Book IX 591
on the imperial birthday and the birthday of the heir apparent in the twenty-
eighth year of the reign of Hongwu as well as another memorial for the New
Year’s Day of the twenty- ninth year of the reign of Hongwu, as I have done
in the past.
“In these circumstances, the Ministry of Rites sent us an imperial mes-
sage that was as follows: ‘In the memorials [submitted by Chosŏn] to com-
memorate New Year’s Day in the twenty- ninth year of the reign of Hongwu,
there are frivolous and insulting words.’
“Having received your message and reflected upon it deeply, we realized
that despite no change in the sincerity of your vassal state toward you, we
cannot not help making mistakes in composing memorials because we are
set apart by the sea from the great nation and shallow in learning and thus
ignorant about the proper ways of producing them. So we are utterly at a
loss. For the upcoming imperial birthday, which is the eighteenth day of the
ninth month of the twenty- ninth year of the reign of Hongwu, I dare not
submit a congratulatory memorial to you.”
15th Day (Sinch’uk)
Kim Pogye, myriarch of Chindo Island in Chŏlla Province beheaded ten
Japanese marauders.
17th Day (Kyemyo)
There was fog.
The king dispatched Kwŏn Chunghwa, chief grand councilor of the Chan-
cellery, and Ku Sŏngno, discussant of the Security Council, to the Ming cap -
ital to express his gratitude for proposing marriage between the two royal
families, presenting twelve quality horses to the emperor.
The prohibition of alcohol was abolished.
Locust swarms struck in Kwangju, Kyŏnggi Province.
18th Day (Kapchin)
Yun Hyŏng, myriarch of Tongnae, and Yi Ŭigyŏng, chiliarch of Sŏkp’o,
Kyŏngsang Province, captured a ship of Japanese marauders and presented