280 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
Sang to the Military Command of Chŏlla Province; and Yi Cho to Kaksan.^89
Yi Sŏ, Pak P’o, Min Yŏik, Chŏng T’ak, Yi Hwang, Yi Chigang, and others
who were merit subjects were allowed to return to their private homes.24th Day (Musul)
The National Academy administered classics licentiate examination
(saengwŏnsi) and selected 132 candidates, including Yun Sangsin.
Yun Ho, director of the State Finance Commission, died at Kŭmam Post
Station^90 on his way to China to celebrate the imperial birthday. At the news
of his death, the king ordered the morning audience suspended for three days.
Yun Ho’s courtesy name was Chungmun, and he was a son of Hae, Lord
of P’ap’yŏng. He was by nature honest and good at calligraphy. He started
his public career during the reign of King Kongmin. One day he played go
with the king, and when he lost,^91 the king ordered him to compose an old-
style poem. So he presented a poem based on the work of Li Shen^92 of the
Tang dynasty, entitled “Upon Reading the Life of Li Si.”^93 His poem was as
follows:How can you always beguile the foolish only?
You put your life at risk when you try to beguile the wise.
One man’s hand is not good enough
To blind the eyes of the whole world.King Kongmin thought the poem was intended to be a satire about him and
thereafter began to alienate Ho. When Ho served as provincial military com-
missioner of Yanggwang Province, he captured Japanese pirates repeatedly
through ingenious military tactics. When he served as the magistrate of
Kyerim, he also successfully defended his district [against Japanese attack].- According to Sinjŭng tongguk yŏji sŭngnam, two places are registered under the name
Kaksan. One is located in Hwanghae province, and the other North Kyŏngsang province. - Located in P’yŏngsan, Hwanghae Province.
- It implies that he intentionally lost the game.
- An official of the Tang dynasty who served as chancellor during the reign of Emperor
Wuzong. - The prime minister of Qin who served during the reign of the First Emperor, Qin
Si Huang. He was notorious for suppressing intellectual dissent and destroying historical
records and literature, which led to the well- known event “Burning Books and Burying
Confucianists.”