Book XII 689
4th Day (Kyechíuk)
Dispatching Commandant Sin Poan to the Northwest Region, the king
bestowed royal wine on Kim Chu, chief surveillance commissioner, and
ordered him to return to the capital.
5th Day (Kabin)
The king sent his royal instruction to the Privy Council:
“Buddhist teachings place a great emphasis on the purification of the heart
and the abstention from avarice. The abbots of various monasteries, how-
ever, are now actively engaged in business and even womanizing, and yet
they are not ashamed of themselves at all. When they die, their disciples fight
against one another to take possession of the monastery and slaves and even
take their case to court, claiming that they are legitimate heirs of their master.
“From the days before I ascended the throne, I thought about remedying
these abuses. Right now, monk Chŏngŭi of Changgyŏng Monastery requests
that he be allowed to take over Chahwa Monastery in Kyŏngsang Province,
claiming that he is the legitimate heir. Now, at the beginning of the dynasty,
I intend to rectify this problem. I want the Office of the Inspector-General
in the capital and the governors’ offices in the provinces to investigate the
buildings, slaves, and lands belonging to the monasteries, as well as the
number of slaves, that all ranks of monks inherited as legitimate heirs, and
submit a report to me.”
6th Day (Ŭlmyo)
The king paid a visit to the Sŏgang River.
7th Day (Pyŏngjin)
The king appointed Chin Ŭlsŏ, discussant of the Security Council, as pro-
vincial chief military commissioner for assisting war effort, in charge of the
[northwestern] seaboard area (haedo chojŏn tochŏlchesa); and Sin Kŭkkong,
Sin Yuhyŏn, and Chang Sajŏng, deputy directors of the Security Council, as
military commissioners for assisting war effort (chojŏn to chŏlchesa), with
the purpose of capturing the Japanese marauders operating in P’unghae
Province and the coastal areas of the Northwest Region. The king sent them
on their way to their posts after cheering them with royal wine.