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Ilseongnok: Records
of Daily Reflections
Inscribed 2011
What is it
Ilseongnok originated in the personal diaries of King
Jeongjo, from before his accession to the throne in 1776.
After his accession, it was transformed into an official
daily journal of state affairs and continued until 1910.
Why was it inscribed
The Ilseongnok provides a fully documented picture
of the operations of an Asian dynasty at a time of social
and geopolitical transition into the modern era.
Where is it
Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies (KIKS) at Seoul
National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Ilseongnok, literally ‘The Records of Daily Reflections’,
originated in the diaries kept by King Jeongjo (1776–
1800), twenty-second monarch of the Joseon dynasty
(1392–1910), from the days before his accession to the
throne. In these diaries, he reflected on his everyday life
and academic progress. Once he acceded to the throne,
King Jeongjo had officials of Kyujanggak, the royal
library, keep daily records and obtain his approval for
the content, transforming Ilseongnok from the personal
diary of the monarch to an official daily journal of state
affairs. As such, it continued to be compiled until the
fall of the dynasty in 1910. The complete set comprises
2329 volumes.
Ilseongnok is unique in terms of the reasons for its
compilation, the style and format of writing, and the
content. Historical records compiled in the pre-modern
period usually dealt with past events while Ilseongnok
was a contemporary record and its compilation was
politically motivated for use as a reference for the king
in ruling the nation. Ilseongnok describes events in an
orderly manner and is accompanied by explanatory notes
for quick and easy reference. It also displays originality
in content, much of which is hard to find in any other
historical documents from the Joseon era, such as
procedures for state ceremonial rites, reports by provincial
government officials, lists of convicts and investigation
records by the State Tribunal (Uigeumbu) and the Ministry
286 Ilseongnok: Records of Daily Reflections
� King Jeongjo (1776–1800) of Korea, who
started the ‘Records of Daily Reflections’.
A few of the 2329 volumes of Ilseongnok
(‘Records of Daily Reflections’), the official
daily journal of state affairs kept by the Joseon
dynasty in Korea from the late 18th century
until 1910. � �
of Justice (Hyeongjo), petitions by the common people and
subsequent measures taken, reports by secret censors,
diplomacy-related documents and envoys’ reports and
even daily weather reports related to farming.
The compilation is not merely the historical record
of state affairs but it also has significance in world history
because of its detailed descriptions of political, cultural,
scientific and technological exchanges between the East
and West from the 18th century to the early 20th century.
The Ilseongnok contains specific records on how science
and technology, initially filtered through China, was
propagated and developed in Korea. With Western
imperialistic expansion into the region in the 19th century,
Ilseongnok gives a detailed portrayal of this process and
clashes that ensued.