Book III 247“How can this great news concern me alone? This is indeed a blessing for
the entire country and the people. Let everyone know about it and partici-
pate in making a fresh start. From this day forward, the name Koryŏ will be
abolished and replaced with a new name, Chosŏn.
“Since it is necessary to show benevolence at a time when we make a
fresh start in administration, all crimes (except capital punishment, by
either beheading or hanging) committed before the early morning of the
fifteenth day of the second month of the twenty-sixth year (1393) of the
reign of Hongwu will be forgiven, regardless of whether the guilty were
sentenced. Those who make accusations or lawsuits concerning the things
that happened before this amnesty shall be subject to a penalty equal to that
for the charges they are seeking.
“Ah! Now that the work of founding a nation has already been accom-
plished, and it ought to be handed down to posterity under the new name,
measures must be taken to ensure that the administration looks after the
people benevolently.”The left chancellor and others dispatched Yi Hwang, left grand master of
remonstrance, to submit a memorial to the king, which carried a message of
congratulation: “A sage king rose to establish a new dynasty, which is the
old land once ruled by Kija [Jizi]^32 in ancient days, and the emperor was
gracious enough to bestow a beautiful country name, Chosŏn, upon your
kingdom. This is a great honor and glory to the entire country and the
people.
“We believe that Your Majesty surpasses Yu Shun in culture and pos-
sesses the courage and wisdom of King Tang. Crowds of people gather
around you singing praises to you, and Heaven grants you fortune. You
increase benefits to those who serve you and at the same time try to be more
sincere in serving the great (sadae).^33 Since the emperor first settled the
matter of our country name by proclaiming a decree composed of ten lines,
- According to ancient records, he is a parental uncle of the tyrannical King Zhou of
Shang. He was imprisoned at the time when the Shang dynasty ended. Released from the
prison by King Wu, with his followers, he traveled to the east, presumably to the modern
Korean Peninsula, and established a kingdom called Kija Chosŏn. But scholars differ on the
exact location of his kingdom. - The Korean term, “sadae,” describes a foreign policy toward Ming China, which was
characterized by the various ways a weaker state acknowledges the strength of a greater power
like China, constantly conveying good will and respect through its envoys.