Preface: A Usurper's Dream and Frustration

Part 1: The Talented Second Prince

1-1.
A body like a ball of fire
1-2.
A prince who excelled in literature and art
1-3.
Political assistants of Sejong and Munjong
1-4.
Wang Jae, recognized by the Ming Dynasty
1-5.
Sejong urges brotherly love

Part 2: Starting point as a usurper of the throne

2-1.
A king who inherited the throne from his nephew
2-2.
The young king of Changdeokgung Palace
2-3.
The King's request was half accepted
2-4.
Attempting to Kill Sejo? ─ The Rebellion of the Four Martyrs ①
2-5.
A brutal retribution?─The Rebellion of the Four Martyrs ②
2-6.
The King's Tacit Approval? ─The Rebellion of the Four Martyrs ③
2-7.
Demotion to Nosan-gun and exile to Yeongwol
2-8.
The public sentiment surrounding the former king
2-10.
The death of Nosangun

Part 3: Sejo's Dream, the Emperor's Politics

3-1.
The Emperor's Sacrifice, the Huanqiu Festival
3-2.
Pureness that travels the world from east to west, south to north
3-3.
A large-scale procession to the north, a tour of Pyongyang
3-4.
Mysterious signs of destiny
3-5.
Suppressing the thieving barbarians?─Gyeongjinbukjeong
3-6.
Both the Jurchen and the Wa are my subjects.
3-7.
A king more like a general than a general
3-8.
All power should belong to the king
3-9.
Gyeongguk Daejeon, revised and revised again
3-10.
All citizens are registered in the household register, household registration law

Part 4: Politics for the People: Actions Speak Louder Than Words

4-1.
A king who is strict about his work, and his subjects who are at a loss
4-2.
The people's blood, sweat, and tears create the standard for national security.
4-3.
Through the rain, to the disaster site!
4-4.
Reclamation that filled the national treasury
4-5.
Give the people the right to sue their governors
4-6.
Sejo's New Archive! Gwanghwamun's Lottery
4-7.
Clearing the name of Baekjeong Shin Cheol-san
4-8.
Catching a tiger that appears in Hanyang
4-9.
『Pharmaceutical Theory』 written by the king himself
4-10.
Learning the Book of Changes through the Body
4-11.
Weeding out the boring Confucian scholars who only study the past

Part 5: The King and His Subject: A Precarious Tightrope Walk

5-1.
Kingmaker, Han Myeong-hoe
5-2.
Kwon Nam, the man of great fortune who triggered the rebellion of King Sejo
5-3.
Shin Suk-ju, Joseon's greatest talent
5-4.
Yu Ja-gwang, who captivated the king with a single petition
5-5.
Jeong In-ji, a scholar who sided with Sejo
5-6.
The king of discipline!
5-7.
A surge of discontent and a tragic ending
5-8.
The caprices of an old and weak king

Part 6: Human Sejo and Tragedies

6-1.
Wife fool
6-2.
A good daughter-in-law, wife, grandmother, Queen Jeonghui
6-3.
I forgave her twice! But the concubine who loved another man
6-4.
The death of the eldest son, Crown Prince Uigyeong
6-5.
The curse of Seongsammun? Rumors about his sons
6-6.
The only remaining son, Crown Prince Yejong
6-7.
The repeated tragedy of descendants
6-8.
A chronic disease
6-9.
King Yeongjong, don't be like me.
6-10.
The road to resolving grudges
6-11.
When you die, you should rot quickly.

Part 7: King Sejo's View of Women and the Women of His Time

7-1.
A man and a woman, saving all sides
7-2.
Mrs. Ko took off her mourning clothes to get a divorce
7-3.
The one-eyed woman who captivates men
7-4.
The story of a traitor's wife and daughter
7-5.
Wife or concubine? Lee So-geun, daughter of a traitor
7-6.
Princess Gyeonghye, King Munjong's only daughter

King Yejong's short reign of 13 months

8-1.
Ascension to the throne a day before Sejo's death
8-2.
Insisting on using Sejo as the father's temple name
8-3.
King Yeongjong preparing for a new era
8-4.
The power of Wonsang that even changed the four seasons
8-5.
Public sentiment is unstable, and the royal power is shaken.
8-6.
Arrest the one who asks for favors from the ministers!
8-7.
Such a sudden death

