70 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
from the emperor, however, the Ministry of Rites (Libu) sent a letter of rep-
rimand to the Privy Council of Koryŏ for choosing someone outside the
royal family as the royal successor. In the letter, the emperor made it clear
that our king would not be allowed to personally visit him to pay tribute.
T’aejo called a meeting at Hŭngguk Monastery to discuss this matter
with the high officials from the Chancellery and various other departments.
Those who attended included Sim Tŏkbu, director of the State Finance
Commission; Chi Yonggi and Chŏng Mongju, assistant chancellors; Sŏl
Changsu, Chancellery scholar; Sŏng Sŏngnin, assistant grand councilor;
Cho Chun, administrative grand councilor of the Chancellery; Pak Wi,
magistrate of Chadŏk Special District (Chadŏkbu); and Chŏng Tojŏn, deputy
director of the Security Council. The meeting was held under tight security
provided by T’aejo, and the participants agreed as follows: “Since U and
Ch’ang are not originally part of the royal Wang clan, they are not qualified
to become king. Besides, since we now have orders from the emperor to
rectify this problem, we must depose the false kings and establish a true
king. Prince Chŏngch’ang [Wang] Yo is a seventh-generation descendant of
King Sinjong, and he is the closest to the royal line that we can find.
Therefore, he should be made the new king.”
The officials went to see Consort Dowager Chŏng, the widow of King
Kongmin and, in accordance with her instruction, exiled U and Ch’ang to
Kangnŭng and Kanghwa, respectively. They deprived Ch’ang of his title
and demoted him to commoner status. Then they invited Yo and enthroned
him the new king. He is King Kongyang.
T’aejo was chasing a deer on Mt. Hwajang in Imgang District^139 when he
suddenly came upon a cliff that was so high and rugged that continuing
further was almost impossible. As the deer began to escape down the cliff,
T’aejo whipped his horse in pursuit. He threaded his way through trees and
rocks until he finally reached the bottom. His horse stumbled and was
unable to get up, but T’aejo killed the deer immediately.
When T’aejo was in Hamju, he saw two giant bulls fighting. People tried
to stop the fight, without success. One man took off his jacket and threw it
at the fighting bulls, and another lit a fire and hurled it at them. When these
tactics failed, they were at a loss, until T’aejo held the bulls apart with his
two hands, preventing them from fighting any further.- Located 40 li in the north of Changdan, Kyŏnggi Province.