220 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
producing rice and millet. You prevented useless officials from wasting
state stipends; favorite retainers from betraying the trust of the king; arti-
sans, merchants, and servants from presumptuously holding public posts;
the idle monks, who only consume food without working, from occupying
large lands; men with no contributions from being invested with titles of
nobility; and their young and incompetent children from being employed.
As you eliminated all these problems with new laws, the door of fortune by
chance was closed, and the road leading to men in power blocked. The pur-
pose of having the people sacrifice to their ancestors by establishing their
family shrines was to make them virtuous, and expanding academies and
installing education officers (kyosu) was to clarify the rules of proper con-
duct. The civilized society and the military power that you brought about
are already accomplished and so well known far way that Japanese bandits
pay a visit to participate in the morning audience, presenting precious gifts,
and the Ryukyu Kingdom and the southern barbarians (Namman)^90 also
come to visit to pay tributes, employing interpreters.
“Despite the fact that you revived the country that had been ruined during
the sixteen-year reign of the Wang clan [King U], the Wang clan, being
ignorant and confused, envied and hated you. Having the treasonous gang,
the followers of the false king Sin, as well as those who were deprived of
their lands and posts, deployed on his left and right sides like fish scales, he
[King Kongyang] began to spread rumors against you. They particularly
slandered by saying that Your Majesty abused your power, and accused us,
your subjects, of forming a clique. Furthermore, they conspired to remove
Your Majesty in whatever way they could find, and their conspiracy grew
worse and unpredictable.
“In the third month of this year, when the crown prince [Wang Sŏk, the
son of King Kongyang] returned from his trip to China, Your Majesty trav-
eled as many as several hundred li to the west from the capital to welcome
him back. On your way, you went hunting to entertain the prince with the
game you would catch, but unfortunately you fell off your horse and lay on
a bed in a grass-roof cottage in the country.
“The wicked official Chŏng Mongju, who rose in rank with your support
and protection, became minister of state (ch’ongjae) and seized power.- Namman originally referred to the aboriginal tribes who lived in southwestern China;
however, here it indicates the countries in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Laos, and
Thailand.