Chapter 10 …
Mozart in Joseon
The Second Courtyard
The Nation of Rites and Music (3)
I waited for an opportunity for several days, but I couldn’t make my way to Chunmongjae.
It was because of the gatekeeper servant. Whenever I even went near the place, he would kick up a fuss, making it impossible to get close.
It seemed he had received special instructions from Grandfather.
“What are you thinking about that you can’t focus?”
Grandfather spoke in a stern voice.
“Recite what you learned earlier.”
When I lifted my head, Grandfather was glaring straight at me.
“The Heavenly Stems are Gap, Eul, Byeong, Jeong, Mu, Gi, Gyeong, Sin, Im, and Gye.
The Earthly Branches are Ja, Chuk, In, Myo, Jin, Sa, O, Mi, Sin, Yu, Sul, and Hae.”
Joseon has a unique way of counting years.
Gap combined with Ja becomes the Gapja Year, Eul with Chuk becomes the Eulchuk Year, and so on.
“Then what do we call this year?”
“It’s the Sinsa Year.”
“…Ahem.”
When I answered correctly, Grandfather cleared his throat for no particular reason.
“Grandfather.”
“What is it?”
“I’ve been going to the market lately, right?”
“Yes.”
“No matter how much I think about how the common people’s lives could improve, I can’t find an answer.”
Grandfather smiled broadly.
“You’ve been thinking about such things?”
I have to—so I can sell performance tickets.
“Yes.”
“If you’ve asked the question, that means you’ve given it some thought. Let’s hear what you think.”
Before answering any question, Grandfather always asks for my thoughts first.
“The gatekeeper servant says day laborers earn twenty mun a day. But they don’t have work all year round.”
“Hmm.”
“Wouldn’t it be good if there were more opportunities to work?”
“Then who grows the rice you ate for dinner?”
“The farmers.”
“That’s right. Farming is the great foundation of the world, so when governing, agriculture must be taken as the root.”
“…Yes.”
“Money earned through corvée labor is temporary. For the people’s lives to truly prosper, farming must flourish.”
“Like how people live well when rites and music are properly established?”
“Correct. Precisely so.”
“……”
“Do you still have doubts?”
“What about people who don’t own land?”
“What do you think should be done?”
When I paused to think, Grandfather burst into hearty laughter.
“If you devote yourself to study, you’ll know the answer someday.”
* * *
Because Grandfather said he would be late returning from court, I studied in the evening with Father instead.
Father flipped through The Elementary Learning for a bit, then closed the book.
“You’ve been going to the market often lately. What’s so enjoyable about it?”
“There’s lots of good food, and lots of people.”
It would be best not to mention that I was looking for a chance to enter Chunmongjae.
“So that’s why you bring back so much food every time you go.”
“I’ll buy more tomorrow.”
“Hahaha. All right. All right.”
It seems Father has no intention of pushing me hard to study.
I couldn’t let this opportunity slip, so I brought up another topic.
“I have something I’m curious about.”
“What is it?”
“How can people live better lives?”
“That’s a difficult question.”
“I asked Grandfather yesterday, and he said farming has to prosper.”
“If it were Grandfather, he would say that.”
“But what about people without land?”
Father’s gentle eyes widened slightly.
“The gatekeeper servant said there are far more people without land. If they can’t farm, how can they live well?”
Father looked at me in surprise for a moment, then smiled.
“Did you ask Grandfather that too?”
“He said if I want to find the answer, I should study.”
“Hahahaha!”
Father laughed loudly.
“That’s right. A truly correct answer.”
“Father, you’ve studied much more than I have. Did you find the answer?”
Father looked at me with a face full of laughter, then spoke.
“I did.”
“What is it?”
“If they can’t farm because they have no land, then wouldn’t it be fine to give them some?”
If he had that kind of money, he’d probably spend it on travel funds.
When I sulked, Father continued.
“Yes. As you can tell, that plan cannot be realized.”
Just as Father said, it’s impossible to give land to everyone.
Even if a king thought that way, it wouldn’t work—land isn’t infinite, nor can it be divided equally.
“Since you know the answer is strange, shouldn’t you check whether the question itself is wrong?”
“The question?”
“If farming is the great foundation, then why don’t scholars farm?”
“……”
“Do you think everyone must become a farmer?”
“No.”
Of course not.
Father nodded in satisfaction.
“You must have seen it while going to the market. For goods to be bought, there must be sellers, and also people who transport them. If everyone farmed, even self-sufficiency would be impossible.”
I nodded.
“You need sickles, hoes, and spades to farm. If everyone only farms, who would make the tools? Just because farming is paramount doesn’t mean other occupations should be despised—if they are, the foundation collapses.”
Compared to Grandfather’s explanation focused only on farming, Father’s words resonated more.
“Then what’s the way for farmers, blacksmiths, and merchants all to live well?”
“What do you think?”
“Grandfather said that if rites and music are properly established, everything will prosper.”
Grandfather said that when etiquette and music are set right, people’s behavior becomes virtuous and cautious, and life naturally improves.
