Designated Cultural Assets Held in the National Library of Korea
Table about National Treasures, Treasures, Tangible Cultural Assets designated by City of Seoul, Registered Cultural Assets
National Treasures Treasures Tangible Cultural Assets
designated by City of Seoul
Registered Cultural Assets
2 titles 26 books 10 titles 17 books (16 books+1 set) 5 titles 8 books 3 titles 19 books
National Treasures
2 titles 26 books
Treasures
10 titles 17 books (16 books+1 set)
Tangible Cultural Assets
designated by City of Seoul
5 titles 8 books
Registered Cultural Assets
2 titles 14 books
Table about Designated Number, Ttile, No.of books, Annotation
No. Designated Number Title No. of books Annotation
Total 19 titles 65 books (64 books + 1 set)
1 National Treasure No. 148-2 Sipchil sachan gogeum tongyo (Essentials of Seventeen Dynastic Histories), Volume 17 1 book
  • Compiled by Hu Ting-Fang (Yuan Dynasty, China); Published in the 12th year of King Taejong (1412); Gaemi-type print
  • A compilation of the highlights of 17 official historical records of China from its ancient times to the Five Dynasties period
  • Valuable in that it was printed using Gaemi-type (Joseon’s first copper printing type); invaluable for research on the development of printing and typesetting in Goryeo and Joseon
2 National Treasure No. 319-1 Dongui bogam (Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine) 25 books
  • Written by Heo Jun; published in the 5th year of King Gwanghaegun (1613); Naeuiwon (royal clinic of Joseon)-type print
  • Written by Heo Jun (skillful doctor who practiced medicine under King Seonjo to King Gwanghaegun) under orders of the King and published by the Naeuiwon
  • Book of medicine with prescriptions fit for Koreans; excellent book widely distributed even in China, homeland of traditional Chinese medicine
3 Treasure No. 523-1 Seokbo sangjeol (Episodes from the Life of Sakyamuni Buddha), Volumes 6, 9, 13, and 19 4 books
  • Compiled by Grand Prince Suyang; Published in the 29th year of Sejong the Great (1447); Gab-in-type print
  • A biography of Sakyamuni Buddha written by Grand Prince Suyang under orders of Sejong the Great in order to pray for the repose of Suyang’s mother Queen Soheon; excerpts from Seokgabo and Buddhist scripts translated in Korean in prose style
  • Invaluable for research on physical bibliographies and Korean phonetics
4 Treasure No. 710-3 Donginjimun sayuk (Anthology of Poems of Silla and Goryeo Literati), Volumes 10-12 1 book
  • Compiled by Choi Hae (1287-1340; Goryeo Dynasty); published in the 4th year of King Gongmin (1355); woodcut print
  • Compilation of Korea’s poems through the ages
5 Treasure No. 865 Private Wooden Movable Type and Printing Devices 1 set
  • Created in the 19th century in the private sector for printing books
  • Created in the Jeolla provincial area and mostly used in the Gyeonggi and Chungcheong provincial areas
6 Treasure No. 1088-1 Eonhae taesan jibyo (Book of Obstetrics, Korean Translation) 1 book
  • Compiled by Heo Jun; published in the 41st year of King Seonjo (1608); Naeuiwon (royal clinic of Joseon)-type print
  • Medical book on obstetrics and gynecology written by Heo Jun under orders of the King
  • Revision and annotation of “Taesan yorok (Book of Obstetrics)” written by Rho Jungyae in 1434; invaluable historical record of the history of the Korean language and traditional Chinese medicine
7 Treasure No. 1537-1 Seobuk pia yanggye malli illam jido (Comprehensive Map for Defense of West and North Borders) 1 book
  • Military map showing strategic points in the Northern region of Joseon and also Manchuria
  • A representative military map created to defend Joseon’s borders after erecting the Baekdusan National Boundary Monument during the reign of King Sukjong
  • Academically invaluable for its detailed description of Manchuria north of Amnok river and Duman river
8 Treasure No. 1593 Haedong yeojido (Atlas of Korea) 3 books
  • Colored regional map manuscript created between 1776-1787 by editing, under a new system, a large-scale regional map created under the lead of Shin Gyungjun in 46th year of King Youngjo (1770)
  • Created by Kim Jeongho (geographer and cartographer) as a basic reference map; invaluable for understanding the development of large-scale maps
9 Treasure No. 1594-1 Cheonggudo (Map of Korea) 2 books
  • Colored large-scale regional map manuscript created by Kim Jeongho
  • Korean Peninsula divided into 29 layers of which the odd-numbered layers are printed in the first book (Geon Book), and the even-numbered layers are printed in the second book (Gon Book) so that the upper and lower parts of the maps could be connected as a whole
  • Created after 1846, being the latest to be created among the four types of Cheonggudo; Invaluable historical record illustrating the essence of Kim’s concentration in making the map
10 Treasure No. 1595-1 Mokjang jido (Maps of Ranches) 1 book
  • Colored ranch map manuscript compiled by Heo Mok in the 4th year of King Sukjong
  • Locations of ranches on the Korean Peninsula as well as statistics on cows, horses and shepherds per ranch and the area of each ranch are indicated.
