Book XIII 745*
Yi Chi, governor of Kyŏngsang Province, submitted a memorial to the king:
“Some of the officials in our province, both high and low in rank, are
registered as residents in the capital. So it happens that their horses are often
exhausted, collapsing and dying on the road while traveling to or from the
capital. They were now given orders to report to the court by a fixed date,
and some of them hurry to buy horses, spending their family fortune.
“In my opinion, in time of peace they should be allowed to exert them-
selves toward cultivating lands while training soldiers to prepare for crisis.
If they are pressured to come up to the capital, and both men and animals
are too exhausted to take care of farming, it will be extremely counterpro-
ductive. Furthermore, the people in our province lost the season for farming
last year, so they could not even afford to procure the necessary travel pro-
visions. Except those who are outstanding in filial piety, integrity, and talent,
I request that only for this year the officials in our province be allowed to
stay in their hometowns comfortably exerting themselves at farming and
training soldiers.”
The king gave orders to the Privy Council: “Among those who came up
to the capital, the ones who are outstanding in filial piety, integrity, and
talent should be selected and their names submitted, and the rest [of the
officials] should be released to go home.”
Pak Kyŏng, governor of Right Kyŏnggi Province, submitted a proposal to
the Privy Council, which was as follows:
“Naval seamen who have to spend several months aboard ship are very
vulnerable to health risks posed either by vapors and humidity or hunger and
cold, which are combined with physical exhaustion. If they lie in bed one or
two days, they are suspected of having a contagious disease. As a result, even
the ones who are capable of surviving are often abandoned on islands or
thrown into the sea and thus cut off in their prime. Since this practice brings
about complaints and resentment, isn’t it lamentable? While many trained
seamen are allowed to die that way, the districts concerned are ordered to
find replacements for the dead, which also gives the people a major burden.
“We request that hereafter medical doctors be sent to each coastal prov-
ince to provide timely and adequate treatment [to navy seamen] and thus
prevent them from dying so soon. If a seaman loses his life while serving at
sea, a marker stake carrying the information, including the names of the