The Annals of King T\'aejo. Founder of Korea\'s Choson Dynasty - Byonghyon Choi

Book VIII 557

law, they were punished, so they received the same treatment by the govern-

ment as our people did.

Later, when the king paid a visit to his ancestral tombs in the mountains

of the Northeast Region, the Jurchens who lived across the river vied with

one another to see him, and those who were unable to come in time returned

home shedding tears. The Jurchens still become emotional remembering

the king’s generous treatment of them in olden days whenever they have

talks over drinks with our border commanders.

The king dispatched Yangu, Lord Yŏngan^66 to the Northeast Region to per-

form the ancestral rites at various royal tombs.

15th Day (Kapchin)
The Directorate for Adjudication of Slave Lawsuits (Nobi pyŏnjŏng togam)^67
was established, and Nam Chae, left director of the State Finance Com-
mission, Han Sanggyŏng, senior secretary of the Security Council, and Kim
Hŭisŏn, director of the Security Council, were appointed as member-
directors.

16th Day (Ŭlsa)

The trees were covered with hoar frost.

The Board of Personnel and that of War requested that the Personal Records

Law (Chŏnganbŏp)^68 of the previous dynasty, [which required the govern-

ment to keep personal records of all officials], be revived and implemented.

Tatara of the Ouchi clan in Japan presented local products through an

e nvoy.^69

66. The son of Yi Wŏn’gye, T’aejo’s stepbrother.


67. It was created to deal with legal disputes concerning the ownership and inheritance of
    slaves, which was a serious social problem at that time, and also to secure and solidify the
    financing of the state by turning private slaves into public slaves, following the success of the
    land reform.


68. “Personal records” indicates the ones produced and kept by the government to deter-
    mine the officials’ qualification for promotion, transfer, compensation, disciplinary action, etc.


69. The Historical and Geographical Dictionary of Japan says the Ouchi family was
    descended from a “prince” [Imsŏng t’aeja] who moved to Japan from Paekche in 61. In this
    sillok entry, the name is given as Ouchi Tatara. Tatara is a family name used by one branch of
    the Ouchi family and is said to have been the name before members took the name Ouchi. The