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Chaoxian shilüe 朝鮮史略

Oct 24, 2013 © Ulrich Theobald

Chaoxian shilüe 朝鮮史略 "Concise History of Korea", Korean reading Chosŏn saryak, also called Dongguo shilüe (Tongguk saryak) 東國史略 "Concise history of the Eastern Country", is a history of Korea written in Chinese by an unknown author.

The 6-juan long book begins with the mythological reign of Dangun 檀君 and ends with that of Wang Yo 王瑤, King Gongyang 恭讓王 (r. 1389–1392), the last ruler of Koryŏ 高麗. The history of the state of Silla 新羅 (57 BCE-935 CE) and before is very short, but the text focuses on the history of Koryŏ. The annals are enriched by discussions of high officials and tables of offices. The postface of the book (ba 跋), written by Zhao Qimei 趙琦美, is dated 1610, and says that the book was copied in the house of Feng Zhongyin 馮仲纓. It might have come to China during the period of incessant pirate attacks during the sixteenth century.

The Chaoxian shilüe is to be found in the series Siku quanshu 四庫全書 and Guoli Beiping tushuguan shanben congshu 國立北平圖書館善本叢書.

Source:
Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文鬰, ed. (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe), Vol. 1, 1048.