468 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
25th Day (Kyŏngsin)
Chŏng Tojŏn, director of the State Finance Commission; Chŏng Ch’ong,
Chancellery scholar; and others presented to the king the History of Koryŏ
in thirty- seven books, starting from T’aejo to King Kongyang. The king
personally read it and issued a royal decree to Chŏng Tojŏn:
“I had heard that the king who inaugurates a new dynasty replacing the
old always orders scholar- officials to compile the history [of the previous
dynasty] because it is necessary to record what has happened in the pre-
ceding dynasty and also important to encourage and admonish his posterity.
When we look back at the previous [Koryŏ] dynasty founded by the Wang
clan, it drew its name from Koguryŏ, achieving the unification of the Three
Kingdoms. It lasted almost five hundred years, and the kings were no fewer
than thirty generations. The newly compiled history naturally provides
numerous records related to the fortunes of the dynasty, such as its rise and
fall, good and bad aspects, and losses and gains, but I suppose a great deal
of the records must have been lost. Unless an outstanding historian [such as
yourself] undertook this task of compiling a dynastic history, how could
such a fine book be published?
“Your extensive learning mastered the minutest details in the Classics
and histories, and your judgment penetrated the complexities of changes
during the course of human history. Your discussion is straight, based on
the words of sages, and your clear judgment has always separated the good
from the bad. You not only have assisted me in inaugurating the new
dynasty, which is a great contribution to the country, but also produced
many good ideas, which have helped me in carrying out state affairs and
enlightening the people. Talented in writing, you deserve to be entrusted
with the task of promulgating the laws and institutions. Furthermore, you
have the humility characteristic of a fine scholar and the impressive stature
of a grand councilor. From the beginning when I ascended the throne, I
knew that I would need your talent. So I appointed you as a member of the
grand councilors and concurrently assigned you the task of compiling the
history. You indeed discharged your duty remarkably well and, further, pro-
duced a fine history in your spare time.
“In your book, you put the date at the beginning and briefly summarized
the details of the history you introduced. When you dealt with trouble and
ordinary affairs, you chose only those related to the main thesis of historical
importance, and when you praised or criticized individuals, you did not