Book XV 885*
A guest star approached the moon.
30th Day (Imin)
Sŏl Changsu, director of the State Finance Commission, was dispatched to
the Ming capital.12th Month
1st Day (Kyemyo)
[The king] ordered the provincial military land exempted of its taxes.2nd Day (Kapchin)
The Three Armies Headquarters submitted a memorial to the king: “It is
inconvenient to levy corvée labor differently, in accordance with the number
of households and the size of reclaimed land. So we would like to request
that the law be abolished.”
Earlier, when Ha Yun, assistant grand councilor, served as governor of
Kyŏnggi and Chŏlla Provinces, he made a new law that levies corvée labor
differently, in accordance with the number of households and the size of
reclaimed land, because he believed that in olden days the troops were
recruited from among the farmers. The people found the law very conve-
nient, but those with power and large lands mostly disliked it. Around that
time, Ha Yun made a proposal once again to carry out the law, and the
Three Armies Headquarters made a request to abolish it. Nevertheless,
local magistrates continued to practice the law as they used to.3rd Day (Ŭlsa)
Because of severe cold, the prisoners guilty of minor crimes were released.4th Day (Pyŏngo)
A meteor emerged from the west of the Supreme Palace Enclosure, and it
was red and as big as a wine cup. A small meteorite also followed the former
and fell to earth.