《顯宗純文肅武敬仁彰孝大王實錄》(顯宗純文肅武敬仁彰孝大王實錄) or 《顯宗實錄》(顯宗實錄) is a Sillok that records the events of the reign of King Hyeonjong of Joseon from the fifth lunar month of 1659 to the eighth lunar month of 1674. It consists of 22 volumes in 23 books and forms part of the 《Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty》. It is also called 《顯宗大王實錄》(顯宗大王實錄).
However, the 《顯宗實錄》 compiled by the Namin was hastily written in the reign of King Sukjong and was considered biased, so it was compiled again by the Seoin, and this version is called 《顯宗純文肅武敬仁彰孝大王改修實錄》(顯宗純文肅武敬仁彰孝大王改修實錄) or 《顯宗改修實錄》(顯宗改修實錄). It consists of 28 volumes in 29 books and likewise forms part of the 《Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty》. The 《顯宗改修實錄》 is also described together in this article.
Overview
《Hyeonjong Sillok》
This is a record, in annalistic format, of historical facts concerning the overall state affairs of the reign of King Hyeonjong, covering a total of 15 years and 3 months from the fifth lunar month of 1659 (the first year of Hyeonjong's reign) to the eighth lunar month of 1674 (the 15th year of Hyeonjong's reign). It consists of 22 volumes in 23 books and forms part of the 《Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty》. The formal title and the title on the first page are 《顯宗純文肅武敬仁彰孝大王實錄》(顯宗純文肅武敬仁彰孝大王實錄), while the cover is inscribed 《顯宗大王實錄》(顯宗大王實錄).
In the fifth lunar month of 1675 (the first year of Sukjong's reign), compilation work began on the proposal of the Chunchugwan. First, three offices (三房) were established to remove unnecessary portions from the historians' draft records kept by the Chunchugwan historians. Based on these, the senior officials (堂上) and the staff officers (郎廳) compiled the work by consulting various materials, including the drafts, the 《Seungjeongwon Ilgi》, the 《Bibyeonsa Ilgi》, and the 《Uigeumbu Chu-an》.
However, in the second lunar month of 1677 (the third year of Sukjong's reign), when three years had passed since the establishment of the Sillok office and the compilation was not even half complete, Sukjong ordered that the officials be investigated. At that time Sukjong sent a special inspector (別監) to the Sillok office to check, and none of the senior officials or staff officers of the Sillok office were present.1 The slow progress of the compilation was due to the fact that this was a period when the Seoin had fallen from power and the Namin had taken control of the government, and also because the Sillok office officials concurrently held other posts. Meanwhile, in response to Sukjong's urging, the number of senior officials and staff officers of the Sillok office was increased, and the 卯仕酉罷法2 was established. Accordingly, the first draft was completed in the fifth lunar month of that year, and on the 11th day of the ninth lunar month the 22-volume 《Hyeonjong Daewang Sillok》 was completed.3 The total number of compilers was 66: the chief compilers (總裁官) were Heo Jeok and Kwon Dae-un, there were six senior officials of the 都廳 (都廳堂上), 11 staff officers of the 都廳 (都廳郎廳), and 47 senior officials and staff officers of the three offices. Most of them were Namin.
