(test) Primary Sources for Korean Studies
Introduction
This page lists various Korean Studies primary source documents in translation, with a focus on historical documents from the Joseon Dynasty. The documents are categorized into four sections: Royal Documents, Literati Writings, Social Life and Economic Strategies, and Community-Building in Local Society. Clicking on the individual texts will lead to a page which includes the the primary source document in both its translation and original form, discussion questions, further readings, and images of the original documents. By clicking on a key concept, you will be taken to a page which lists all the currently available primary source documents related to that key concept.
Document List
This list is sortable by title, genre, year, document type, and translator. We suggest sorting by genre for the purpose of lesson plans.
No |
Type | Genre | Title | Key Concepts | Period/Year | Document Type | Translation Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Royal Documents | - | [ Decree Appointing Yi Sunsin to Concurrently Hold the Position of Naval Commander of the Three Provinces of Ch'ungch'ŏng, Chŏlla, and Kyŏngsang] | "Imjin War Yi Sunsin Japan-Korea Relations" |
Joseon / 1597 | Decree | 2016 |
2 | Royal Documents | - | [ Instructions for the Secret Tally] | "Imjin War Yi Sunsin Japan-Korea Relations" |
Joseon / 1597 | Instruction | 2016 |
3 | Royal Documents | - | [ Letter of Instruction Appointing Yi Tammyŏng as Provincial Governor of Kyŏngsang Province, Concurrently Army and Navy Commander, Border Inspector and Magistrate of T’aegu] | - | Joseon / 1690 | Decree | 2016 |
4 | Literati Writings | - | [ Resignation of Cho Sik in the Eulmyo Year] | Nammyeong Cho Sik | Joseon / 1555 | Resignation | 2016 |
5 | Literati Writings | - | [ On Physiognomy] | Dasan Chŏng Yagyong | Joseon / ? | Essay | 2016 |
6 | Literati Writings | - | [ An Essay on Bold People] | - | Joseon / ? | Essay | 2016 |
7 | Historical Manuscripts | Social Life and Economic Strategies | [ Record of Property Distribution among Brothers from March 11th, 1601] | "Neo-Confucianism Gender Property Inheritance" |
Joseon / 1601 | Record | 2016 |
8 | Historical Manuscripts | Social Life and Economic Strategies | [ Record of Pak Uihwon's Property Distribution] | - | Joseon / 1602 | Record | 2016 |
9 | Historical Manuscripts | Social Life and Economic Strategies | [ Record of Property Distribution among Brothers from 1621] | "Neo-Confucianism Gender Property Inheritance" |
Joseon / 1621 | Record | 2016 |
10 | Historical Manuscripts | Social Life and Economic Strategies | [ Property Distribution Record from the Meeting of the Hach'an-siblings] | "Neo-Confucianism Gender Property Inheritance" |
Joseon / 1757 | Record | 2016 |
11 | Historical Manuscripts | Social Life and Economic Strategies | [ Certificate of Manumission for the House Slave] | - | Joseon / 1695, ? | Record | 2016 |
12 | Historical Manuscripts | Social Life and Economic Strategies | [ Document for My Daughters, et al] | "Nobi (Slave) Inheritance" |
Joseon / 1540 | Record | 2016 |
13 | Historical Manuscripts | Community-Building in Local Society | [ Declaration of Prohibitions from Yangjwa Village] | - | Joseon / 1609 | Declaration | 2016 |
14 | Historical Manuscripts | Community-Building in Local Society | [ Village Compact from Tunya, 3rd Village] | - | Joseon / 1711 | Compact | 2016 |
15 | Historical Manuscripts | Community-Building in Local Society | [ Worried about a Disaster, Old Woman Offers (Her Granddaughter) as Concubine] | - | Joseon / 1602 | Story | 2016 |
16 | Royal Documents | - | [ “In King Yeongjo’s own writing, when asked of my enterprises” (“御製問業” from 『英祖大王』 [藏書閣, 2011] #15, p.140-141)] | - | - | - | 2017 |
17 | Royal Documents | - | [ 蕩平碑] | - | Joseon / 1742 | - | 2017 |
