Book XII 729capital, I am afraid that the same kind of errors will be made again in the
future. So I sincerely beg you to relate our problems to the emperor and let
us know about the words and expressions to be avoided when we draft
memorials and diplomatic letters so that we can observe the injunctions on
a permanent basis.
“In addition to indicating the error in our memorial, you also admonished
us to pay tribute to the emperor every three years. However, our country is
not really far from China, and therefore we who are your servants would
feel uncomfortable if we were allowed to pay tribute only once every three
years. I beg you to give it consideration and report it to the emperor. We will
be extremely fortunate if you allow us to pay tribute three times a year as
we used to, on occasions such as New Year’s Day, the Imperial Birthday,
and the Heir Apparent’s Birthday.”29th Day (Chŏngmi)
At night, a white energy stretched from east to west until it reached the
night sky.Sŏl Changsu, director of the State Finance Commission, Yi Yŏm, right
direc tor of the State Finance Commission, and Yi Sŭngwŏn, minister of
personnel, were dismissed. Despite the fact that they were appointed liba-
tioners, they were late for the oath ceremony at the office of the State Finance
Commission, which was held prior to the winter sacrifice at the Royal
Ancestral Shrine.
The water was not frozen.
Minamoto Douchin [Michitsune], military governor (tandai)^38 of Kansai
region^39 and Kyushu presented gifts by sending a man and requested a copy
of the Korean Tripitaka.
- Ta n d ai is a title for a regional military governor in Japan during the period of military
rule in the 14th and 15th centuries. Since Minamoto Douchin is Japanese, his name should be
written as Minamoto no Michisune, rather than giving the Korean pronunciation for the three
characters in his name. He claimed to be the military governor for Kansai and Kyushu, though
his actual base was Kyushu. He is better known as Shibukawa Mitsuyori. His family and the
Ouchi families were rivals. - “Kansai region” here may be different from the modern Kansai because the latter
acquired its current form after the Edo period.