Geumgye ilgi (Diary of No In)

This diary was written by the Joseon-period scholar No In (pen-named Geumgye, 1566–1623), recording how he was captured by Japanese troops in the battle for Namwon Fortress during the second Japanese invasion, spent two years as a prisoner in Japan, escaped aboard a Ming Chinese embassy ship, and returned home by way of Beijing. It covers a period of about four months, from the 22nd day of the 2nd month to the 27th day of the 6th month of 1599, the 32nd year of King Seonjo. According to the Geumgye ilgi, No In was in his hometown of Naju when the Japanese invasion of 1592 broke out, and he served as a righteous-army soldier under General Gwon Yul. He was captured by the Japanese army and taken prisoner, but eventually managed to escape, after which he informed the Ming court of strategies for retaliation against Japan. The beginning and end of the manuscript are missing and much of the writing is damaged, making it very difficult to read, so only the general circumstances can be gathered; although it originally recorded events from his capture at Namwon Fortress to his return home, the opening and closing sections have been lost and only part of the text survives. More than 200 years after his death, this account was included, together with his poems and writings, in the Geumgyejip, compiled through the efforts of his descendants seven generations later. The diary also records the detailed answers he gave to Chinese scholars he met during his stay in China, explaining various aspects of Korea such as education, the state examination system, finances, the military, culture and customs, making it an important source for understanding the circumstances of the time.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Buk-gu, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Treasure · 보물