain his father's acceptance and despised generally, GilDong drifted aimlessly.
Like all other nations with caste systems where the nobility rule under a king above the civilians over the peasants, the ministers enriched themselves through the power and connections they possessed. As the powerful nobles grew richer the peasants became poorer and they found themselves surviving under great difficulties and their lives very miserable.
Thieves banded and a political organisation developed clandestinely. By chance GilDong saved a band of thieves from being ambushed and annihilated by the Noh organisation. The thieves were appreciative of his heroism, but he rejected to be made their chief.
As events unfolded, GilDong was blamed for a political crime and hunted by the authorities. Abandoned by his father and despised by the community and hunted by the authorities for a crime he did not commit gave him a direction.
GilDong enlisted the band of thieves. They posted notices everywhere declaring that the most corrupt minister would be robbed on a certain night. The various ministers were frantic since the one robbed would be thus exposed to the king and his peers and the populace. The community itself was cheered that finally something had come ahead. When the king learned about it he laughed and awaited the outcome.
On that night, the various ministers were unable to sleep although they had their premises heavily guarded. However when morning arrived each one was greatly relieved as nothing had happened. Each smiled on meeting another, and finally they all laughed the event off on discovering that none was robbed.
But on the night after, the thieves came to every minister's house and did their work easily. Each minister was advised not to retaliate as that would create a great commotion which would let it known that he was the most corrupt minister. The fear of exposure was greater than the loss of wealth that each minister even told the thieves to do their work quietly and quickly. And each minister then pretended that all was well.
The thieves never had such great spoils. They wanted GilDong to have the biggest share, but he declined and left after telling them to do with them as they wished. The populace was disappointed that the intended robbery had not happened, but the miserable ones discovered beyond their happiness the bag of sustenance at their front door the next morning.
As it went, GilDong naturally developed into a champion of the community he was a part of, stealing from those who overburdened others to return the spoils to the
dispossessed.
Hope you enjoy this story.
Ron
In the Joseon era in Korea, GilDong was the son of the noble family of Hong, a powerful minister. He was a bastard because his mother was a maid who was beaten to death on the order of the legitimate wife. Disallowed to study or learn military skills because of his status he was also abandoned by the father and ridiculed by the stepmother.
Thus GilDong grew up in the street. Although he was treated as a bastard his lineage gave him power to do what pleased him. The people loathed him, yet they dared not offend him for whatever he freely took from them. Growing up in such an environment he became streetwise and acquired martial arts. Unable to regain his father's acceptance and despised generally, GilDong drifted aimlessly.
Like all other nations with caste systems where the nobility rule under a king above the civilians over the peasants, the ministers enriched themselves through the power and connections they possessed. As the powerful nobles grew richer the peasants became poorer and they found themselves surviving under great difficulties and their lives very miserable.
Thieves banded and a political organisation developed clandestinely. By chance GilDong saved a band of thieves from being ambushed and annihilated by the Noh organisation. The thieves were appreciative of his heroism, but he rejected to be made their chief.
As events unfolded, GilDong was blamed for a political crime and hunted by the authorities. Abandoned by his father and despised by the community and hunted by the authorities for a crime he did not commit gave him a direction.
GilDong enlisted the band of thieves. They posted notices everywhere declaring that the most corrupt minister would be robbed on a certain night. The various ministers were frantic since the one robbed would be thus exposed to the king and his peers and the populace. The community itself was cheered that finally something had come ahead. When the king learned about it he laughed and awaited the outcome.
On that night, the various ministers were unable to sleep although they had their premises heavily guarded. However when morning arrived each one was greatly relieved as nothing had happened. Each smiled on meeting another, and finally they all laughed the event off on discovering that none was robbed.
But on the night after, the thieves came to every minister's house and did their work easily. Each minister was advised not to retaliate as that would create a great commotion which would let it known that he was the most corrupt minister. The fear of exposure was greater than the loss of wealth that each minister even told the thieves to do their work quietly and quickly. And each minister then pretended that all was well.
The thieves never had such great spoils. They wanted GilDong to have the biggest share, but he declined and left after telling them to do with them as they wished. The populace was disappointed that the intended robbery had not happened, but the miserable ones discovered beyond their happiness the bag of sustenance at their front door the next morning.
As it went, GilDong naturally developed into a champion of the community he was a part of, stealing from those who overburdened others to return the spoils to the
dispossessed.
Hope you enjoy this story.
Ron
# posted by chunmu @ 7:47 PM 
