安東
AndongKim.orgHistorical & Archival Lineage
原典 翻刻Primary Historical Epigraphy & Manuscript Archives

Archival Primary Source Reader

Primary historical sources are the foundation of authentic history. Explore authentic woodblock inscriptions, royal merit charters (Gyo-ji), philosophical letters (Gancheal), and defiance poetry preserved in Korea's national libraries and clan shrines. Each document features the original Classical Chinese text (Hanja), phonetic Hangul transcription, English scholarly translation, and line-by-line historical glosses.

Primary Source Repository

Select Primary Source or Edict

原典 錄本Royal Edict & Dynasty Charter (교서)

태조왕건 고창 삼태사 사성 및 봉지 교서

太祖王建 古昌三太師 賜姓及封地 敎書 · King Taejo's Royal Mandate to the Samtaesa of Gochang
Author & Role
King Taejo Wang Geon (Goryeo)

Founding Sovereign of Goryeo

Era & Physical Medium
930 CE (King Taejo Year 13)

Goryeo Imperial Scribe Transcript / Taesamyo Bogwan Stone & Bronze Records

Current Archival Repository
Taesamyo Bogwan (太師廟 寶館), Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do

Goryeosa (History of Goryeo), Vol. 2 (Taejo 13); Taesamyo Ji (Record of Taesamyo Shrine).

Following the decisive 930 CE Battle of Gochang, King Taejo defeated Gyeon Hwon's Later Baekje army with the crucial military support of the three local magnates: Kim Seon-pyeong, Gwon Haeng, and Jang Jeong-pil. King Taejo elevated the status of Gochang to 'Andongbu' (Meaning: Peacefully Settling the East) and conferred supreme civil honors upon the three leaders.

Comparative Transcription & Scholarly Translation

Line-by-Line Gloss
[01]
古昌之捷 東方底定
고창지첩 동방저정

The triumph at Gochang has pacified and stabilized the eastern realm.

Marks the turning point that secured Goryeo hegemony over the peninsula.

[02]
三公之忠 萬世難忘
삼공지충 만세난망

The loyalty of the Three Lords shall not be forgotten for ten thousand generations.

Elevating Kim Seon-pyeong, Gwon Haeng, and Jang Jeong-pil.

[03]
陞古昌爲安東府 賜金宣平爲三重大匡
승고창위안동부 사김선평위삼중대광

We elevate Gochang to Andongbu, and grant Kim Seon-pyeong the rank of Samjung Daegwang.

Samjung Daegwang (三重大匡) was the supreme honorary civil rank in early Goryeo.

[04]
世世永寶 其無替厥德
세세영보 기무체궐덕

Preserve this honor generation after generation, never wavering in your ancestral virtue.

Establishment of hereditary clan status in Andong.

Academic Commentary & Historical Significance

This foundational charter established the geopolitical prestige of Andong as an autonomous aristocratic stronghold. King Taejo gave Kim Seon-pyeong the royal gifts (now Treasure No. 551), creating the ancestral foundation of the Shin Andong Kim clan.

Archival Citation: Goryeosa (History of Goryeo), Vol. 2 (Taejo 13); Taesamyo Ji (Record of Taesamyo Shrine).Permanent Repository: Taesamyo Bogwan (太師廟 寶館), Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do
Epigraphic Monograph

Epigraphy, Woodblock Typography & Joseon Manuscript Culture

1. The Authority of Woodblock Editions (木版本)

In Joseon Korea, philosophical works and personal anthologies (Munjip / 文集) were meticulously carved onto hardwood blocks (typically birch or pear wood). Woodblock publication required the formal consensus of regional academies (Seowon) and rigorous textual collation (Gyogam) to ensure that not a single stroke deviated from the author's brush.

Anthologies like Kim Sang-heon's Cheong-eum-jip and Kim Chang-hyeop's Nongam-jip were preserved across centuries in temple archives and regional academies, surviving the devastation of both the Imjin and Manchu wars.

2. Deciphering Classical Edicts & Calligraphic Seals

Official royal edicts (Gyo-ji) were written on yellow silk-mulberry paper bearing the crimson seal of the sovereign (Sibo / 施寶). The grammatical style blended Classical Han characters with Joseon bureaucratic conventions (Idu andGugyeol particles), conveying both imperial authority and legal mandate.

In modern times, through the stewardship of the Kyujanggak Institute, the National Museum of Korea, and clan custodians, these fragile scrolls have been digitized with scientific provenance to prevent fabrication and preserve Korea's documentary memory.

Preservation Standards & Archival Integrity

All transcriptions rendered in this repository follow the official collated editions of the National Institute of Korean History (국사편찬위원회) and the Academy of Korean Studies (한국학중앙연구원). No hypothetical or unverified verses are included.