3) Preservation of and Damage to Seungjeongwon Ilgi
On principle, daily records of Seungjeongwon Ilgi, The Diaries of
the Royal Secretariat, were supposed to be compiled into one diary
every month. But the number of diaries was flexibly adjusted to more
or less than one per month according to the amount of records.
The written diaries were kept in the office of the Seungjeongwon,
located near Wolhwamun Gate(月華門), which stands to the south
west of Geunjeongjeon(勤政殿), the Throne Hall of Gyeongbokgung
Palace(景福宮). Unfortunately, the diaries of the early Joseon
period before 1624 (the 2nd year of King Injo) were all destroyed
by the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592, the Revolt of Yi Gwal
in 1624, and fires. 26 diaries recording the 1st and the 2nd years
of King Injo during the Revolt of Yi Gwal survived because the scribe
Hong Deong-nin(洪德麟) promptly removed them to a safe place, together with Jobo, or The Court Gazette,
published in the reign of King Gwanghaegun(光海君). Therefore the diaries of that reign
were completely restored and kept in the Seungjeongwon. But a huge portion of the diaries were burnt up
in the fire in the Seungjeongwon on October 13, 1744 (the 20th year of King Yeongjo)
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