18 | Royal Documents | - | [ 御製均役濬川卽予事業] | - | Joseon / 1773 | - | 2017 |
19 | Royal Documents | - | [ 御製壹初] | - | Joseon / 1774 | - | 2017 |
20 | Royal Documents | - | [ 御製垂綸吟] | - | Joseon / 1774 | - | 2017 |
21 | Royal Documents | - | [ 御製廣蕩] | - | Joseon / 1774 | - | 2017 |
22 | Royal Documents | - | [ King Yeongjo’s Prohibition of Wine Drinking] | - | Joseon / 1757 | - | 2017 |
23 | Royal Documents | - | [ King Sunjo’s Instruction on the Emancipation of the Public Slaves. 「純祖實錄」『朝鮮王朝實錄』2卷, 純祖 1年 1月 28日 乙巳 (淸嘉慶 6年)] | - | Joseon / 1801 | - | 2017 |
24 | Literati writings | - | [ Ryu Seong-ryong’s Memorial on Current Affairs.] | - | - | - | 2017 |
25 | Literati writings | - | [ Jeong Yak-yong 丁若鏞 (1762-1836, Dasan): A male lamenting his self-imposed castration (1803)] | - | Joseon / 1803 | - | 2017 |
26 | Literati writings | - | [ Dasan’s letter to his disciple Hwang Sang] | - | - | - | 2017 |
27 | Literati writings | - | [ Vita Contemplativa vs. Vita Activa ] | - | - | - | 2017 |
28 | Literati writings | - | [ Dasan’s advice to a Buddhist Monk ] | - | - | - | 2017 |
29 | Literati writings | - | [ The Regulations of the Munheon Academy (『栗谷全書』) by Yi I 李珥, (1537-1584)] | - | - | - | 2017 |
30 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ A Document of property division among the nine siblings including Yi Ae (1494)] | - | Joseon / 1494 | - | 2017 |
31 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ A Document of Selling one’s person ] | - | - | - | 2017 |
32 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ A Document of a Slave Selling land to his master ] | - | - | - | 2017 |
33 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ A Document of trading a slave with a horse (1614)] | - | Joseon / 1614 | - | 2017 |
34 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ A Statement of trading a slave with a horse (1614)] | - | Joseon / 1614 | - | 2017 |
35 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ Kim Deukrok's Statement of trading a slave with a horse (1614)] | - | Joseon / 1614 | - | 2017 |
36 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ A Certificate of trading a slave with a horse (1614)] | - | Joseon / 1614 | - | 2017 |
37 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ A Document of Selling a Concubine (1758)] | - | Joseon / 1758 | - | 2017 |
38 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ A Document endorsing an son of a concubine ] | - | - | - | 2017 |
39 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ A Document of Selling a Dream ] | - | - | - | 2017 |
40 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ 1509年 永膺大君 棄別夫人 鄭氏 許與文記] | - | Joseon / 1509 | - | 2017 |
41 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ Record of Kim Myŏngyŏl's Property Distribution] | - | Joseon / 1669 | - | 2017 |
42 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ Record of Kim Pŏn's Property Distribution] | - | Joseon / 1688 | - | 2017 |
43 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ Document of Chŏng Misu] | - | Joseon / 1493 | - | 2017 |
44 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ Chŏng Misu's Will] | - | Joseon / 1509 | - | 2017 |
45 | Folk tales and Anecdotes | - | [ A tale of Pak Tolmong's life story] | - | - | - | 2017 |
46 | Folk tales and Anecdotes | - | [ A petition to the magistrate by a mistreated lady] | - | - | - | 2017 |
47 | Korean Buddhist Texts Excerpts | - | [ Sabok without Words] | - | - | - | 2017 |
48 | Korean Buddhist Texts Excerpts | - | [ Two Buddhist Saints in Naksan] | - | - | - | 2017 |
49 | Korean Buddhist Texts Excerpts | - | [ A Biography of Wŏnhyo] | - | - | - | 2017 |
50 | Royal Documents | - | Decree of appointment by King Taejo to Do Eung, a former Goryeo (Koryŏ) dynasty official | - | - | - | 2018 |
51 | Royal Documents | - | Decree of appointment issued in 1394 for Jin Chunggwi 陳忠貴 | - | - | - | 2018 |
