Book I 119contributions and virtue, you should restore the damaged authority and dig-
nity of the throne and relieve the people’s worries.’
“Being unworthy and lacking in virtue, I worried that I would be unable
to take my responsibility and declined your requests a few times. However,
you all persisted, saying, ‘Since the hearts of the people are like this, it is not
hard to know the will of Heaven. You cannot resist the people and disobey
the command of Heaven.’ So I had no choice but to accede to your request
and reluctantly rose to the throne.
“We will continue to use Koryŏ for our dynastic name, and the rites and
ceremonies, as well as customs and laws, shall be carried out according to
the precedents established by the former dynasty. Since our dynasty is newly
founded, it is necessary to announce the gracious and generous measures
that will benefit the people, and their details will be illustrated below.
“Ah, ah! Lacking in virtue and being ignorant, I do not know how to deal
with the present situation, but with your help I intend to change the govern-
ment for the better. I want you all to feel the same and share my sincerity.
“1. It is ancient custom that the Son of Heaven establish seven generations
of his ancestors in his shrine, while vassal lords only enshrine five genera-
tions of ancestors in their shrine. The ancestral temple is on the left [i.e.,
east side of the palace], and the altar of earth and grain on the right [i.e., west
side]. In the former dynasty [Koryŏ], the order of setting up spirit tablets
(somok)^39 and the way of building the shrines (tangch’im)^40 failed to meet
the way prescribed by the classics. Furthermore, though they had the ances-
tral temple established outside the walls [of the royal palace] and the Altars
of Earth and Grain on the right of the palace, the way they arranged this was
clearly not in accordance with ancient custom. The Board of Rites shall
look closely into this matter and make more appropriate regulations.
“1. Provide Wang U, the descendant of the Wang clan, with Majŏn County
in Kyŏnggi Province and, enfeoffing him as Lord of Kwiŭi, let him perform
- Somok, 昭穆, refers to the order in which the ancestral spirit tablets are arranged in
bays, which is originally found in the Book of Rites. The tablets on the left are called so, 昭,
and the ones on the right mok, 穆. On the left should be the second, fourth, and sixth genera-
tions of ancestors preceding the reigning monarch or the one who offers sacrifice; on the right,
the third, fifth, and seventh generations of ancestors. At the front, right in the middle, the spirit
tablet of the grand ancestor (T’aejo) is placed. See The Li Ki translated by James Legge,
pp. 224–5. - Ta ngch’ im , 堂寢, according to James Legge, is a comparatively dark compartment at
the back of each bay. See Li Ki translated by James Legge, p. 224.