On “Usan Island” in old Korean documents | Takeshima Research and Commentary Site

5. Interpretation according to a rule for compiling records of geography

　The sentence in Sejong Sillok Jiriji “The two islands are not far apart, and they can be seen if the weather is clear” may literally mean that the two islands of Usan and Mureung are not far apart from each other and thus visible on a clear day, as the ROK interprets it. In a historical context, however, the sentence may be interpreted differently. Provinces were requested to compile records of geography in line with a certain rule so that the central government could put together the provincial geography and establish the geography for the entirety of Korea. According to Gyeongsang-do Jiriji (Geography of Gyeongsang Province, 1425) (see section 3 above), the description of the islands should include “how far they are distant from the land and whether there are inhabitants cultivating the land.” The book goes on to describe Chuksan Island as “By water two hundred bo from the land. No field to be cultivated.”⁵ This rule is not directly for Sejong Sillok Jiriji, but if one reads in conformity with this rule, there is a possibility that the sentence “The two islands are not far apart, and they can be seen if the weather is clear” describes the distance from land. That is, although the exact value is unknown, the two islands Usan and Mureung are located at a distance visible on a clear day from the Korean Peninsula. Actually, Ulleungdo is visible but Takeshima is not, which means Usan is not Takeshima.

Note 5

『慶尚道地理志・慶尚道続撰地理誌』朝鮮総督府中枢院, 1938, p. 19. See SHIMOJO Masao下條正男『竹島は日韓どちらのものか』文春新書, 2004, pp. 162-166.

6. Confirmation by Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam

　That the island visible on a clear day is Ulleungdo, not Takeshima, becomes still more apparent when one consults Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam (Revised and Augmented Survey of the Geography of Korea, 1531), which the MOFA-ROK pamphlet refers to (section 2, underlined part (3) above).⁶ The article on “Usando Ulleungdo” reads as follows: <For the original text, see Document 2.>

Usando Ulleungdo – Also called Mureung or Ureung. The two islands are located in the sea due east of the prefecture. Three peaks, high and steep, hold up the sky. The southern peak is somewhat lower. The trees on the tops of the mountains and the shore at the foot of mountains can be vividly seen if the weather is clear. Can be reached by sailing two days with the wind. It is also said that originally Usan and Ulleung were one island. The land is a hundred ri square.

　As cited above, Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam modified Sejong Sillok Jiriji’s article “The two islands are not far apart, and they can be seen if the weather is clear” to read “Three peaks, high and steep, hold up the sky. …The trees on the tops of the mountains …can be vividly seen if the weather is clear.” That is, while maintaining the sentence “The two islands are located in the sea due east of the prefecture,” the sentences that follow are undoubtedly about Ulleungdo alone, and state that the trees on the tops of the mountains are visible on a clear day. (Takeshima is a rock formation on which no trees grow.)

Note 6

『新増東國輿地勝覧』巻四十五, Seoul: 東國文化社, 1958, p. 814.

Document 2

『新増東国輿地勝覧』巻四十五蔚珍県山川条
Uljin prefecture,
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<Transcription>
于山島欝陵島 [分注]一云武陵一云羽陵二島在縣正東海中三峯岌嶫撑空南峯稍卑風日清明則峯頭樹木及山根沙渚歴歴可見風便則二日可到一説于山欝陵本一島地方百里新羅時恃險不服智證王十二年異斯夫爲何瑟羅州軍主謂于山國人愚悍難以威服可以計服乃多以木造獅子分載戰艦抵其國誑之曰汝若不服則即放此獸踏殺之國人懼來降高麗太祖十三年其島人使白吉土豆獻方物毅宗十三年王聞欝陵島地廣土肥可以居民遣溟州道監倉金柔立往視柔立回奏云島中有大山從山頂向東行至海一萬餘歩向西行一萬三千餘歩向南行一萬五千餘歩向北行八千餘歩有村落基址七所或有石佛鐵鐘石塔多生柴胡蒿本石南草後崔忠獻獻議以武陵土壌膏沃多珍水海錯遣使往觀之有屋基破礎宛然不知何代人居也於是移東郡民以實之及使還多以珍木海錯進之後屢爲風濤所蕩覆舟人多物故因還其居民本朝　太宗時聞流民逃其島甚多再命三陟人金麟雨爲按撫使刷出空其地麟雨言土地沃饒竹大如杠鼠大如猫桃核大於升凡物稱是世宗二十年遣縣人萬戸南顥率數百人往捜逋民盡俘金丸等七十餘人而還其地遂空成宗二年有告別有三峯島者乃遣朴宗元往覓之因風濤不得泊而還同行一船泊欝陵島只取大竹大鰒魚回啓云島中無居民矣

『新増東國輿地勝覧』八道總圖 “Map of Eight Provinces,” Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam
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7. Does Korea’s effective control over Takeshima date back to the Silla period?

　Here, the second assertion will be examined. The ROK claims, “In Sejong Sillok Jiriji, 1454, it is recorded that Ulleungdo (Mureung) and Dokdo (Usan) had been territories of Usan-guk (Usan State), which was subjugated to Silla (former kingdom of Korea) in the early 6th century (AD 512), indicating that Korea’s effective control over Dokdo dates back to the Silla period” (section 2, underlined part (2) above).

