Book II 193the people for public works, those poor people are the ones who are recruited
first, and I feel very sorry for them. They should be exempt from labor ser-
vice, and if those who supervise public works ignore my instruction, the
office concerned will investigate and punish them.
“1. The Classic of Documents says, ‘In cases of doubtful crimes, you deal
with them lightly.’^45 It also says, ‘Punishments do not extend to [the crimi-
nal’s] heirs.’^46 The official slaves and private slaves who originally belonged
to those who were executed from the first month of the Mujin year (1388) to
the end of the former dynasty should be returned to their wives and sons so
that they can sustain their livelihoods. Make investigations on the gravity of
their crimes and report to me.”
The king returned to the temporary palace (sichwaso) and served meals
to two hundred monks. He invited Chach’o, royal preceptor, to give a sermon
about Zen Buddhism, and Consort Hyŏn^47 listened to it, sitting behind the
screen. As the sermon turned out to be inept and unintelligible, some of the
monks lamented over it.
12th Day (Kyŏngsin)
The king allowed thirty officials, including U Hyŏnbo, Yi Saek, and Sŏl
Changsu, to live in places outside the capital, and another thirty officials,
including Yi Ch’ŏm and Hŏ Ŭng, both in the capital and outside the capital,
according to their own choice.The General Directorate for Determining Taxes (Kongbu sangjŏngdogam)
submitted a memorial to the king: “We respectfully believe that Your
Majesty ascended the throne according to the will of Heaven and the wishes
of the people. Right after you were inaugurated, you ordered us to review
the tax records made in the previous dynasty and find out the exact amount
of the current annual tax revenues and expense budget to reduce unneces-
sary expenses and eliminate old abuses, and you made this way of appropri-
ating the budget into a permanent law. This is indeed a blessing for the
people.- In “The Counsels of the Great Yu,” the Classic of Documents, Gao Yao, who was in
charge of justice for many years, speaks to Emperor Shun on the right way of administering
justice to the people. (Legge, p. 49) - Ibid.
- Queen Sindŏk, or Lady Kang, T’aejo’s second wife.