Book IX 581
advisable to send out royal messengers during the busy farming season.
Though the idea of ascertaining the people’s circumstances is derived from
your sincere love for the people, it would be far more convenient and profit-
able to wait until the fall before sending the officials.” The request was
denied [by the king].
Yi Saek, Count of Hansan, died at Sillŭk Monastery in Yŏhŭng [modern
Yŏju]. At the news of his death, the king suspended the regular morning
audience and presided over the funeral, bestowing condolences as well as a
posthumous title, Munjŏng.
Yi Saek’s courtesy name was Yŏngsuk; his pen name, Mogŭn; and his
family seat, Hanju [modern Hansan]. He was the son of Duke Munhyo Yi
Kok, who served as director of the Eastern Expedition Field Headquarters
(Chŏngdong haengsŏng) and assistant chancellor of the Security Council.
He was a child prodigy who passed the National University examination
at the age of fourteen. In the Muja year (1338), when his father Kok was
appointed manager of registration (dianbu) of the Office of Personnel
Appoint ments and Royal Seals (Zhongruisi), Yi Saek was awarded the priv-
ilege of being a student of the Directorate of Education (Guozijian) because
he was the son of Kok, who had been a Yuan official. In the first month of
the Sinmyo year (1351), Kok returned to Koryŏ and died. Saek also returned
home, to observe the mourning rites for his father.
In the Kyesa year (1353), he was selected as the top finisher in the civil
service examination by Chief Examiner Yi Chehyŏn and others, and that
examination was the first to be held since King Kongmin took the throne. In
the autumn of the same year, he also passed with top honors the provincial
examination held by the Eastern Expedition Field Headquarters. In the
Kabo year (1354), he took first place in the metropolitan examination (hoesi)
and shared second place in the first kap category of the palace examination
with another candidate. Highly praised by Du Bingyi, assistant adminis-
trator who served as palace examination grader (duquanguan), Ouyang
Xuan, Hanlin academician recipient of edicts (Hanlin chengzhi), and other
Chinese officials, Saek was appointed provisional participant in the drafting
of proclamations and, concurrently, junior compiler of the Hanlin and His to -
riography Academy (yingfeng Hanlinwenzi tongzhi zhigao jian Guoshiyuan
bianxiuguan).
After he returned to Koryŏ, King Kongmin appointed him bureau section
chief of the Board of Personnel and, concurrently, fourth royal counselor of