Odaesan Archive Protected by Kim Jeonghee and Chae Jegong Embraces the Annals and Uigwe Once Again

Full Opening of the National Joseon Dynasty Annals Museum
Special Exhibition: "The Road to Odaesan Archive"
A Comprehensive Look at the History of Establishment, Operation, and Decline

"Looking back, the path I have walked seems close, yet without realizing it, I have come to a distant place. Half the peaks are immersed in white, while the edge of the forest is faintly adorned in blue. The clouds of the Dharma protect from outside, and the sacred fire watches over those listening to sermons. There is ample land left in the rocky valley; by what fate should I build a small pavilion here?"

Odaesan Archive Restored in 1992

This is "Posa Deung Odaesan," included in the "Complete Works of Wandang" by Chusa Kim Jeonghee (1786-1856). He wrote it in 1823 while staying at the Odaesan Archive as a censor of the Yemungwan. The Odaesan Archive was an auxiliary royal archive established in 1606 to store royal records. It is located deep in the mountains, about 30 ri from the mountain’s entrance. After the Imjin War, when all archives except Jeonju lost their annals, the annals were enshrined in this remote and hard-to-reach location for protection.

Kim Jeonghee conducted the "poswae" process here, taking out the annals and airing them in the wind. This is confirmed in the old guestbook "Simheonrok" from Ojukheon in Gangneung, which the National Joseon Dynasty Annals Museum unveiled for the first time on May 1. In his distinctive, bold handwriting, he wrote that he visited Ojukheon after completing the poswae process.

Because the Odaesan Archive was located in the mountains, regular poswae was necessary. The archive was constantly exposed to excessive humidity, but as a storage facility for books, it could not be equipped with ondol heating. Kim Jeongim, director of the National Joseon Dynasty Annals Museum, explained, "The Joseon Dynasty regularly dispatched historians to conduct poswae, removing moisture from the archived books for safe preservation," and added, "Although the principle was to conduct poswae once every two years, this was often not followed due to natural disasters and a shortage of historians."

Simheonrok

Chae Jegong (1720-1799), a high-ranking official who served as Chief State Councillor in the late Joseon Dynasty, also participated in poswae here. In 1749, he was dispatched as a censor of the Yemungwan to manage the annals. His reflections from that time are found in "Sagak Poswae" in his collection "Beonamjip."

"The mountain of immortals, where sacredness has accumulated; the stone chamber occupies the heart of the mountain. Spirits close the doors, forbidding entry; books are piled up like clouds. Officials' carts travel east, as ordered by the king to conduct poswae. Precious books are examined one by one; bright sunlight shines on the forest all day long."

Their efforts were rendered meaningless by Japanese aggression. In 1909, Murakami Ryukichi, an official of the Imperial Household Ministry, visited the Odaesan Archive to conduct poswae and inspect the site. Soon after, the stored books were moved to Seoul, and the annals and some uigwe were taken to Japan. They were kept at the Tokyo Imperial University Library but were mostly lost in the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. The Odaesan Archive itself was destroyed by fire during the Korean War.

Beonamjip

The annals and uigwe that remained in Japan were returned to Korea in 2006 and 2011, thanks to persistent efforts by the government, the National Assembly, and civic groups. The Odaesan Archive, which had remained an empty site for some time, saw its Sagak and Seonwonbogak buildings restored in 1992. To commemorate this, the National Joseon Dynasty Annals Museum, which opened in November 2023, now serves as a treasure trove preserving the legacy of 500 years of the Joseon Dynasty. Through the original annals and uigwe that have returned after a painful history, the museum conveys the determination of ancestors and the value of cultural heritage.

The special exhibition "The Road to Odaesan Archive," which opened with the museum’s full opening on May 1, marks the beginning of this journey. The exhibition traces the history of the Odaesan Archive’s establishment, operation, and decline through about forty archival items and exhibition and educational content, including "Annals of King Seongjong Volumes 83-87," "Annals of King Seonjo Volumes 1-2," "Uigwe of the Royal Wedding Bureau," and "Simheonrok." However, not all seventy-five returned annals and eighty-two uigwe are on display. Only twelve annals and twenty-four uigwe are present; most remain stored in the National Palace Museum’s vaults.

Exterior view of the National Joseon Dynasty Annals Museum

Director Kim stated, "Once the new preservation research building is completed and the safer underground vault is ready, the items will be relocated." However, it is expected to take considerable time before a full transfer is possible. The plan to expand the building for vault and preservation science purposes was scrapped at the end of last year after budget negotiations failed following the declaration of martial law. While Woljeongsa is effectively providing land free of charge, about 20 billion won is needed for construction and related costs. Director Kim said, "We hope to complete the new building within five years at the earliest," adding, "Until then, we aim to establish the museum as a hub for education and exhibitions, making it a key part of tourism in Odaesan."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.