Part 9: Various Aspects of the Reign of King Sejo and King Yejong

9-1.
The full moon scenery in the palace garden
9-2.
Dancing and singing on the streets of Hanyang
9-3.
Jeju tangerines that made people's spines bend
9-4.
Genealogy of Baekjeong
9-5.
The revenge of the Ming eunuch who returned home in glory
9-6.
King Sejo tells us the secrets of hot spring bathing
9-7.
Choi Kyung, the son of a salt baker and genius painter
9-8.
Master of Requests, Erza Heomojiri

Reference material: Official titles in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty

▶A word from the reader

“While reading the Annals of King Sejo, even one of my standards was cracked.
As the firmness that a usurper is just a usurper faded, other contexts for understanding Sejo began to come into view.
What caught my eye then was Sejo's body, like a ball of fire.
Sejo's body was extraordinary.
Even though I was wearing only one layer of clothing on a cold, windy day, my body felt as hot as a fireball.
Was that all? He was said to be on par with King Taejo Yi Seong-gye in horseback riding and archery, and his talents were as varied as his hot body.
Sejong entrusted state affairs to his second prince early on, and Sejo did a good job.
The implications of this series of events are clear.
“The fact that Suyang, in his 30s, was a king more prepared than anyone else, and that he was desperate to display his talents.”

“Sejo worked diligently as he dreamed big.
Sejong and Sejo had different political styles.
If Sejong was a planning type who discussed and gathered ideas, Sejo was a field type who got involved with his body and soul.
When he thought that reclamation was necessary, he went out into the fields, and when he went out for training, he directly commanded the soldiers.

Sejo despised the scholar-officials who were busy with empty talk and put off practical work, calling them “rotten Confucian scholars.”
That was understandable.
At that time, Joseon was approaching its 70th anniversary.
The aristocrats who had been leading the reforms had become a privileged class that ruled over the people, and they took the people's support for granted.
Sejo did not leave such noblemen alone.
“So, in King Sejo’s court, an idle official could not survive.”

Interview with a Reader of the Annals of King Sejo and King Yejong

1.
You have interpreted and compiled the 『Sejo Sillok』 into 『Recitation of Sejo Sillok』. What are the unique characteristics of 『Sejo Sillok』 that make it different from other annals?

When people hear the word 'Sejo', many people think of Lee Jung-jae from the movie [The Face Reader].
He is remembered as a ruthless usurper who deposed the young King Danjong and usurped the throne.
However, if you look at the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, you can see that Sejo was not just an ambitious man blinded by power.
I had aspirations to make Joseon a strong and prosperous country.
And after ascending to the throne, he really works hard and runs around.
They say Sejo's body was as hot as a ball of fire.
He hates empty talk and boldly introduces policies for the people.
The results were good too.
Jurchens and Japanese people came to seek out subjects, and systems such as Gyeongguk Daejeon and Hopaebeop were established.
The country's granaries are also full.
It is no exaggeration to say that the spring of Joseon, which came during the reign of King Seongjong, the grandson of King Sejo, began in this granary that King Sejo had filled.

In terms of his achievements, Sejo was not a saintly king, but he could be called a wise king.
But in reality, no one remembers the era of King Sejo as one of peace and prosperity.
I remember it as a dark and bloody time.
The reason is as you know.
Because Sejo's throne was established on the blood of the young Danjong and countless other subjects.
Sejo tries very hard to win the hearts of the people, but the people do not open their hearts easily.
When we think of the Age of Usurpers, we only think of a time when the people were oppressed under a ruthless dictator.
But I think the essence of the era of usurpers is that the desire for a 'usurper' sprouts in people's hearts.
People saw that arrogance triumphed, that power overcame humanity.
So, during the reign of King Sejo, there was a series of large and small rebellions and reports.
Because doubt and greed have taken root in people's hearts.
No matter how full the granaries are, a world where lawlessness reigns cannot be called a peaceful era.


I think that the Annals of King Sejo very well shows the changes that the usurpation of the throne brings about in people's hearts.
The usurper will eventually have no choice but to join the same boat as the traitors of the former king.
I'm always anxious because I don't know who's going to hit me from behind.
Meanwhile, the officials do not forget their share in the usurpation of the throne.
I hope to be rewarded for my efforts.
The Annals of King Sejo are where we can see the world of anxiety and tension they create for themselves.


2.
Please choose one impressive scene from 『Recitation of King Sejo's Annals』 that you would like to introduce to the readers and explain why.

