892 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
small and its residents were few, the governor [of Kyŏngsang Province]
requested that the government integrate it into a neighboring county.22nd Day (Kapcha)
When the letter from the Ministry of Rites of China notifying the death of
Emperor Taizu [posthumously Emperor Gao] arrived, Yi Kwich’ŏl, myri-
arch of Ŭiju, went out to take it and sent it to the court along with a Chinese
calendar of the following year and his own report.
His report said: “When Chinese envoys, including Chen Gang and Chen
Li, arrived at the west side of the Yalu River, the myriarch went out to greet
them. They wanted to leave right away after delivering the official letter
they had brought, but the myriarch insisted that they take some rest. So they
crossed the river and spent two days on the side of our border and then
returned home.”
The letter [from the Ministry of Rites of China] was as follows: “This
letter, from the Ministry of Rites of Great Ming, concerns ceremonies and
rites. Emperor Taizu, posthumously Gaozu, recently passed away, and the
current emperor succeeded according to the will of the former emperor.
Upon his inauguration, the new emperor proclaimed to all under heaven the
coming year as the first year (yuannian) of Jianwen, which is his reign title
(yŏnho). Since the proclamation was made, every overseas state that pays
tribute to China must inquire about it and use it. Now we send you a copy of
the Datongli imperial calendar of the first year of Jianwen.”23rd Day (Ŭlch’uk)
Leading the hundred officials and dressed in plain clothes, the king per-
formed the condolence ceremony (chinwirye) towards the imperial palace
of China.The former king ordered the people to take out the wild animals raised in
the backyard of the royal palace to a large and empty field and have them
released.24th Day (Pyŏngin)
Leading various dukes and marquises, the king held a banquet and enter-
tained the former king [T’aejo], and the latter was very pleased.