Samguk yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms), Volume 2

The treasure Samguk yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms), Volume 2 is an incomplete single volume containing only Volume 2 (the 'Gii', or Wonders, chapter). Of the 49 leaves of text, four (leaves 17–20) are facsimile reproductions supplied to fill gaps. The cover, rebound at a later date, bears a swastika pattern, and the book is bound in the Korean style with five stitching holes using red thread; its state of preservation is good. On the inside of the front cover is an ink inscription reading "purchased in the junyangwol of a hwangma year; kept in the Nam family collection at Nisan," beside which is a further note reading "purchased in the iyangwol of a hwangma year; Gaeil collection," and on the inside of the back cover is an inscription reading "Nisan collection." These indicate that the book was purchased and kept by a member of the Nam family in the second month of a mu-o year. In terms of physical form, of the 49 leaves, 24 have a printed text frame generally more than 1 cm longer than that of the Jeongdeok edition, and whereas the Jeongdeok edition mixes double-line and single-line borders, all the borders here are double-line. In terms of content, there are more instances in which bihwi — the practice of avoiding characters used in the personal names of Goryeo kings — was not observed, indicating that this is an early Joseon-period printing; it also differs considerably in wording from the Jeongdeok edition, making it useful material for correcting errors in that edition. Along with the Samguk sagi, the Samguk yusa is one of the most valuable historical records of Korea's ancient history.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Jung-gu, Seoul

Designation

Treasure · 보물