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The CulturalHeritage Administration (CHA; Administrator: Choi Eung Chon) will unveil at the National Palace Museum of Korea(located in Jongno-gu, Seoul) on November 24 at 10:30 a.m Calendrical Bookof the Gyeongja Year (1600) with Memoranda by RyuSeong-ryong thatwas acquired in Japan.

The existence of the book was made known byProfessor Emeritus Kim Moon-kyong of Kyoto University. Upon obtaining theinformation, the CHA and the Overseas Korean Cultural Foundation (OKCHF; Chairman:Kim Junghee) carried out several thorough surveys and eventually succeeded inits repatriation this past September.

*Calendrical Book of the Gyeongja Year (1600) withMemoranda by RyuSeong-ryong: A metal-type printed book published in 1599 / Dimensions: 38×20cm(overall)

The returneditem is an example of a daetongnyeok, a type of almanac from the JoseonDynasty that shows similarities with the calendar used today. These calendricalbooks were used as guidelines for daily life and farming. They were kept handyby their owners, who added notes about their daily schedules along with theirthoughts and impressions. The margins of the returned item are inscribed withhandwritten ink notes on the weather, the owner’s schedule, appointments,illnesses, and medical prescriptions. Based on the results of an analysis ofthe handwriting and on information such as the names of figures and events mentioned,the book was compared with content from A Chronology of RyuSeong-ryong(Seoaeseonaesngyeonbo). The results of this comparison suggest that thereturned item is a sutaekbon* that belonged to RyuSeong-ryong (1542–1607; sobriquet: Seoae).

*Sutaekbon: A book that was kept handy by its owner and usedfrequently

The returned calendrical book is presumed to havebelonged to RyuSeong-ryong. It is highly regarded for its value as culturalheritage in that it allows a better understanding of his life and times. Italso features details of an event involving Admiral Yi Sun-sin during theJapanese Invasions of Korea. No other calendrical book on this Gyeongja year(the thirty-seventh year in the sexagenary cycle; 1600) has survived in Korea.

This book isparticularly notable since along with the content related to Ryu that is notincluded in A Chronology of RyuSeong-ryong, it provides data onhistorical facts that occurred in the Gyeongja year (1600). These include thereturn of Kang Hang (1567–1618), who had been captured and sent to Japan duringthe Japanese Invasions of Korea, and the passing of Queen Uiin, the consort ofKing Seonjo. In particular, the book carries further historical value in thatthe cover, which has been temporarily bound since the original cover has beenlost, features a detailed record of Admiral Yi Sun-sin (1545–1598) and how hedied from a gunshot wound on the battlefield during the Japanese Invasions ofKorea. It describes how he decided to fight personally as a means to encouragehis soldiers, despite the dissuasion of his subordinates.

The calendrical book will hereafter be managed bythe National Palace Museum of Korea and is expected to be widely utilized forresearch and exhibition along with other scientific cultural heritage itemsdating to the Joseon Dynasty housed in the museum. It is particularlymeaningful in that it represents a discovery and repatriation of new materialsthat were missing from the state-registered Treasure “Documents ofRyuSeong-ryong’s Family.” Moreover, the item is expected to contribute toresearch and utilization as a primary resource related to RyuSeong-ryong.

The CHA and OKCHF hope that the repatriation andunveiling of the calendar will serve as an opportunity to inspire interest andpride among the public in Joseon-era recorded cultural heritage. The twoinstitutions plan to continue their strenuous efforts searching for and repatriatingKorean cultural heritage in overseas collection through efforts for proactiveadministration and the expansion of local cooperative networks.

※The acquisition of the item was made possible bythe National Lottery Fund.