456 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
“After purifying myself with all sincerity, and now leading out all the
officials, including Cho Chun, left chancellor, Kim Sahyŏng, right chan-
cellor, and Chŏng Tojŏn, director of the State Finance Commission, I make
this announcement to all the spirits [of the mountains and the rivers], with
food and wine on the table, by sending Kim Ipgyŏn, assistant grand coun-
cilor of the Chancellery, on the third day of this month.
“The reason that I decided to undertake this project is not to seek my
personal interest but to bring benefits to the people by offering sacrifices
and ruling them in accordance with the will of Heaven. If you spirits truly
understand my sincere heart and help me finish this great task safely, pre-
venting things such as bad weather, disease, and accidents, I will never
forget to offer sacrifices to you. Let me assure you that I will not indulge in
a life of ease even though I am a wretched person, and you will enjoy food
forever [because people are thankful to you]. Therefore, I hereby make this
a n nou ncement.”4th Day (Kisa)
The king sent Ch’oe Wŏn, assistant director of the Security Council, to the
site of the Royal Ancestral Shrine, and Kwŏn Kŭn, senior secretary of
the Security Council, to the site of the royal palace and had them prepare
the building sites by offering sacrifices to the Earth Spirits of the Five
Directions (Obangsin).
In order to reduce the hardship of the people, the king had the monks
from various temples recruited for the construction work, providing them
with food and clothes. The king watched the site being prepared.At night, there was an earthquake.5th Day (Kyŏngo)
The trees were covered with frost.9th Day (Kapsul)
Kaesŏng Magistracy, for the first time, parceled out the building site for
each government office, based on different degrees [of importance].