Chŏng Chung-bu

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Chŏng Chung-bu (Korean: 정중부; Hanja: 鄭仲夫; 1106 – 18 October 1179) was a medieval Korean soldier and military dictator during the Goryeo period (918–1392). He was a career soldier, qualified on military part of civil service examination. He was most noted for leading a coup d'état in 1170 (Revolt of military officers),^[1] dethroning the king and beginning of 100-year military reign in Korea.

Chŏng was born in 1106; he learned martial arts and military tactics in his early days. He was often reported to be 7-foot-tall giant with great confidence and intelligence. He was a diligent soldier, and his loyalty earned him the trust from the king. He went through a slow promotion and later became Chief of General Staff.

At the time he became a soldier, Goryeo enacted a policy that put the civilian power over military. The policy benefited the dynasty well during its early days, and many civilian officials were also able military commanders, such as Kang Kam-ch'an and Yun Kwan. However, the civilian rule made many side-effects as time passed on; the military generals was seen as servants, or even slaves of the civilian officials, and treated as slaves by many government officials and advisers to the king. In 998, King Mokjong put military under civilian command, causing the coup d'état of General Kang Cho. In 1014, military officers were not paid because the government had to pay civilian officials first, causing the anger of Generals Ch'oe Chil and Kim Hun to attempt a failed military rebellion; and later the government even closed the military academy. The grief of army officers became greater and greater as the treatment and view toward them got harsher.

In 1167, during the royal banquet of King Uijong, Kim Ton-jung, son of powerful aristocrat Kim Pu-sik (author of Samguk sagi), burned Chŏng's long beard with a candle, and made fun of him and also mocked the whole military. The incident caused Chŏng to have a strong animosity toward aristocrats and civilian officials.

In 1170, King Uijong went to his royal villa to rest and to hold another feast, and he also held a martial arts competition. A young soldier won the event, and was praised by the king. Then, many of king's advisers to the court and eunuchs forced General Yi So-ŭng, who was at his late fifties, to face the champion, who was about 20. The old general, of course, was not able to fight the young champion and fell down to the ground. Then, a young civilian official named Han Roe, insulted the general and even slapped him across his face in front of the king and many fellow soldiers. General Chŏng, who could not stand the advisers' attitude anymore, knocked Han out and insulted him. The incident caused the long grievances of military to explode; young soldiers, notably Colonels Yi Ŭi-bang, Yi Ko and Chae Won, urged Chŏng to launch a coup d'état against the entire government and the king, who favored civilian officials over army. Chŏng first ignored their opinion but later agreed to revolt against the government. With his order, in the name of commander-in-chief, the whole army rebelled against the king and his advisers. Almost all of advisers, including Kim Don-jung and Han Noe, were killed and King Uijong was overthrown. Chŏng then set up a puppet king, King Myeongjong, beginning the 100-year military rule of Korea.

However, after the coup d'état in 1170, the leaders of the revolution began to feud with each other. Generals Yi Ko and Chae Won were killed by General Yi Ŭi-bang for treason. Then Yi visited Chŏng, who adopted him as a son, only for a while. In 1173, a surviving civilian official Kim Po-dang rebelled in northeastern border, trying to restore the civilian order under deposed King Uijong. Yi Ŭi-bang decided to assassinate Uijong; and after he killed the ex-king, Yi put down the rebellion, which put Yi on the peak of the power. Then Yi began to oppress Buddhism and Confucianism, executed many civilian administrators and scholars, raped royal family members and forced the Crown Prince to marry his daughter. His despotic reign caused the grief of many people, and finally in 1174, a chain of rebellion that lasted for 50 years began in Pyongyang by Cho Wi-chong. Yi Ŭi-bang sent massive troops to put down the rebellion.

General Chŏng, who promoted himself as Prime Minister, decided to put an end to Yi's reign of terror. He ordered his son, Chŏng Kyun, and his son-in-law, General Song Yu-in, to kill Yi Ŭi-bang. Yi was finally murdered by Chŏng Kyun, and the power passed to Chŏng Chung-bu. Chŏng continued to fight against rebels in Pyongyang; however, slaves and people of lowest class of present-day Gongju rebelled against the government. Chŏng managed to crush the uprising of Jo, and entered negotiation with outcast rebellion leaders Mangyi and Mangsoyi, but as the official army continued its campaign against the uprising, Mang brothers revolted again. They were executed in 1177, ending the rebellion; but many other impoverished people continued to revolt against the government.

With the law and order crumbling over the whole nation, Chŏng decided not to retire from politics even though he was at his late 70's. His son Chŏng Kyun, backed by his powerful father, accepted bribes from many officials who tried to gain more power and support from the reigning family; even Chŏng's servants and slaves took bribes from politicians and brawled with some of them on the street. Politics drifted toward iniquity, and many people thought another coup d'état was necessary to put an end on Chŏng's unjust rule. In the end, General Kyŏng Tae-sŭng, the youngest general of Goryeo army, revolted against Chŏng in October 1179, murdering Chŏng Kyun and Song Yu-in. Chŏng Chung-bu was arrested for corruption and treason, and executed in public few days later.

• Portrayed by Kim Heung-ki in the 2003–2004 KBS TV series Age of Warriors.

• List of Goryeo people