口傳と下批 --朝鮮時代における王命出納の手續き--

Abstract

The appointment of officials was among the most important tasks of the Joseon King. Thus, formal appointment procedures were rather complicated. This paper examines these various procedures, focusing on the oral and written communication between officials and the throne. First, the department of personnel would make an appointment draft and submit a list of three candidates for each position to the throne. The King would then select and mark a candidate from the list. Second, the department of personnel would receive the marked list and make the second appointment draft before submitting it to the throne. Finally, the King would approve the draft and give the final decision in writing. However, these procedures were sometimes skipped, and a more simplified process was adopted. First, the department of personnel would make a first appointment draft and report the name of a candidate to the throne through oral communication, to which the King would give approval orally. Next, the department of personnel would make the second appointment draft and submit it to the throne. Finally, the King would approve it and give the final decision in writing. Although these simplified procedures were predominantly used in the appointment of lower officials, they were sometimes adopted in the urgent appointment of upper officials. Nevertheless, communication between officials and the throne was principally executed through documents, and the royal secretaries, eunuchs, and palace slaves oversaw the communication of the documents. Additionally, they managed the oral communication and facilitated officials' appointment procedures. Thus, it can be said that the secretaries, eunuchs, and slaves played a key role in the oral and written communication between officials and the throne.