790 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
is the reason that the king is barred from taking a look at the historical
records during his reign?” Munhwa replied, “History should be written
straightforwardly, without concealing anything. If the king and high offi-
cials are allowed to see them, one is afraid that history cannot be written
truthfully.” Then the king said, “I am also aware that the law is like that.
However, there is a precedent: that Emperor Taizong of Tang saw the his-
tory draft. So I also want to see it. If the historiographer refuses to show it
to me, would his attitude be that becoming a subject? The office of the his-
torical records shall be opened and all the records submitted to me.”2nd Day (Chŏngch’uk)
Kaesŏng District was abolished and merged into the Special Capital Mag-
istracy [of Kaesŏng].Hŏ Chisin, provisional first drafter (kwŏnji kyogam) of the Office of Dip-
lomatic Correspondence, took off his mourning dress while in mourning
for his mother and filed litigation at the Directorate for Adjudication of
Slave Lawsuits. Inspectors impeached him and put him in prison.3rd Day (Muin)
Pyŏn Chungnyang, right policy advisor, and others submitted a memorial to
the king: “Previously when you ordered us to discuss the matter concerning
sending our officials Yun Kyu, Kong Pu, and Yun Su away to China, we
submitted our written opinions in detail, focusing on the advantages and
disadvantages. We have heard that our government has decided to send
them and let them defend themselves in the Ming court. The decision may
appear appropriate from the perspective of serving the suzerain state, but it
is not really a good way of dealing with problems under the present circum-
stances. Since we cannot follow the prevailing opinion slavishly, we have no
choice but to worry your divine intelligence.
“Your Majesty has never been slack in serving the great suzerain state
ever since you ascended the throne. Nevertheless, the suzerain state tries to
find faults with us, contending that we attempted to mock or insult them.
Thus, perusing every word in our diplomatic documents, they have already
detained our officials, including Chŏng Ch’ong, Kim Yakhang, No Indo,
and Yu Ho, and forcibly extracted depositions from Cho Sŏ and Kwak