  • Invaluable for understanding 17th century polices on stables and ranches
11 Treasure No. 1901-5 Uigwe (The Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty) 2 titles
3 books
  • Uigwe (The Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty) is a series of records and illustrations of all the important state ceremonies and events of the Joseon Dynasty. Owned by 12 holding institutions, its 573 titles with 1,757 items and 2,751 books were all designated as a national treasure.
  • The copy owned by National Library of Korea is a record about constructing Jogyoungdan (肇慶壇, the graveyard of Lee Han who is the progenitor of Jeonju Lee family) in Jeonju and rebuilding Jungyeongmyo Grave and Younggyeongmyo Grave in Samcheok from Gwangmu 3 (1899) to Gwangmu 5 (1901).
12 Tangible Cultural Asset designated by Seoul No. 109 Treaty of Friendship and Commerce between Russia and Korea 2 books
  • Treaty between Korea and Russia signed in the 21st year of Emperor Gojong (1884); Has records of import/export items
13 Tangible Cultural Asset designated by Seoul No. 110 Treaty of Friendship and Commerce Between Great Britain and Korea 1 book
  • Treaty between Korea and Great Britain signed in the 21st year of Emperor Gojong (1884)
  • Written in English; Last page written in Chinese characters stating that the treaty will be implemented by dispatching delegates from both countries.
14 Tangible Cultural Asset designated by Seoul No. 111 Treaty of Friendship and Commerce Between Germany and Korea 3 books
  • Treaty between Korea and Germany signed in the 21st year of Emperor Gojong (1884)
  • In the event of a violation of law between the two countries, officials from both countries meet and judge said violation under national law, and farming tools, books, maps, plants, alcohol, etc. are traded.
15 Tangible Cultural Asset designated by Seoul No. 112 Treaty of Friendship and Commerce Between Qing and Korea 1 book
  • Treaty between Korea and the Qing Dynasty of China signed in the 3rd year of the Gwangmu era (1899)
  • Tradesmen of both countries protect residents under equal rights and trade only in areas where both countries’ ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary designate and are stationed.
  • A violation of law is judged in a meeting through the consulates of both countries.
16 Registered Cultural Asset No. 509-1 Treaty of Friendship and Commerce Between France and Korea 1 book
  • Treaty between Korea and France signed in the 23rd year of Emperor Gojong (1886)
  • Jaemulpo in Incheon, Wonsan, Busan, and Yangwhajin in Hanyang (currently Seoul) all designated as commerce areas
17 Registered Cultural Asset No. 529-2 Daehan maeil shinbo (The Korea Daily News) 13 books
  • Newspaper founded by Englishman Ernest Thomas Bethell in July, 1904; A total of six pages, two in English, four in Korean
  • Largest newspaper of the Korean people playing the role of anti-Japanese movement headquarters providing shelter from Japanese oppression; articles and editorials contributed by Yang Gitak, Park Eunshik, Shin Chaeho etc.
  • Very significant in understanding Korea’s modern history; a crucial record showing Korea’s history of national movements related to the anti-Japanese struggle, National Debt Repayment Movement, Patriotic Enlightenment Movement, etc.
18 Tangible Cultural Asset designated by Seoul No. 108 Jeonbo jangjeong (Regulations for Telegraphic Communication) 1 book
  • Korea’s first regulations for telegraphic communication adopted in the 25th year of Emperor Gojong (1888)
  • 32 articles; regulations on telegraphic symbols, fees, etc.; Includes “Korean Consonant/Vowel Homata Method” which are telegraphic symbols written in Korean created by Kim Hakwoo
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