52 | Royal Documents | - | “裵權朝謝文書”(1419) <<韓國古文書精選>> 2, 「朝謝文書」, 10.42-43. | - | - | - | 2018 |
53 | Royal Documents | - | “金憙訓諭敎書”(1792) <<韓國古文書精選>>3, 「訓諭敎書」, 11.52-53. | - | - | - | 2018 |
54 | Royal Documents | - | “李性黙密符諭書”(1790) <<韓國古文書精選>>4, 「密符諭書」, 15 | - | - | - | 2018 |
55 | Royal Documents | - | “李濟開國功臣敎書”(1392), <<韓國古文書精選>> 6, 「功臣敎書」, 1.38-39. | - | - | - | 2018 |
56 | Royal Documents | - | “宣武功臣李舜臣賜牌”(1605), <<韓國古文書精選>> 6, 「賜牌」, 3 | - | - | - | 2018 |
57 | Royal Documents | - | “扈聖功臣柳成龍賜牌”(1605), <<韓國古文書精選>> 6, 「賜牌」, 5 | - | - | - | 2018 |
58 | Royal Documents | - | “鳳林大君封爵賞賜敎旨”(1632), <<古文書大觀>> 1.1. | - | - | - | 2018 |
59 | Royal Documents | - | “湖西慰諭御史封書”(1794), <<古文書大觀>> 1.24 | - | - | - | 2018 |
60 | Royal Documents | - | “湖西暗行御史封書”(1799), <<古文書大觀>> 1.36 | - | - | - | 2018 |
61 | Royal Documents | - | “除蟲傳敎”(1798), <<古文書大觀>> 1.43 | - | - | - | 2018 |
62 | Literati writings | - | [ 李睟光 <<芝峯類說>> 「外國」] | - | - | - | 2018 |
63 | Literati writings | - | [ 李睟光 <<芝峯類說>> 「外國」 1] | - | - | - | 2018 |
64 | Literati writings | - | [ 李睟光 <<芝峯類說>> 「外國」 2] | - | - | - | 2018 |
65 | Literati writings | - | [ 李睟光 <<芝峯類說>> 「外國」 3] | - | - | - | 2018 |
66 | Literati writings | - | [ 李睟光 <<芝峯類說>> 「外國」 4] | - | - | - | 2018 |
67 | Literati writings | - | [ 李睟光 <<芝峯先生集>> 「趙完璧傳」] | - | - | - | 2018 |
68 | Literati writings | - | [ 鄭士信 <<芝峯先生集>> 「安南國使臣唱和問答錄 跋」] | - | - | - | 2018 |
69 | Literati writings | - | [ Status change in late Joseon Society] | - | - | - | 2018 |
70 | Literati writings | - | [ 命兩銓講究疏通庶類之方] | - | - | - | 2018 |
71 | Literati writings | - | [ 栗谷 李珥 「更張論」 (Excerpts from <<聖學輯要>>)] | - | - | - | 2018 |
72 | Literati writings | - | [ 丁若鏞 「日本論」 (茶山詩文集)] | - | - | - | 2018 |
73 | Literati writings | - | [ 金正喜 歲寒圖 跋文] | - | - | - | 2018 |
74 | Literati writings | - | [ 柳得恭 「二十一都懷古詩」] | - | - | - | 2018 |
75 | Literati writings | - | [ 李重煥 <<擇里志>> <總論>] | - | - | - | 2018 |
76 | Literati writings | - | [ 柳得恭, <<泠齋集>>卷之十五 / 雜著, 「春城遊記」 (朝鮮後期 遊覽文化)] | - | - | - | 2018 |
77 | Literati writings | - | [ 鄭道傳, <<朝鮮經國典>> 序] | - | - | - | 2018 |
78 | Literati writings | - | [ Slaves’ Buddha and the Public Slaves Emancipated] | - | - | - | 2018 |
79 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ 庚午年私奴丁山江陵大都護府立旨] | - | - | - | 2018 |
80 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ 乾隆十五年庚午四月十五日李奴丁山明文] | - | - | - | 2018 |
81 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ 乾隆二十一年正月日李乃蕃戶口單子] | - | - | - | 2018 |
82 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ 乾隆二十二日丁丑初四日幼學李乃蕃明文] | - | - | - | 2018 |
83 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ 乾隆四十八年辛丑明文] | - | - | - | 2018 |
84 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ 土地買賣 立案-海南尹氏] | - | - | - | 2018 |
85 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ 壬辰倭亂, 土地買賣] | - | - | - | 2018 |
86 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ 萬曆二十三年九月日異性五寸叔察訪韓彦忱明文] | - | - | - | 2018 |
87 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ 萬曆二十九年辛丑初十日幼學申塾明文] | - | - | - | 2018 |
88 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ 萬曆三十六年戊申八月十九日同生和會分衿文記] | - | - | - | 2018 |
89 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ 李希誠 奴主契文書(1801)] | - | - | - | 2018 |
90 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ 金孝之 妻 黃氏 分給文記(1480)] | - | - | - | 2018 |
91 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ 安繼宗 妻 金氏 衿給文記(1535)] | - | - | - | 2018 |
92 | Historical Manuscripts | - | [ 李涵 妻 李氏 別給文記(1641)] | - | - | - | 2018 |
93 | Miscellaneous Writings | - | [ 冶谷 趙克善 日記: <<忍齋日錄>>1609(光海君1)~1610(光海君2)] | - | - | - | 2018 |
94 | Miscellaneous Writings | - | [ “仁祖反正”: <<忍齋日錄>> 癸亥年(1623) 3月] | - | - | - | 2018 |
95 | Miscellaneous Writings | - | [ 頤齋 黃胤錫 日記: <<頤齋亂藁>>, 1759年(英祖35)] | - | - | - | 2018 |