The Collective Remembrance of Chŏng Mong-ju’s Biography – The Samgang Haengsil-to Versions

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12797/Politeja.22.2025.95.16

Keywords:

Chŏng Mong-ju, Samgang haengsil-to, collective history, Chosŏn propaedeutics

Abstract

This paper examines the portrayal of Chŏng Mong-ju’s assassination in the Samgang haengsil-to (Illustrated Guide to the Three Relationships), one of the earliest texts intended for a broader, common audience due to its use of vernacular script. As a prominent philosopher and politician of the late Koryŏ period, Chŏng Mong-ju’s death became a symbolic turning point in the founding of the Chosŏn dynasty, despite his staunch opposition to it. This study explores how the narrative of his assassination was woven into the foundational myth of Chosŏn and traces the shifts in responsibility and blame for his death as the dynasty evolved. Through an analysis of these early sources, the study aims to uncover how this pivotal event was presented to the populace in comparison with other official sources and contemporary interpretations.

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Author Biography

  • Kamila Kozioł, University of Warsaw

    PhD; 2005-2019 studied and completed her doctorate at the University of Warsaw, first at the Institute of Oriental Studies and later at the Faculty of Oriental Studies. She has been affiliated with the Department of Korean Studies at the University of Warsaw since 2017. In 2019, she defended her doctoral dissertation titled The Role of the Korean Native Alphabet in Translations of the Samgang haengsil-to (Illustrated Guide to the Three Relationships). Her research focuses on educational and propaedeutic texts from the Chosŏn period, as well as issues related to the anthropology of everyday life, with a particular emphasis on food studies. She is the author of academic articles reflecting these interests.

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Published

13-06-2025

Issue

Vol. 22 No. 1(95) (2025)

Section

Language and Literature

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

“The Collective Remembrance of Chŏng Mong-Ju’s Biography – The Samgang Haengsil-to Versions”. 2025. Politeja 22 (1(95): 277-93. https://doi.org/10.12797/Politeja.22.2025.95.16.