Gukjojeongtorok

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.1511

Category

Books & Records

Designated year

2007

Location

성남시, 경기도— 경기도 성남시 분당구 하오개로 323 (운중동, 한국학중앙연구원)

Coordinates

37.393030, 127.052183

This two-volume book titled Gukjo jeongtorok (Records of Wars in the Early Joseon Period) contains accounts of military expeditions undertaken by Joseon during the period from King Sejong (r. 1418-1450) to King Jungjong (r. 1506-1544). The first volume reviews major expeditions to Tsushima Island, the Pozhu River, and Jianzhou Confederation. The second volume has records about expeditions against Jianzhou and Nimache as well as marauders in the northwestern district and Japanese rebels at three southern seaports. The expeditions are described in chronical order following a table of contents and legend. As explained in the legend, the military campaigns are defined as conquest, cutting or capturing, and the enemies are referred to as thieves or rebels. The records are not simple accounts of historical facts but reviews accompanying evaluations. This book was printed for the first time around 1614 after a hand-copied version had circulated for a long time, according to Gwanghaegun ilgi (Annals of King Gwanghaegun), from the Joseon royal archives on Taebaeksan Mountain. This account is contained in the entry for the 29th of the seventh lunar month of 1614, the sixth year of King Gwanghaegun. In his Seongho saseol (Collected Works of Yi Ik), Yi Ik (1681-1763) wrote that even the printed edition of the book was not easily available. The only copy of this book extant in Korea, the present volume is useful for the study of war history as well as bibliographical research.

Location