Dasan Chong Yag-yong(1762 - 1836) A forerunner in the Silhak movement, Chong Yag-yong entered Old Sungkyunkwan in 1783, and won the King's full trust. Though inspired by Catholicism, which was studied by scholars of the time and had spread among them Silhak, or 'Practical Study', was very much a Korea-centered Neo-Confucian ideology. Chong's utilitarian, innovative ideas brought improvements in many fields. He was a prolific writer, and one of his books Mongminsimso ('Admonitions on Governing the People'), is still widely read, providing today's intellectuals with a meaningful message.