　It is not true that Sejong Sillok Jiriji says “Ulleungdo (Mureung) and Dokdo (Usan) had been territories of Usan-guk (Usan State).” The Sejong Sillok Jiriji article speaks only about Ulleungdo. The sentences “Called Usan State in the Silla period. Another name is Ulleungdo. The land is a hundred ri square.” are citations from Samguk Sagi⁷ (The History of Three Kingdoms) (1145) . An article in “the History of Silla part 4, the 6th month of the 13th year of King Jijeung’s reign” states:

　Usan-guk (Usan State) is in hae-do (island in the sea) due east of Myeong Ju [present Uljin prefecture]. Another name is Ulleungdo. The land is one hundred ri square. <For the original text, see Document 3.>

　The story about Isabu making the people of Usan State surrender using wooden beasts of prey is also derived from Samguk Sagi, which states that Usan State’s other name is Ulleungdo. The story of the islanders who presented products in the 13th year of Goryeo Taejo is about Ulleungdo. Again, the island on which Kim Yu-Rib reported to have seen a big mountain and vestiges of village in the 13th year of King Uijong, and lastly, the island where Kim Rin-U reported that the land was fertile and big bamboos grow is Ulleungdo, not Takeshima, which is a rock formation. Sejong Sillok Jiriji cannot be a ground for the Korean assertion that its effective control over Takeshima dates back to the Silla period.⁸

Note 7

Samguk Sagi『三國史記』is the first history book in Korea, compiled by Kim Bu-Sik金富軾and others in the 23rd year of Goryeo Injong高麗仁宗 (1145). It records the history of Silla新羅, Goguryeo高句麗 and Baekje百濟 (TAGAWA田川, op. cit. note 3 above). 『三國史記』學習院東洋文化研究所 (學東叢書1), 1964, p. 33-34.

Document 3

『三國史記』新羅本記第四智證王十三年条
Samguk Sagi, Silla pt.4, the 13th year of King
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<Transcription>
十三年夏六月于山國歸服歳以土冝爲貢于山國在溟州正東海島或名鬱陵島地方一百里恃嶮不服伊飡異斯夫爲何瑟羅州軍主謂于山人愚悍難以威來可以計服乃多造木偶師子分載戰舩柢其國海岸誑告曰汝若不服則放此猛獸踏殺之國人恐懼則降

Note 8

The ROK claims that Dongguk Munheon Bigo (Reference Compilation of Documents on Korea)『東國文獻備考』(1770) states, “Ulleung [Ulleungdo] and Usan [Dokdo] are both territories of Usan-guk [Usan State], and Usan [Dokdo] is what Japan refers to as Matsushima [the old Japanese name for Dokdo]” (section 2, underlined part (4) above). While the Korean claim might link Dongguk Munheon Bigo with Sejong Sillok Jiriji, it is not appropriate to interpret a document from the 15th century by simply applying a writer’s opinion from the 18th century. On Dongguk Munheon Bigo, see SHIMOJO下條, op. cit. note 5 above, pp. 100-103.

8. Conclusion: Usan[do] in Sejong Sillok Jiriji is Ulleungdo

　In addition, the island Kim Rin-U visited as “Appeasing Officer” (last part of the article of Sejong Sillok Jiriji, see section 3 above) is described as “Usando” (Usan island) in Taejong Sillok (Annals of King Taejong’s Reign).⁹ In the second month of the 17th year of King Taejong (1417) it is recorded: <For the original text, see Document 4.>

　Appeasing officer Kim Rin-U returned from Usando. He presented products such as big bamboo, sea lion skin, unprocessed paper mulberry, cotton, and Geom-bak tree, and brought back three inhabitants. The number of households on the island is about 15, the population is 86, men and women altogether. …

To sum up, the following appears to be the case. That is, in the Silla period, there was an Usan State on Ulleungdo (Ulleung Island). As time passed, people began to consider “Usan” to be the island’s name, and it was written in Sejong Sillok Jiriji, “Usan, Mureung (Ulleung), two islands, are located in the sea due east of the prefecture. The content of the article, however, is entirely about Ulleungdo, as a matter of course. The article on Kim Rin-U in Taejong Sillok is an example of Usando (Usan island) meaning Ulleungdo. The Usan in Sejong Sillok Jiriji is not Takeshima but an imaginary island or Ulleungdo.

<Postscript>
　There are Korean maps made in and after 18th century in which Usan (Usando) is drawn to the east of Ulleungdo. The Usan island of this group is an islet adjacent to Ulleungdo that is called Jukdo in Korea now. As Korean officials began to visit Ulleungdo periodically, knowledge about Ulleungdo increased. They found an islet (located 2 km from it) and assumed it to be Usando. Whereas the “Usando” drawn between the Korean Peninsula and Ulleungdo is an imaginary island (Doc. 2, “Map of Eight Provinces,” Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam), this Usan island depicted to the east of Ulleungdo (Doc. 5) does exist, but it is not Takeshima either.