Admiral Yi Sun-shin’s missing book found at a museum

A book written by Admiral Yi Sun-shin, which was lost by his descendants, was located at the National Maritime Museum. The book titled “Janggye Byeolchaeck” is a collection of reports on battlefields during the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592 to the king.

Roh Seung-seok, an expert on Yi, said on Monday, “It was found that ‘Janggye Byeolchaeck’ is the same book as ‘Chungmingonggyecho,’ a book that the National Maritime Museum bought two years ago.” It was the result of comparing the pictures of “Janggye Byeolchaeck” taken under the Japanese colonial rule in 1928, and “Chungmingonggyecho.”

The book is a manuscript of the original book made in 1662 after Admiral Yi died and contains a total of 68 reports. It is known when and how the book was taken out of the hands of the admiral’s descendants. “Chungmingonggyecho” is named after “Chungminsa,” a shrine built to honor Admiral Yi in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, in 1601.

sukim@donga.com