General Introduction (Ch’ongsŏ) 11
On the twenty-fourth day of the seventh month of the second year (1342)
of Zhizheng,^44 Tojo passed away. He was buried in Unch’ŏndong of Yean
Distrct in Hamhŭng Prefecture, and his tomb was named Ŭirŭng. Tasibuhua
made an official report [on the death of his father] by dispatching his subor-
dinate to the Kaiyuan Route, [one of the regional governments]. Reviewing
the report, the authorities of the Kaiyuan Route allowed Tasibuhua to inherit
his father’s office because he was the eldest son from Tojo’s first wife. In the
ninth month of that year, however, Tasibuhua also died, but Tojo’s son
Yaozhu (Kyoju) was still too young to inherit his office.
Aware that his mother was related to the royal family of Koryŏ, and that he
and his elder brother Wanzhebuhua currently held special titles granted to
the members of the Koryŏ royal family, and trusting his family connection to
the Mongol overseer, Nahai [who was born of Lady Cho, Tojo’s second wife],
presumed to steal the royal decree and official seal during the mourning period
for his father. The people of the district, whether they were soldiers or civil-
ians, became angry and said, “Since Lady Cho is not the legal wife, how can
her son Nahai inherit the office from his father?” Hwanjo said to Lady Pak, the
w ife of Ta sibu hu a , [who wa s now a w idow], “ W hy don’t you v isit t he K aiy u a n
Route in person and report to the authorities on what has happened?”
Lady Pak was the daughter of Tŭkhyŏn, a man from Anbyŏn. Hwanjo
accompanied Lady Pak along with Yaozhu on her way to the Kaiyuan Route
and appealed to the authorities who in return made an official report to the
emperor.
In the first month of the third year (1343) of Zhizheng, the Yuan court
decreed that Lady Cho was not [Tojo’s] legal wife and that Hwanjo should
temporarily take charge of his father’s office until Yaozhu, who was too
young at the moment, became old enough to assume that office. Then it
dispatched a royal messenger to execute Nahai. Upon hearing the news
about his punishment, Nahai ran away with the royal decree and seal and
hid in Ch’ain Monastery. However, he was arrested and finally executed.
Wanzhebuhua is the father of Yi Chi, who served as director of the Royal
House Administration (yŏngdollyŏng).
Hwanjo’s personal name is Chach’un, and his Mongol name Wulusibuhua.
From childhood he looked different from ordinary children. As he grew up,
he showed a talent for horsemanship and archery. When he inherited the
- Zhizheng (1341–1368) is one of the reign names of Emperor Huizong of Yuan.