Primary Source Documents 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This page lists various Korean Studies primary source documents in translation, with a focus on historical documents from the Joseon Dynasty.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.

3. Social Life and Economic Strategies

Title	Genre	Key Concepts	Year/Period	Document Type	Translator
Decree Appointing Yi Sunsin to Concurrently Hold the Position of Naval Commander of the Three Provinces of Ch'ungch'ŏng, Chŏlla, and Kyŏngsang (敎 兼忠淸全羅慶尙等三道水軍統制使 李舜臣書)	Royal Documents	* Imjin War * Yi Sunsin * Japan-Korea Relations	1597	Decree	Participants of 2016 Jangseogak Hanmun Workshop Program
Instructions for the Secret Tally (密符諭書)	Royal Documents	Imjin War CYi Sunsin Japan-Korea Relations	?	Instruction	Participants of 2016 Jangseogak Hanmun Workshop Program
Letter of Instruction Appointing Yi Tammyŏng as Provincial Governor of Kyŏngsang Province, Concurrently Army and Navy Commander, Border Inspector and Magistrate of T’aegu (敎慶尙道觀察使 兼兵馬水軍節度使 巡察使 大丘府使 李聃命 書)	Royal Documents		?	Letter	Participants of 2016 Jangseogak Hanmun Workshop Program
Resignation of Cho Sik in the Eulmyo Year (丹城縣監辭職疏)	Literati Writings	"Nammyeong" Cho Sik	1555	Resignation	Participants of 2016 Jangseogak Hanmun Workshop Program
On Physiognomy (相論)	Literati Writings	"Dasan" Chŏng Yagyong	?	Essay	Participants of 2016 Jangseogak Hanmun Workshop Program
An Essay on Bold People (豪民論)	Literati Writings		?	Essay	Participants of 2016 Jangseogak Hanmun Workshop Program

	Title	Key Concepts	Year/Period	Document Type	Translator
1	Record of the Property Distribution among Brothers from March 11th, 1601 (萬曆二十九年二月初七日同生和會文記)	Neo-Confucianism Gender Property Inheritance	1601	Record	Participants of 2016 Jangseogak Hanmun Workshop Program
2	Record of the Property Distribution among Brothers from 1621 (天啓元年四月十九日, 同生和會文記)	Neo-Confucianism Gender Property Inheritance	1621	Record	Participants of 2016 Jangseogak Hanmun Workshop Program
3	Property Distribution Record from the Meeting of the Hach'an-siblings (河鑽娚妹和會文記)	Neo-Confucianism Gender Property Inheritance	1757	Record	Participants of 2016 Jangseogak Hanmun Workshop Program
4	Certificate of Manumission for the House Slave (約家奴善一契券, 約家奴仁發文)		?	Record	Participants of 2016 Jangseogak Hanmun Workshop Program

4. Community-Building in Local Society

	Title	Key Concepts	Year/Period	Document Type	Translator
1	Declaration of Prohibitions from Yangjwa Village (良佐洞 洞案)		1609	Declaration	Participants of 2016 Jangseogak Hanmun Workshop Program
2	Village Compact from Tunya, 3rd Village (里中契立議 辛卯)		18th Century(?)	Compact	Participants of 2016 Jangseogak Hanmun Workshop Program
3	Worried about a Disaster, Old Woman Offers (Her Granddaughter) as Concubine (老媼慮患納小室)		?	Story	Participants of 2016 Jangseogak Hanmun Workshop Program