308 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
In the Kimi year (1379), during the reign of the false king [U], Sojong was
reinstated as assistant director of the Palace Document Office (Chŏn’gyosi)
and later transferred to the posts of vice director of ceremonies (chŏnŭi
puryŏng) and fourth royal counselor (ŭnggyo) of the Office of Royal Decrees
and State Records. In the Sinyu year (1381), his mother passed away, and he
observed mourning, living in a hut next to the tomb of his mother in Kŭmju.^49
When the period of mourning was over, many scholars in the south came to
study under him. In the Pyŏngin year (1386), he was appointed second assis-
tant master of the National Academy. In the summer of the Mujin year
(1388) when the king [T’aejo] marched back with his army from Wihwa
Island and stayed outside the east gate of the royal palace, Sojong went to
see him, taking The Biography of Huo Guang (Huo Guang Chuan)^50 with
him. After eliminating Ch’oe Yŏng and others, the king carried out a reform
in relation to officials, hiring capable people and dismissing incompetent
ones. Accordingly, he appointed Sojong as vice minister (ch’ongnang) of
the Board of Personnel and soon promoted him to the post of right grand
master of remonstrance (u saŭi taebu).
In the spring of the Kisa year (1389), Sojong impeached Yi Inim, [who
was already dead,] requesting that his coffin be dug out, his corpse chopped
into pieces, and the site of his house made into a swamp. His request, how-
ever, was not granted. Then he served as chancellor of the National Academy.
Attempting to abolish private landholding with the support of Cho Chun
and others, the king [T’aejo] asked for the opinions of all officials on that
matter. Everyone was opposed to it, but Sojong, along with Chŏng Tojŏn,
insisted on abolishing private landholding. When King Kongyang rose to
the throne, Sojong was appointed left policy advisor and reader of the Office
of the Royal Lectures. However, he was opposed to the king when the latter
tried to appoint monk Ch’annyŏng^51 as royal preceptor and blocked the king’s
attempt by submitting a memorial. Deeply resentful of this and other mat-
ters, King Kongyang transferred Sojong to the post of minister of the Board
of Rites and a little later sent him into exile to Kŭmju.- Modern Kŭmsan in South Ch’ungch’ŏng Province.
- Huo Guang (?–68 b c): a statesman of the Western Han during the reign of Emperor
Wu. He deposed the prince of Changyi, whom he had installed as a new emperor, for the good
of the state rather than to usurp the throne. Then he offered the throne to Liu Bingyi, a great-
grandson of Emperor Wu, who was later known as Emperor Xuan. - Ch’annyŏng (1328–1390): a monk of late Koryŏ. He served as royal preceptor during
the reign of King U.