His Majesty King Sejong the Great (vegetarian): Legendary Ruler of Korea’s Joseon Dynasty, Part 1 of 2

“The common people are the foundation of any country. It is only when this foundation is strong that a country can be stable and prosperous.” – King Sejong the Great (vegetarian)

His Majesty King Sejong, the benevolent and people-centric ruler of the Joseon dynasty, ushered in a Golden Age of Korean culture during His reign from 1418 to 1450. Under His sagacious leadership, there was significant advancement in science, technology, agriculture, literature, medicine, and music, with people enjoying great culture, prosperity, and political stability. Today, He is recognized as one of Korea’s most influential monarchs, renowned for being the creator of Hangul, the native alphabet of the Korean language.

In the second year of King Sejong’s reign, His mother fell gravely ill. For 50 days, His Majesty King Sejong tended to Her by night and administered to the kingdom’s affairs by day. Despite all His care and filial devotion, She passed on, followed two years later by King Taejong, His father. Traditionally, bereaved children in Korea would mourn a parent’s death by observing a simple vegetarian diet and a period of abstinence for three years. Abiding by this tradition, King Sejong observed the vegetarian diet, assuring His concerned ministers, “Monks eat only vegetables, and yet some of them are even stout.”

King Sejong viewed the reorganization of Confucian rites, music, and the managerial system as crucial goals. Shortly after His ascent to the throne, the energetic King actively engaged in “Gyeongyeon,” which means Royal Lecture, and had passionate discussions of Confucian Classics and historical texts involving elite officials of Joseon. Throughout His reign, His Majesty participated in these discussions an impressive 1,898 times. The debates and King Sejong’s drive for perfection culminated in the founding of the “Royal Institute of Research.”

Korea’s national motto, “Hongik Ingan,” means living and working for the benefit of all humankind and was the center and core of King Sejong’s life philosophy. The thoughts He conceived, the decisions He made, and the policies He instituted were all dedicated towards the greater good of His people – the “People of the Heavens,” He called them. He was convinced that people, as “earthly beings of a heavenly race,” were not mere subjects under His care and jurisdiction, but possessed the boundless potential to awaken and transition themselves to a higher cultural and spiritual level. He believed that the real duty of Kings and officials was to help people achieve their full human potential. When His “heavenly people” suffered, He suffered, and when they rejoiced, He rejoiced.