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The Cultural Heritage 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 Book of the Gyeongja Year (1600) with Memoranda by RyuSeong-ryong that was acquired in Japan.

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

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

The returned item is an example of a daetongnyeok, a type of almanac from the Joseon Dynasty that shows similarities with the calendar used today. These calendrical books were used as guidelines for daily life and farming. They were kept handy by their owners, who added notes about their daily schedules along with their thoughts and impressions. The margins of the returned item are inscribed with handwritten ink notes on the weather, the owner’s schedule, appointments, illnesses, and medical prescriptions. Based on the results of an analysis of the 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 the returned item is a sutaekbon* that belonged to RyuSeong-ryong (1542– 1607; sobriquet: Seoae).

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

The returned calendrical book is presumed to have belonged to RyuSeong-ryong. It is highly regarded for its value as cultural heritage in that it allows a better understanding of his life and times. It also features details of an event involving Admiral Yi Sun-sin during the Japanese 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 is particularly notable since along with the content related to Ryu that is not included in A Chronology of RyuSeong-ryong, it provides data on historical facts that occurred in the Gyeongja year (1600). These include the return of Kang Hang (1567–1618), who had been captured and sent to Japan during the Japanese Invasions of Korea, and the passing of Queen Uiin, the consort of King Seonjo. In particular, the book carries further historical value in that the cover, which has been temporarily bound since the original cover has been lost, features a detailed record of Admiral Yi Sun-sin (1545–1598) and how he died from a gunshot wound on the battlefield during the Japanese Invasions of Korea. It describes how he decided to fight personally as a means to encourage his soldiers, despite the dissuasion of his subordinates.

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

The CHA and OKCHF hope that the repatriation and unveiling of the calendar will serve as an opportunity to inspire interest and pride among the public in Joseon-era recorded cultural heritage. The two institutions plan to continue their strenuous efforts searching for and repatriating Korean cultural heritage in overseas collection through efforts for proactive administration and the expansion of local cooperative networks.

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