Choe Chi-won’s Ten-odd Reform Proposals
Choe Chi-won, a scholar of head-rank six, presented some ten urgent reform proposals to Queen Jinseong; they were accepted but never carried out in the face of true-bone resistance.
Chae Yong-shin · Public domain · Source
Sent to Tang at twelve, Choe passed the examination for foreigners (bingonggwa) in 874 and became famous for his proclamation against the rebel Huang Chao. Back home in 885, he ran into the bone-rank ceiling that kept head-rank-six men below the sixth grade. His proposals earned him the rank of achan, but no reforms followed, and he withdrew to Haeinsa on Mount Gaya and other retreats.
His writings survive in the Gyewon pilgyeong and the four mountain stele inscriptions. Other head-rank-six intellectuals turned against the bone-rank order and joined the magnates: Choe Seung-u went to Later Baekje, Choe Eon-wi to Goryeo.