I think that’s a wonderful idea—but even if proper music is established, it doesn’t seem like people will suddenly be able to buy performance tickets.
“I don’t think so.”
“Hahahahaha!”
Father burst into laughter again.
“If Grandfather heard that, he’d strike the floor in shock.”
“Do you think so too, Father?”
Father stared at me, then slowly shook his head.
“That’s why you get scolded by Grandfather every day.”
He soon turned serious.
“When your learning deepens and you can judge for yourself, let’s talk about this again.”
* * *
Father went to bed early, and Grandfather was out of the house.
The gatekeeper servant, having chopped wood all day, was snoring loudly.
There would be no better chance than today to slip out unnoticed.
After carefully watching for signs, I headed to the backyard, climbed a tree, and successfully vaulted over the wall.
I worried about my young body, but though my strength was lacking, it was far healthier and lighter than my body before death, so it wasn’t a problem.
I headed toward Chunmongjae.
I thought through the problem from many angles.
First, there is no instrument like a piano that can produce harmony and accompaniment alone.
Second, if that’s the case, I need an accompanist—but teaching one myself would take far too long.
Third, ordinary commoners can’t afford performance tickets.
Fourth, there’s no place suitable for large-scale performances.
Therefore, for now, the only answer is a chamber solo recital aimed at nobles—no, at yangban.
I don’t know how chamber music is conducted in Joseon, but Chunmongjae should provide many clues.
What kind of music they like, how performers are recruited, whether singing is involved, how long performances last—things like that.
The remaining problem is that nobles are nobles, even in Joseon.
Just thinking about dealing again with people who treated musicians like insects makes my head throb.
“Taking in a vagrant like a beggar would damage the Archduke’s honor.”¹
“A mere novice who knows nothing about composition.”²
“German trash.”³
Countless royals who had dared to look down on me—someone beloved by God, simply because they were born royal—flashed through my mind.
“Hoo.”
After walking briskly, I arrived at Chunmongjae.
Even though it was late at night, laughter and music spilled out.
I looked around to find a place to peek in, but all the trees suitable for climbing were inside the walls.
It seemed they had even uprooted nearby trees to prevent people from spying.
“This is just how nobles behave.”
They derive superiority from difference.
Space, time, objects, etiquette—they differentiate everything to separate commoners from nobles.
This place called Chunmongjae was probably managed so that only yangban could enter.
“…Can I enter too?”
I suddenly realized that I, too, was a noble of Joseon.
After a brief hesitation, I headed for the main gate.
Two guards at the door saw me, widened their eyes, and exchanged glances.
“Ahem.”
As I cleared my throat and tried to enter, they waved their hands.
“J-just a moment, young master.”
What did nobles say in moments like this?
“Impudent.”
I’m fairly sure that’s how they said it.
As expected, the guards panicked.
If I pushed a little harder, it seemed it would work.
“Why do you block my path?”
“It’s not that—”
One of the guards swallowed several times before speaking.
“Do you perhaps know what kind of place this is?”
“Is it not a place of sound?”
“That is true, but—”
“What’s going on?”
Someone came out from inside.
A woman wearing a red skirt and ornate hair ornaments.
She saw me, widened her eyes, then smiled.
“Greetings. My name is Danwol.”
I was about to give my name when I worried that Grandfather might find out.
He deeply despised the music performed in places like this, calling it obscene. If he learned I’d been here, I might be forbidden from snacks for a while.
“This is not an appropriate place for a young master to visit. I humbly ask that you turn back.”
Danwol bowed lightly.
Every movement and word carried refinement.
I couldn’t force my way in after that.
“Then I would like to ask a few questions.”
Danwol hesitated, then grinned and nodded.
“When I listened from outside, the skill with the instruments was exceptional. Are the performers brought in from outside?”
“Some are invited, and some children reside here.”
“Then you summon them whenever there is business?”
“That is correct.”
“I would like to speak with them. How should I go about it?”
“May I ask the reason?”
“I have great interest in sound, and I’m curious what kind of sounds skilled performers handle.”
Danwol stared at me, then bowed.
“Understood. It’s late tonight, so once the sun rises tomorrow, I will send someone. Where should I inform you?”
Grandfather must not find out.
“It would be better to set a time and place. Tomorrow at noon, how about the rice cake shop on Yukjeon Street?”
Danwol smiled softly.
“How should I introduce you?”
Grandfather said that the name ‘Hwi’ must not be given lightly or called casually.
Moreover, I didn’t want to reveal my status.
A pseudonym would be best.
Suddenly, the Gapja I learned today came to mind.
“…Gap.”
“Pardon?”
“Just know me as Gap.”
For the first time, Danwol looked flustered, her eyes darting about, before she nodded.
“I will arrange the appointment.”
¹ A remark by Maria Theresa to her son Archduke Karl, who sought to recruit Mozart. It is unlikely Mozart heard it directly.
² A remark made to Mozart by Archbishop Colloredo of Salzburg.
³ A remark made toward Mozart by Empress Maria Luisa at the coronation of Leopold II.