You asked me to pick one, but since the Sejo era should show both successful politics and the instability behind it, I will choose two scenes.
One is an article from May 17th, the 10th year of King Sejo's reign.
This is a scene where Sejo runs to the disaster site wearing only a raincoat called a dorongi in the early morning when heavy rain is pouring down.
When you think of Sejo, the image that comes to mind is that of a usurper who ruled over others without blood or tears.
However, if you look at the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, you can see that King Sejo was extremely generous to the people.
Almost all of the people's complaints were directly resolved.
This article is what clearly shows Sejo's disposition.
It rained heavily that day, and the soldiers' dormitory north of the city collapsed.
Upon hearing the news, King Sejo, wearing a straw hat and without a horse, rushed to the scene of the disaster at around 4 a.m.
He runs ahead so fast that the escort soldiers can't catch up.
And as I personally work at the disaster site until noon, noon doesn't even pass.
It is an action that does not come easily if you do not have love for the people.
It was impressive to be able to feel Sejo's sincerity towards Joseon and its people.

Another article is from May 22nd, the 13th year of King Sejo's reign.
This article clearly shows the subtle feelings that Sejo had toward his meritorious subjects.
At that time, the Yi Si-ae Rebellion broke out in Hamgyeong Province.
At this time, Lee Si-ae spreads false information to King Sejo that Shin Suk-ju and Han Myeong-hoe were plotting treason.
After hearing the report, King Sejo realized that Yi Si-ae was lying.
Nevertheless, he imprisons Shin Suk-ju and Han Myeong-hoe.
And they put the torture device so tightly on the new host that he can hardly even drink water.
I knew that Shin Suk-ju and Han Myeong-hoe were not at fault, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that was rising in the corner of my heart.
And a few days later, Sejo releases the two men, shedding tears of regret.
This scene leaves an impression on me because it clearly shows Sejo's anxiety and subtle emotional fluctuations.


3.
I understand the "Joseon Dynasty Annals Reading Seminar" has been ongoing for ten years. While reading the Annals, is there a king whose story you've seen most differently? If so, please share your reasons. If not, please share a story about a king who impressed you.

I also compiled a collection of recitations, and I was impressed by the Annals of King Taejo.
Joseon is a country recognized by all as a country of the aristocracy and a country of Neo-Confucianism.
But it is surprising that the country of the nobles was founded by a warrior from that remote region.

Yi Seong-gye was from the northeastern part of Goryeo.
Looking at it now, he is from Hamheung, Hamgyeong Province.
At that time, the northeastern region was called Ssangseong General Office, and was not Goryeo territory but a direct territory of the Yuan Dynasty.
So, Jurchens, Mongols, and Goryeo people lived together, and Yi Seong-gye had a Mongolian name and wore a queue until he was 20.
So to speak, his nationality was Mongolian, his relatives were Jurchen, and his bloodline was Koryo. And from then on, he lived as a general on the battlefield until he ascended to the throne at the age of 58.
Frontier, armed.
I believe these two keywords made Yi Seong-gye the founder of Joseon.


Above all, since Yi Seong-gye lived among Mongols, Jurchens, and Koryo people, he did not rank people by nationality or social status.
Anyone with talent or similar intentions was accepted as a comrade, even enemies.
That is understandable, because on the battlefield, comrades are not simply partners.
The person who has your back, that is, the person you entrust your life to.
Once you become comrades, it means you have entrusted your lives to each other.
So, the relationship between Taejo and his subjects is one of strong loyalty and obligation.
It was no exaggeration to say that they were blood brothers.

This attitude was later applied to the relationship with the nobles.
This is why the alliance between the completely heterogeneous noble class and the Lee Seong-gye faction was possible.
Above all, Taejo maintained this close relationship with the aristocrats even after founding the dynasty.
This may not seem like much, but history shows that it is a very difficult task.
Usually, founding monarchs are afraid of the power of their subjects growing.
Because they lack legitimacy, they think that their subjects might cut off their heads at any moment.
However, Taejo not only favored the meritorious retainers, but also delegated all political authority to the scholar-officials.
They accepted almost all the political systems proposed by the aristocrats and gave them almost complete power.
This was possible because he considered the scholar-officials not simply as political associates, but as his comrades.


Instead, Taejo focuses on just two things.
National defense and the relocation of the capital to Hanyang.
I stubbornly pursue what I do best and what I have no choice but to do.
So, he expanded the border to the Tumen River, and moved the capital to Hanyang just two years after ascending to the throne.
This was something that the Goryeo mainstream, based in Gaeseong, could not do.


Considering only his qualities, Taejo was not an ideal king for a country based on Neo-Confucianism.
I didn't really like studying, and I didn't really have any intention of doing so.
However, his frontier attitude and philosophy of military affairs were ideal for founding Joseon.
I learned that a great king is not someone who is born with outstanding qualities, but is born from circumstances and relationships.