718 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
and finding that Ch’ong was one of the authors who drafted the memorial,
he ordered him to be detained and demanded that his family be brought to
his court by dispatching an envoy [to Korea]. When his family was finally
brought to the court, the emperor was angry because he suspected that they
were not the real members of his family. Consequently, he ordered all of
them to be repatriated [to Korea]. He also tried to bring Chŏng Tojŏn to his
court by sending an envoy to Korea.
Because Tojŏn was ill, Kwŏn Kŭn requested that he be allowed to visit
the Ming court: “I also participated in drafting the memorial to the emperor.
If I pay a visit to the Chinese court voluntarily despite no order for my
appearance from the emperor, I may be forgiven, and the one [Chŏng Tojŏn]
who failed to appear at the court may also escape the suspicion [of dis-
obeying the imperial order]. If I tarry and pay a visit later after receiving the
order for my appearance, I may face severe punishment.” So the king gave
him permission to leave.
After Kŭn had an audience with the emperor, the emperor was mollified
and ordered Kŭn and Ch’ong as well as other Korean officials to go out
every day to attend the lectures by various [Chinese] scholars at the Hall of
Literary Profundity. Intending to repatriate them in the future, the emperor
bestowed clothes on them and had them tour the capital city for three days,
composing poems under various titles that he gave. When they finally bid
farewell to the emperor in the courtyard, Kŭn wore the robes that the
emperor had bestowed on him, but Ch’ong wore white robes to mourn the
death of Queen Hyŏn.
The emperor became furious and said to Ch’ong, “Why did you wear the
mourning dress instead of the one I bestowed on you?” The emperor ordered
the Imperial Bodyguard (Jinyiwei) to take Ch’ong and others away to be
interrogated, while permitting Kŭn to return to Korea. Ch’ong became ter-
rified and tried to escape but was soon captured and executed. Kim Yakhang
and No Indo were also executed because of Ch’ong. The king grieved over
his death when he heard of it and granted Munmin for his posthumous title.
He was survived by two sons, Hyomun and Hyoch’ung.
Kim Yakhang’s courtesy name was Kugyŏng, and his clan seat Kwangju.
He was the son of Chŏng, Lord of Kwangsŏng. Passing the civil service
examination in the Sinhae year (1371) of the previous dynasty, he became
recorder of the Court of Royal Ceremonies and Sacrifices. After serving in
various posts, he rose to the rank of superintendent of ceremonial propri-
eties (yeŭich’ongnang) in the Kyech’uk year (1373) and second inspector of