Jang Yeong-sil was a Korean scientist and astronomer during the Joseon Dynasty. He was born a slave. During King Sejong’s reign he instituted a policy of selecting officials based on their talent, not by their wealth nor social class. Jang’s fame gained him entry into the royal court at Hanseong (present day Seoul) where selected commoners displayed their talents before the king and his advisers. King Sejong saw that Jang met his expectations in crafts and engineering and allowed Jang to work as a government official in the palace.
Jang Yeong-Sil went on to produce astronomical instruments, water gauges, a sundial and many more things. Jang’s extraordinary accomplishments earned him much trust of the king. Some government officials were very jealous of Jang, especially when he had achieved so much regardless of his common origin. In 1442, King Sejong ordered Jang to build a gama, an elaborately decorated Korean sedan chair. The gama broke while the king was travelling and Jang was held responsible. Although the king was against the decree, Jang was jailed for a long time and was expelled from the royal palace. Later events of his life, including the date of his death, were not recorded.
There are many statues of Jan Yeong-Sil around Korea. The one I stumbled upon is located on the top floor of the National Science Museum. Also, some of the instruments that he built are on display in front of theSejong Statue in Seoul.
How to get to the Jang Yeong-sil Statue:
Take line 4 to Hyehwa station and leave exit 4. Head straight past the cinema until you reach the museum. The statue is on the roof of the museum. You do not need to enter the museum just use the stairs at the side.
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