General Introduction (Ch’ongsŏ) 27mind doing the tasks normally assigned to low-ranking soldiers, [such as
gathering firewood or cooking], and eventually rose to the post of minister
of works (kongjo chŏnsŏ).
The eighteenth year (1369) of King Kongmin (the second year of the reign
of Hongwu).^81 Earlier, Ki Saiyintiermuer, the son of Ki Ch’ŏl, became man-
ager of governmental affairs after serving in the Yuan government. As the
Yuan collapsed, however, together with Assistant Chancellor (pingzhang)
Kim Paegan, who was in charge of Liaoyang and Shenyang, he captured the
Tongnyŏng Administration (Tongnyŏngbu),^82 rounding up the wandering
people of Yuan. He did this because he deeply resented that his father had
been executed and wanted to avenge the death of his father by invading
Koryŏ’s northern border.
The king [Kongmin], who had already decided to serve the Ming dynasty,
wanted to recapture the Tongnyŏng Administration and at the same time
sever the relationship with the Northern Yuan.^83 So, in the twelfth month of
the same year, the king appointed T’aejo military commander of the
Northeast Region, and Chi Yongsu and Yang Paegyŏn military commanders
of the Northwest Region.
In the first month of the nineteenth year (1370) of King Kongmin, T’aejo
left the Northeast Region, leading five thousand cavalry-men and ten thou-
sand infantry soldiers. Crossing over Hwangch’oryŏng Mountain Pass,^84 he
marched more than 600 li until he reached Sŏlhallyŏng Mountain Pass,^85
- The regnal name of Zhu Yuanzhang (1328–1398), the founder of the Ming dynasty.
- During the Mongol dominion over Koryŏ, sizable portions of Koryŏ territory were
placed under direct Yuan control. Tongnyŏng Administration, established in the Western Cap-
ital (Sŏgyŏng; modern P’yŏngyang), was one of them, along with the Ssangsŏng Commandery,
established in modern Yŏnghung, and the T’amna Commandery, established on Cheju Island
(Ki-baik Lee, 157). However, Tongnyŏng Administration here refers to the one that was estab-
lished later in Liaodong, China. In the 10th year (1269) of Wŏnjong of Koryŏ, Ch’oe T’an rose
in rebellion against the government and surrendered to the Yuan, turning over 54 towns,
including the Western Capital in the Northern Border Region (Pukkye), as well as 6 towns in
Sŏhae Province. The following year, Emperor Shizu of Yuan established Tongnyŏng Admin is -
tration in the Western Capital and appointed Ch’oe T’an area commander-in-chief (ch’onggwan).
Then the Koryŏ territory above Chabiryŏng Mountain Pass was incorporated into the Yuan
territory. Later, in the 16th year (1290) of King Ch’ungnyŏl, the Tongnyŏng Administration in
the Western Capital was abolished at the request of the king, and the headquarters of Tongnyŏng
Administration was moved to Liaodong. - It refers to the remnants of the Yuan dynasty that continued to rule Mongolia after
their expulsion from China in 1368. - Located in Hamju, South Hamgyŏng Province.
- Located in Kanggye, North P’yŏnan Province.