Hongmungwan

Hongmungwan (弘文館) was an administrative and research agency of Joseon. It was the government office responsible for managing the court's classics (經書) and historical records (史籍), literary documents (文翰), and official papers, and for responding to the king's various requests for counsel; it was a subordinate office of the Ministry of Rites. As one of the Samsa (Three Offices), it was also called Okdang (玉堂), Okseo (玉署), Yeonggak (瀛閣), Seoseowon (瑞書院), and Cheongyeongak (淸燕閣), and together with the Saheonbu and Saganwon it was also known as the Three Offices of Remonstrance.

It managed the books kept in the palace library, specialized in matters related to the Hallim scholars, and responded to the king's requests for counsel.¹ In Joseon, studying the governance of the ancient figures described in the classics and learning how a ruler should conduct himself were considered important, so Hongmungwan occupied an important position in the Joseon political structure. All of its officials were civil officials, all concurrently held posts in the Gyeongyeon (royal lecture academy), and from the Vice Director of Academy (부제학) down to the Associate Compiler (부수찬) all concurrently held the post of Jijegyo. As a symbol of the Cheongyo posts (淸要職), nearly all high officials, such as State Councillors and Ministers, passed through this office without exception.²

History

In the 5th year of Goryeo King Gongmin (1356), it is said that the Jiphyeongwan and Umungwan were abolished and scholars of Sumunjeon and Jiphyeonjeon were established.³ Afterward, it was occasionally abolished and re-established, and in the 2nd year of Joseon King Sejong (1420), it was expanded and reorganized.⁴ Until then it had neither an office nor duties, but from this time it had its own office building and was in charge of lectures on the classics and history and of the king's counsel. Even military officials were made to show great courtesy toward civil officials in this place, and it sought to uphold that intention.