The Annals of King T’aejo: Founder of Korea’s Choson Dynasty
Translated by Choi Byonghyon
Harvard University Press
ISBN: 978-0-674-28130-1
In 1392, General Yi Songgye seized power in Korea, founding the Choson Dynasty. His government initiated a detailed set of annals, providing a daily record of his six-year reign and a wealth of valuable information.
Excerpt:
The Annals of King T’aejo is often compared to a sort of time capsule or black box that well preserves the historical record of medieval Korea and its neighboring countries in the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries. The text provides us with firsthand accounts of how the Chosŏn dynasty, which preceded modern Korea, came to be; who the people bringing about such a dynastic change were; what the domestic and foreign circumstances surrounding them were; what the ideology and the vision that inspired the leaders of the new dynasty were; how Seoul became the capital of Korea; and so forth. It also provides us a look at such major historical figures as King T’aejo, Chŏng Mongju, Chŏng Tojŏn, Cho Chun, Yi Pangwŏn, monk Muak, and the members of the royal Wang clan. The paths they chose, and their successes or failures, are themselves a drama and a cause for readers to reflect upon the nature of loyalty, ambition, civil service, monarchy, law, government, and many other issues besides.
Who is this book for?
Historians covering medieval European rulers would envy the existence of such a source. The translation of these annals spans nearly 900 pages, offering intricate details about the operation of the Choson government. Not only is this an invaluable resource for scholars of Korean history, but it also holds great potential for those studying administration and governance during the Middle Ages.
The Translator
Choi Byonghyon is director of the Center for the Globalization of Korean Classics, and has translated several works of Korean history. You can read this profile of him.
You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website
You can buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
The Annals of King T’aejo: Founder of Korea’s Choson Dynasty
Translated by Choi Byonghyon
Harvard University Press
ISBN: 978-0-674-28130-1
In 1392, General Yi Songgye seized power in Korea, founding the Choson Dynasty. His government initiated a detailed set of annals, providing a daily record of his six-year reign and a wealth of valuable information.
Excerpt:
The Annals of King T’aejo is often compared to a sort of time capsule or black box that well preserves the historical record of medieval Korea and its neighboring countries in the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries. The text provides us with firsthand accounts of how the Chosŏn dynasty, which preceded modern Korea, came to be; who the people bringing about such a dynastic change were; what the domestic and foreign circumstances surrounding them were; what the ideology and the vision that inspired the leaders of the new dynasty were; how Seoul became the capital of Korea; and so forth. It also provides us a look at such major historical figures as King T’aejo, Chŏng Mongju, Chŏng Tojŏn, Cho Chun, Yi Pangwŏn, monk Muak, and the members of the royal Wang clan. The paths they chose, and their successes or failures, are themselves a drama and a cause for readers to reflect upon the nature of loyalty, ambition, civil service, monarchy, law, government, and many other issues besides.
Who is this book for?
Historians covering medieval European rulers would envy the existence of such a source. The translation of these annals spans nearly 900 pages, offering intricate details about the operation of the Choson government. Not only is this an invaluable resource for scholars of Korean history, but it also holds great potential for those studying administration and governance during the Middle Ages.
The Translator
Choi Byonghyon is director of the Center for the Globalization of Korean Classics, and has translated several works of Korean history. You can read this profile of him.
You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website
You can buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
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