Royal Certificate of Meritorious Subject Issued to Sin Gyeong-haeng and Related Documents

These are documents related to Sin Gyeong-haeng (1559–1623), comprising eight types in nine items in total: the Royal Certificate of Meritorious Subject (Cheongnan-gongsin gyoseo) issued to Sin Gyeong-haeng, a royal edict (yuseo), two documents of deliberation on his posthumous title (siho seogyeong), a royal edict granting the posthumous title (jeungsi gyoji), an account of his conduct written in support of the posthumous-title petition (Joeun Sin-gong sijang), a certificate of meritorious subject of the second rank (Cheongnan wonjong-gongsin nokgwon), a record of the alliance of the twenty meritorious subjects (Isip-gongsin hoemaengnok), and a record of the alliance of the twenty-one meritorious subjects (Isipil-gongsin hoemaengnok). Sin Gyeong-haeng passed the state civil service examination in 1577, the tenth year of King Seonjo of Joseon, and became magistrate of Hansan, later serving as army commander of Chungcheong-do Province, among other posts. In the seventh month of 1596, the twenty-ninth year of King Seonjo, when Yi Mong-hak raised a rebellion at Hongsan in Chungcheong-do Province, Sin Gyeong-haeng distinguished himself in suppressing it and was named a Cheongnan Meritorious Subject and enfeoffed as Lord Yeongseong. After his death he was posthumously appointed Minister of Rites, and given the posthumous title Chungik. The Royal Certificate of Meritorious Subject issued to Sin Gyeong-haeng was granted for his service in suppressing Yi Mong-hak's rebellion, and was issued in 1604, the thirty-seventh year of King Seonjo, together with certificates for the Seonmu Meritorious Subjects who distinguished themselves during the Japanese invasions of Korea and the Hoseong Meritorious Subjects who had accompanied King Seonjo in his flight to Uiju. This certificate records the conferral of merit status in detail, making it a valuable historical source for examining the reward regulations for Cheongnan Meritorious Subjects at the time, and important material for the study of the form and style of royal certificates. The royal edict was issued on the sixteenth day of the sixth month of 1608, the forty-first year of King Seonjo, appointing Sin Gyeong-haeng as army commander of Chungcheong-do Province, together with the first copy of a secret tally (milbu); it is very rare and valuable among royal edicts for the first copy of the tally to have been issued. The two documents of deliberation on the posthumous title, the royal edict granting the posthumous title, and the account of his conduct for the posthumous-title petition are documents that show the process by which Sin Gyeong-haeng was granted the posthumous title Chungik. There are two documents of deliberation, one from the Office of the Inspector-General (Saheonbu) and one from the Office of the Censor-General (Saganwon); in the sixth month of 1811, the eleventh year of King Sunjo, both offices agreed to confer the posthumous title Chungik on the posthumously appointed Minister of Rites Sin Gyeong-haeng. The royal edict granting the posthumous title conferred the title Chungik on Sin Gyeong-haeng in the first month of 1812, the twelfth year of King Sunjo. The account of his conduct is a text composed by Gim I-yeong (1755–1845), holder of the rank of Gaseon Daebu, recounting Sin Gyeong-haeng's deeds during his lifetime in support of the petition for his posthumous title. The certificate of meritorious subject of the second rank was issued on the sixteenth day of the fourth month of 1605, the thirty-eighth year of King Seonjo, by the Directorate of Merit Subjects to Sin Myeon, a court clerk and son of Sin Gyeong-haeng, in recognition of the merit of suppressing Yi Mong-hak's rebellion. This certificate is valuable not only for showing the treatment and reward regulations for meritorious subjects, but also as research material on the meritorious subjects of the second rank of the Joseon dynasty. In addition, the records of the alliance of the twenty and of the twenty-one meritorious subjects are materials related to Sin Gyeong-haeng that show the activities of these subjects and their descendants, as well as the political situation of the time. The record of the alliance of the twenty meritorious subjects lists participants in an alliance ceremony held on the twentieth day of the sixth month of 1694, the twentieth year of King Sukjong, centred on the Bosa Meritorious Subjects, whose merit titles were restored and additionally recorded following the great purge of 1680, the sixth year of King Sukjong, when the Namin faction was largely removed from power; the ceremony was attended by meritorious subjects of successive reigns and their eldest legitimate sons. This record includes Sin Deuk-jung, a fourth-generation descendant of Sin Gyeong-haeng. The record of the alliance of the twenty-one meritorious subjects lists participants in an alliance ceremony held on the eighteenth day of the seventh month of 1728, the fourth year of King Yeongjo, on the occasion of the conferral of merit titles on the Bunmu Meritorious Subjects for suppressing Yi In-jwa's rebellion, attended by the eldest legitimate grandsons of meritorious subjects from the Founding Meritorious Subjects onward. This record includes Sin Gwang-u, a sixth-generation descendant of Sin Gyeong-haeng. The Royal Certificate of Meritorious Subject issued to Sin Gyeong-haeng and its related documents are considered important material for bibliographic and historical research and for research on meritorious subjects of the Joseon dynasty, as well as being biographical material on Sin Gyeong-haeng himself. Detailed list: 1. Royal Certificate of Meritorious Subject issued to Sin Gyeong-haeng, 1604 (the thirty-seventh year of King Seonjo of Joseon), 1 scroll 2. Royal edict appointing Sin Gyeong-haeng as army commander of Chungcheong-do Province, 1608 (the forty-first year of King Seonjo), 1 item 3. Office of the Inspector-General document of deliberation on the posthumous title, 1811 (the eleventh year of King Sunjo), 1 item 4. Office of the Censor-General document of deliberation on the posthumous title, 1811 (the eleventh year of King Sunjo), 1 item 5. Royal edict granting the posthumous title, 1812 (the twelfth year of King Sunjo), 1 item 6. Account of his conduct for the posthumous-title petition, late Joseon (end of the eighteenth century), 1 volume 7. Certificate of meritorious subject of the second rank (court clerk Sin Myeon), 1605 (the thirty-eighth year of King Seonjo), 1 volume 8. Record of the alliance of the twenty meritorious subjects, 1694 (the twentieth year of King Sukjong), 1 volume 9. Record of the alliance of the twenty-one meritorious subjects, 1728 (the fourth year of King Yeongjo), 1 volume

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Cheongju, Chungbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물