A Study on HOSEONGKONGSINLOK awarded to Kim Yang-bo, a eunuch

내시 금량보 호성공신록권

  • Published : 1991.06.01

Abstract

This articles aims to analyze HOSEONGKONGSINLOK awarded to Kim Yang-bo, a eunuch, having major roles to take refuge the king Seon-jo when the Japanese invader rushed into Seoul in the time of Hideyoshi's Invasion of Korea in 1592. At that time, all meritorious retainer was to be rewarded equally by a given rules of the stipends and the gifts. But for the eunuch, differently from others, the portrait was not made to be handed down as a model. Instead one more clothes was given. This suggests that there were some differenciation of the class and the job in the evaluation of the merits. From this we can see that there might be some problems in the selection of the meritorious retainer, resulting in unfair awarding, and needing to be reevaluation from the historian. Even though somewhat worn out, this material has very important value as a historical source in terms of following viewpoint: 1) it contains all the name of the meritorious retainers at that time. 2) it suggests the social situation and affairs at that time more precisely. 3) it reveals the facts even some facts in the authentic records can be corrected.

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