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

610 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o

22nd Day (Chŏngch’uk)

The king ordered that Yi Sawi be released from prison.^17

24th Day (Kimyo)

The king forgave the transgressions committed by Sin Yujŏng and O

Yonggwŏn.^18

With the completion of the city wall construction, the workers were released

to return to their homes. Some wall sections laid in the spring crumbled

because of the water spouting up from the ground, so they had to be repaired

with either rocks or earth. One of the cloud bridges (unje) was also destroyed

in the flooding, so it was rebuilt and an additional cloud bridge was con-

structed in order to divide the flowing water. The stone walls that were too

low were built up with more rocks. Every gate of the walls had a dome- like

ceiling and a pavilion on top of it.

The gate located due north was named Sukch’ŏngmun, and the one located

in the northeast Honghwamun, commonly called Tongsomun. The gate

located due east was named Hŭnginmun, commonly called East Gate

(Tongdaemun), and the one located in the southeast Kwanghŭimun, com-

monly called Sugumun. The gate located due south was named Sungnyemun,

commonly called South Gate (Namdaemun), and the one located somewhat

to the north Sodŏngmun, commonly called Sŏsomun. The gate located due

west was named as Tonŭimun, and the one in the northeast Ch’angŭimun.

28th Day (Kyemi)

The Court of Royal Sacrifices submitted Queen Sindŏk as the temple name

for Queen Hyŏn and Chŏngnŭng as the name of her royal tomb.

The Privy Council decided to merge districts and counties based upon the

reports made by the governors of the provinces concerned and submitted

17. A little more than a month earlier, Yi Sawi, former royal secretary, was involved in a
    fight with Pak I, construction supervisor of city walls. The road being too narrow, the latter
    intentionally broke Sawi’s fence in order to transport the rocks to the construction site. Though
    Pak I’s action was done in the performance of his duty, Sawi became furious and physically
    assaulted him. The king was displeased and had Sawi imprisoned.


18. Eleven days earlier, they were impeached and dismissed from office for having drinks
    and meat during the funeral of Queen Hyŏn.