Jang Youngsil：The Slave Who Was an Inventor

Jang Youngsil: The Slave Who Was an Inventor

During a time before there were clocks, a slave boy named Jang Youngsil was born. Even though Youngsil was a slave, he was very talented and bright. He could fix anything, and even better, he made fantastic inventions. By the time he was ten years old, so many people had heard of his talent that the government office of Busan decided to hire him. One summer there was a terrible drought in Busan.

Youngsil thought to himself, “ If only there was a way to get water from the mountains to the fields! ” Suddenly he had an idea. That was it! He could make a long pipe that would direct the water from the mountain streams to the farms! Everyone was amazed. Youngsil had invented an irrigation pipe. King Sejong heard of Youngsil’s amazing pipe.

“ This boy must be a genius! ” the king thought. “ I must meet him! ” King Sejong summoned Youngsil to court. When the king met Youngsil, he saw great potential. “ But first he must learn more, ” the king said to himself. The king asked the great astrologer Yoon Saung to be Youngsil’s mentor. When the king saw that Youngsil was a quick learner, he sent him to China to study astrology.

Youngsil studied how the Chinese built water clocks, astrolabes, and sundials. He was amazed at the advances in science that the Chinese had made. “ I must use what I have learned here to help advance Korean science, ” Youngsil thought. When Youngsil returned from China, the king told his state ministers that he wished to give Youngsil a government position. The ministers protested and cried out, “ But Your Majesty, a slave cannot take a government position! ”

Hwang Hui, the minister of culture and education, stepped forward and said, “ Talent is more important than social status. Youngsil deserves this honor! ” The ministers saw the truth in Hwang Hui’s statement. In 1423, Youngsil became a government official. Youngsil vowed to use this honor to help his people and his king.