A rare edition preserving the pinnacle of early Joseon metal-type printing culture

A valuable East Asian historical resource with excellent preservation and historical integrity

High academic value in the study of Joseon-era printing and various scholarly fields

[May 2, 2025]

The Zizhi Tongjian (資治通鑑, Volumes 81–85), housed in the Central Library of Yeungnam University (President CHOI Oe-chool), has been officially announced as a candidate for designation as a national treasure. On April 29, the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea declared its plan to designate the volumes as a “Treasure,” recognizing their historical and academic value.

The Zizhi Tongjian is a historical chronicle compiled over 19 years by Chinese Song dynasty statesman and historian Sima Guang (司馬光, 1019–1086). Covering approximately 1,362 years of history from 403 BCE to just before the founding of the Song dynasty, the work follows a chronological (annalistic) format and was compiled with the intent to provide political and military lessons useful for governance. It has been regarded as a model historical text across East Asia and was widely read by kings and officials in the Joseon dynasty as essential reading for state administration.

 The volumes now announced as candidates for national treasure designation—Zizhi Tongjian, Volumes 81–85—were printed in 1436, the 16th year of King Sejong’s reign, using metal movable type at Jujaso, the state-run printing office of the time. Of particular note is that the text was printed using the Chojugapin-ja type, one of the earliest and most valuable movable types created by Jujaso. These five volumes—compiled into a single bound book—are currently preserved at Yeungnam University’s Central Library. While partial copies of this edition exist at other institutions such as the National Library of Korea and the Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies at Seoul National University, surviving copies of this specific edition are extremely rare, making it of exceptional academic significance.

 The preliminary designation of YU’s Zizhi Tongjian as a national treasure is especially meaningful as it reflects both the university’s academic achievements and its contributions to cultural heritage preservation. The rare text serves as a critical resource for the study of early Joseon metal-type printing technology and holds value across a wide range of disciplines, including history, political science, public administration, and bibliography. 

CHOI Jae-mok, Director of the YU Library, commented, “The preliminary designation of Zizhi Tongjian as a national treasure is a symbolic recognition of our university’s long-standing efforts in the preservation and research of academic resources. We will continue doing our utmost to preserve this precious heritage and contribute to academic progress both domestically and internationally.”