Later, the Seoin pointed out problems in the content, and the 《Hyeonjong Gaesu Sillok》 was compiled. However, even after the 《Hyeonjong Gaesu Sillok》 was compiled, the 《Hyeonjong Sillok》 was also fully preserved.4
In the 1920s, during the Japanese colonial period, when all the sillok were reprinted in facsimile, the 《Hyeonjong Sillok》 was also published as a facsimile edition. The 《Hyeonjong Sillok》 exists in the Jeongjoksan edition and the Taebaeksan edition. The Jeongjoksan edition is currently held at the Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies of Seoul National University, and the Taebaeksan edition is held at the National Archives of Korea.567
《Hyeonjong Gaesu Sillok》
The formal title is 《顯宗純文肅武敬仁彰孝大王改修實錄》(顯宗純文肅武敬仁彰孝大王改修實錄), and the cover is inscribed 《顯宗大王改修實錄》(顯宗大王改修實錄). It consists of 28 volumes in 29 books and likewise forms part of the 《Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty》. The name "改修" (revision) was given because it was not a partial correction or addition, but a complete recompilation.4
During the reign of Hyeonjong, the government was mainly controlled by the Seoin, but the compilers of the 《Hyeonjong Sillok》, including chief compiler Heo Jeok and Kwon Dae-un, were mostly Namin. Afterwards, in 1680 (the sixth year of Sukjong's reign), the Gyeongsin Reform drove out the Namin and reappointed the Seoin, and the Seoin began to object to the content of the 《Hyeonjong Sillok》. Kim Seok-ju, who had also taken part in compiling the 《Hyeonjong Sillok》, stated in the seventh lunar month of that year that the chief compiler Heo Jeok had arbitrarily altered the sections he had compiled, and that many contents had been omitted in order to finish quickly. Other officials largely agreed with the revision of the sillok,8 and eventually the 《Hyeonjong Gaesu Sillok》 was compiled.
In the fifth lunar month of 1681 (the seventh year of Sukjong's reign), the persons in charge of revising the sillok were appointed. At that time, Kim Su-hang was made chief compiler, and Kim Seok-ju, Yi Dan-ha, Yi Min-seo, and Kim Man-jung were made senior officials. A bureau was established in the Hansungbu, with eight 都廳郎 and eight 謄錄郎 each.9 Normally, when a Sillok office is established, the three offices for organizing the draft records must be set up, but because all the draft records had been washed away (洗草, 세초) after the 《Hyeonjong Sillok》 was compiled, the three offices were not established. Afterwards, the 《Hyeonjong Gaesu Sillok》 was completed on the 11th day of the third lunar month of 1683 (the ninth year of Sukjong's reign).10 The total number of compilers was 75: the chief compiler Kim Su-hang, six senior officials of the 都廳, 15 staff officers of the 都廳, and 53 謄錄 staff officers.
The 《Hyeonjong Gaesu Sillok》 was also published as a facsimile edition in the 1920s, during the Japanese colonial period.711
Characteristics and Evaluation
《Hyeonjong Sillok》
- To print the 《Hyeonjong Sillok》, 35,830 characters of "洛東契字"12 were borrowed from private sources, and 40,825 characters of bronze movable type were newly made. Of these, the newly made type is called "顯宗實錄字" (Hyeonjong Sillok type). Meanwhile, the "洛東契字" borrowed from private sources could not be distinguished from the later-made "顯宗實錄字", so they could not be returned; instead, one set each of the 《Hanshu》 and the 《Book of the Later Han》 was given in exchange, and the "洛東契字" was transferred to the Gyoseogwan. Therefore, the "洛東契字" and the "顯宗實錄字" are judged to have similar characteristics to the point that they are indistinguishable. The "顯宗實錄字" is not very skillfully cast, but its letterforms are very elegant and its strokes are correct. It was later used for printing the sillok and books of several kings.1314
- In 1675, the 《顯宗大王實錄纂修廳儀軌》(顯宗大王實錄纂修廳儀軌), an Uigwe recording the compilation process of the 《Hyeonjong Sillok》, was published in one volume of 81 pages. This uigwe was kept at Mount Taebaek, Mount Odae, and others, and it is currently held at the Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies of Seoul National University.15
- The 《Hyeonjong Sillok》 is an important source for studying not only the facts of Hyeonjong's reign but also the history and culture of the late Joseon period.6
《Hyeonjong Gaesu Sillok》
- In the seventh lunar month of 1680, the 《顯宗大王實錄改修廳儀軌》(顯宗大王實錄改修廳儀軌), an uigwe recording the compilation process of the 《Hyeonjong Gaesu Sillok》, was published in one volume of 118 pages. This uigwe was kept at Mount Odae, and it is currently held at the Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies of Seoul National University.15
- Like the 《Hyeonjong Sillok》, the 《Hyeonjong Gaesu Sillok》 is an important source for studying not only the facts of Hyeonjong's reign but also the history and culture of the late Joseon period.11
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