Letter to the Hwanghae Governor移黃海道觀察使文

As the Ming troops come and go along this one road, the abuse of going out to the post stations, requisitioning horses, and supplying provisions grows worse by the day, and the people cannot bear the hardship. Of the things that sicken the people today there is none greater than this.

This office, having weighed it well, sent down an aide and had rice and cloth levied evenly on the whole number of taxable fields of the province and divided among three post stations. Men who know affairs and are able to keep watch and not act loosely were also appointed overseers of the three stations and put in charge. Let the rice and cloth collected and paid in by each district be stored up securely and drawn upon, so that there is no abuse of carelessness, and let the amounts used each day all be entered one by one in the register, to serve as evidence for checking on a later day.

If the number of Ming troops coming down entered in the register at Hwangju differs from that at Yongcheon and Pyeongsan, and the number at Yongcheon and Pyeongsan differs from that in Gyeonggi, then it is a case of falsehood; punish each one and dig out the truth. Only then can the accumulated abuses of this one road be done away with, and the threads of presumptuous concealment along the way be somewhat reduced.

Moreover, in the coming and going of the Ming troops, there are days when they are very many and days when there are none at all. If one can shift and defer and piece things out and not use them loosely, then what was formerly used in one month can be made to last two or three months; this principle is very clear. If, doing thus, the overseers are equal to their charge and the magistrates are diligent in keeping them in hand, then rewards shall be considered; if not, they shall be punished. Then of itself affairs will have their order, and every man will give his whole mind to them and rather fear that he may be slack and fail to carry them out.

Further, the Postal Superintendent of Geumgyo has the charge of overseeing the seven post stations and is besides a young civil official, so that I supposed he would surely exert himself in the state's business, and I had him go about and inspect. Yet now, though several months have passed, the Superintendent has not reported a single word, and who the overseers of the three stations may be is likewise unknown. How many the taxable fields of the province are, how much rice and cloth is levied, how much has been collected at one station and how much used, and whether the figures are ample or short — of all this there is neither black nor white, and there is no way to dig it out and set it right. All the affairs of today are like walking in cloud and mist, where even an inch beyond is dim and no thread of it can be made out. Even as regards what a superior has commanded, nothing whatever is received and carried out. Since every matter is like this there is no way to set things in order, which is the more disheartening.

Of late the court of China too has taken deep warning from the abuse of requisitioning horses and supplying provisions in our country, and has gone so far as to set up a scheme of its own. They have sent one blank register to each post station along the road and have it written up day by day, so that there should be no abuse of receiving things falsely and loosely. Though the court of China lies ten million li away, it pities the hardship of the people of our country, and the closeness of its arrangements reaches to this. The officials of our own country, on the contrary, though they bear the business in their own persons, look on it as the men of Qin looked on the men of Yue, and do not know how to look into it and consider it. This intent I cannot at all understand.

Since this office has come to hold the charge of Field Marshal besides, it ought to be concerned in every matter; yet all things are slack and in ruin, and orders are not carried out. Though I would not speak, I cannot help it. The Postal Superintendent of Geumgyo has already been summoned out so that I may inquire into the circumstances in person. Compare the several heads of this letter day by day, set them out in order, and report. Make up a separate book as well, after the manner of the court of China's blank register, and send it up to this office daily.