Book I 117*
The Office of the Inspector-General impeached Wang Kang^28 for causing
harm to the people when he formerly served as the supreme commander
(ch’ech’alsa) of three provinces.^29
28th Day (Chŏngmi)
T’aejo moved his family to the private residence of Assistant Chancellor
Yun Ho.^30T’aejo dedicated eulogistic posthumous titles to his ancestors four genera-
tions back. His great-great-grandfather was named as King Mok [Mokwang]^31
and his wife Lady Yi, Consort Hyo [Hyobi];^32 his great-grandfather, King
Ik [Ikwang]^33 and his wife Lady Ch’oe, Consort Chŏng [Chŏngbi];^34 his
- An official of late Koryŏ. Passing the civil service examination during the reign of
King Kongmin, he served in various offices, including chancellor of the National Academy;
military commissioner of the Northwest Region; supreme commander of Yanggwang, Chŏlla,
and Kyŏngsang Provinces; and concurrently salt and iron monopoly commissioner. He was
known to have rendered great service in transporting tribute taxes and contributed to the
increase of national revenue by effectively managing the salt and iron supplies. However, with
the end of the Koryŏ dynasty, he was exiled to Kŏje Island and later Kongju and finally exe-
cuted in 1394 when many of the royal Wang clan were put to death. - Ch’ech’alsa is a temporary post designed to supervise the military affairs during
emergency situations. - An official of late Koryŏ and early Chosŏn. When he served as deputy director (p’ansa),
he composed a poem after losing a ko game to King Kongmin. The king was displeased by his
poem and kept aloof from him, later sending him away as provincial military commissioner
(to sunmunsa) of Yanggwang Province. In 1375, he was implicated in the impeachment of
Chancellor Yi Inim and exiled. In 1381, he repulsed the Japanese marauders while serving as
magistrate of Kyerim. In 1385, he visited Ming China as tribute envoy, and in 1388 he served
as an aide to Yi Sŏnggye when the latter led the military campaign against Liaodong, China.
In 1390, he was appointed merit subject for stopping the military campaign against China and
enthroning King Kongyang, and became vice grand councilor in 1392. With the founding of
the Chosŏn dynasty, he became merit subject second class and received the title of Lord of
P’ap’yŏng. Then he served as director of the State Finance Commission and visited Ming
China to celebrate the imperial birthday but died while traveling. - The Chinese character 穆 (“Mok”), literally “harmony,” signifies spreading virtues by
establishing justice. (Narratives of Yŏllŏsil) - Also called Queen Hyogong, she was the daughter of Yi Kongsuk, who served as
administrator (changsa) of the Thousand Bull Division. (Ibid) - The Chinese character 翼 (“Ik”), literally “bird’s wing,” signifies that a person with
that name is a man of profound and far-reaching thought. (Ibid) - Her clan seat was Dengzhou, and she was the daughter of Ch’oe Kiyŏl, household chief
(hojang), the main clerk of a district magistrate. (Ibid)