Confucian Reform in Choson Korea: Yu Hyongwon's Pan'gye surok (Volume I)

Pan’gye surok (or "Pan’gye’s Random Jottings") was written by the Korean scholar and social critic Yu Hyŏngwŏn(1622-1673), who proposed to reform the Joseon dynasty and realise an ideal Confucian society. It was recognised as a leading work of political science by Yu’s contemporaries and continues to be a key text in understanding the intellectual culture of the late Joseon period.

Yu describes the problems of the political and social realities of 17th Century Korea, reporting on his attempt...