820 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
4th Day (Chŏngch’uk)
Sin Kwisaeng returned to his hometown, Yŏnghŭng.^285th Day (Muin)
Chŏn Si was sent into exile at Kapchu.^29 Earlier, Yu Hanu, minister of works,
returned from his trip to the Northeast Region and visited Si at his house.
When the latter asked about what he had seen in the northeast, Hanu replied,
“Sullŭng [the royal tomb of the king’s grandmother] was relocated, and the
stone sheep and tiger statues as well as the stone chamber of her tomb were
extremely luxurious and splendid.” Si said, “If it were the royal tomb of the
king, such luxury and splendor for Sullŭng might be allowable. However,
isn’t it a little too much for the tomb of the king’s grandmother?”
Hanu replied, “The tomb of the Count of Kyŏngan [the king’s father- in-
law] is much the same.” Si said, “When it is problematic to make the tomb
of the king’s grandmother luxurious, how can the tomb of the king’s father-
in- law be made like the royal tomb?”
Hanu also talked about the construction of Chunwŏnjŏn, the hall
enshrining the umbilical cord of the king, and Si replied, “Since Longevity
Hall of Fame (Changsaengjŏn) is already completed, the construction of
Chunwŏnjŏn is not necessary. The minister of works [Hanu] cannot avoid
responsibility for it.”
Hanu reported what Si said, infuriating the king, who ordered Si inter-
rogated and tortured. He also made him divulge the names of those with
whom he had talked. Si said, “Hanu is the only one I spoke to, and there is
no one else.” However, as he was tortured more severely, he finally con-
fessed the names of Hwang Hŭi and Pak Sugi. Upon further interrogation,
he also disclosed the names of over ten people, including his father- in-
law Yu Wŏnjŏng, his uncle Chŏn Yu, Cho Hwa, Sin Hyoch’ang, and Yun
Sindal.
The king said, “Si is now serving as remonstrator. If he finds anything
that is abusive, it is appropriate that he should report it to or request it from
me directly. Without speaking a word to me, he criticized me behind my
back together with various people. What crime can be greater than this?- A district in Hamgyŏng Province and the hometown of T’aejo.
- Also called Kapsan, it is located in Hamgyŏng Province.