Educating the crown prince was about far more than helping one person with his studies.

It was about preparing the kingdom’s next king.

For this reason, Joseon established a separate institution devoted specifically to the crown prince’s education.

It was known as the Seja Sigang-won, the Crown Prince Tutorial Office.

Because the crown prince was associated with spring, the office was also called the Chunbang.

The Seja Sigang-won brought together some of the most senior officials in the kingdom, as well as civil officials respected for their scholarship and moral character.

The highest tutorial offices were entrusted to the highest-ranking state councilors, such as the Chief, Left, and Right State Councilors.

Other tutorial officials closely guided the crown prince’s studies and daily conduct.

As a child, the crown prince studied works such as Elementary Learning and The Classic of Filial Piety, which taught the basic principles of proper conduct.

As he grew older, he read a wider range of Confucian classics and historical texts, asking questions and discussing their meaning with his tutors.

But his tutors taught more than the meaning of books.

The role of the Seja Sigang-won was not only to provide scholarly instruction, but also to guide the crown prince toward becoming a person of sound judgment and character.

Education was concerned not only with what he knew,
but with how he judged,
and how he acted.

There was a clear reason why the state devoted so many people and institutions to educating a single crown prince.

One day, a single decision of his would reach into countless lives.