Joseon wangjo sillok (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty)

The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty set out in chronological order the history of twenty-five reigns over 472 years (1392–1863), from King Taejo to King Cheoljong. They record the Joseon period across society, the economy, culture and politics, and their truthfulness and reliability are very high. In compiling them, the independence of the historians' office and the secrecy of what they wrote were also guaranteed. After a new king took the throne, an office for the annals was opened and officials assigned to compile them; the historians' drafts were kept secret, so that not even the king could freely open them. When complete, one copy was kept in each of the archives specially built for the purpose. Some were lost in the Japanese invasions of 1592–98 and the Manchu invasion of 1636, but copies survived until the early twentieth century in the archives at Taebaeksan, Jeongjoksan, Jeoksangsan and Odaesan. This Taebaeksan copy has 848 books. Its annals from Taejo to Myeongjong are one of the four sets made between July 1603, the thirty-sixth year of King Seonjo, and March 1606 from the Jeonju copy. Later annals were added as each was compiled, up to the Annals of King Cheoljong made in 1865, the second year of Emperor Gojong, and the set was kept in the Taebaeksan archive from 1606 until 1910, under Japanese colonial rule. In 1930 the Japanese moved it to Keijo Imperial University; after liberation it stayed in Kyujanggak at Seoul National University, and it was later transferred to the National Archives of Korea, which holds it now.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Yeonje-gu, Busan

Designation

National Treasure · 국보