Among all the Korean dynasties, the Koryŏ dynasty (918-1392) was the first to have contact with the Western world. It was from these interactions that the current appellation of "Korea" was derived from the Koryŏ name. The Koryŏsa, or the History of Koryŏ, is one of the most significant historical texts on the Koryŏ Dynasty of the Korean peninsula. As the principal surviving history, the Koryŏsa elucidates the politics, society, economy, culture, and key figures of this period. Although the Koryŏsa was compiled during the Chosŏn dynasty (1392-1910), much of the known information about Koryŏ is contained within this text, making it the primary text for understanding 500 years of premodern Korean history, culture, and civilization. This translation is the first, full-length, English-language translation of the introductory section of the Koryŏsa and the first ten volumes of the annals of the kings, beginning with the dynastic founder, T’aejo Wang Kŏn (r. 918-943) to the fourteenth monarch, Hŏnjong (r. 1095). The nearly two hundred years of Koryŏ history encompassed within the first ten volumes of the annals provides invaluable insight into the birth and development of Koryŏ state and society, as well as the rituals and practices of warfare, diplomacy, and international relations with neighboring territories, including the Khitan, Jurchen, and Song China. The wealth of information has been integral to knowing Korea’s past, offering lessons from history that are relevant to understanding modern-day Korea. Made readable to an English-language audience, this translation will interest researchers across East Asian history, and of various fields including religion, philosophy, and culture.
