Yuan Dynasty Legal Code, a Treasure Not Found Even in China

Cultural Heritage Administration Announces Treasure Designation for 'Jijeongjogeok Volumes 1-12, 23-34'
Adopted as Basic Legal Code in Goryeo, Used as Reference for Joseon Law, Diplomacy, and Cultural Systems
"Artifacts with Significant Impact on East Asian Legal Systems, Worthy of Research"

The only remaining Yuan Dynasty legal code in the world, ‘Zhizheng Tiaoge (至正條格) Volumes 1?12 and 23?34,’ will be designated as a Treasure.

On the 29th, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced the preliminary designation of this cultural asset as a Treasure. It is the only extant Yuan Dynasty legal code discovered exclusively in Korea. It has been passed down for over 600 years through the Gyeongju Son clan of Yangdong Village, Gyeongju. It is presumed that the individuals who brought the ‘Zhizheng Tiaoge’ to this family were Son Saseong (1396?1435) and Son So (1433?1484), who were active in the Seungmunwon during the early Joseon period. The Seungmunwon was the government office responsible for diplomatic documents in the Joseon era. A Cultural Heritage Administration official stated, “It is highly likely that these two ancestors encountered the ‘Zhizheng Tiaoge’ in order to learn about foreign laws and customs.”

This document is the last legal code of the Yuan Dynasty, published in 1346. Its name reflects that it compiled a type of legal articles called Tiaoge (條格) during the Zhizheng era (1341?1367). The Yuan Dynasty compiled legal codes twice, in 1323 and 1346. Since the early Ming Dynasty, China has been unable to locate the original copies. Only approximate contents have been transmitted through sources such as the ‘Qinding Siku Quanshu Zongmu (欽定四庫全書總目),’ a catalog of Chinese books published during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. The true nature of this code was unveiled in Korea in 2003 when the Ancient Documents Research Team at the Academy of Korean Studies discovered it and introduced it to the world for the first time.

The ‘Zhizheng Tiaoge’ was introduced to Korea at the end of the Goryeo period and had a significant influence on Korean legal and cultural history. Until the end of the Goryeo period, it was adopted as a basic legal system for criminal law and other areas, and during the Joseon Dynasty, it was used as a major reference for studying Chinese laws, diplomacy, and cultural systems until the promulgation of the ‘Gyeongguk Daejeon (經國大典),’ the fundamental legal code of Joseon. A Cultural Heritage Administration official noted, “Records such as the ‘Joseon Wangjo Sillok’ and ‘Seungjeongwon Ilgi’ confirm that in the 5th year of King Sejong’s reign (1423), fifty copies of the Yuan edition were published, and in the 24th year of King Seongjong’s reign (1493), King Seongjong ordered his officials to read it.” The official added, “Its rarity as the only known Yuan legal code and its profound influence on East Asian legal systems make it highly valuable for research.”

According to Article 11 of the Enforcement Decree of the Cultural Heritage Protection Act, foreign cultural assets can only be designated as National Treasures or Treasures if they hold significant importance to Korean culture. The Cultural Heritage Administration will collect opinions from various sectors for one month and finalize the designation as a Treasure after review by the Cultural Heritage Committee.

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