Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms, Volume 32

The Kingdom of Goryeo original: "Gaoli guo"; though the Joseon dynasty ruled at this time, Ming records often used the older name Goryeo was anciently called Joseon Chosŏn. During the Zhou dynasty, it was also called Joseon because King Wu the founder of the Zhou dynasty, c. 1046 BCE enfeoffed Jizi Kija, a legendary sage-prince from China as the ruler of that country.

China’s systems of rites and music, the Classic of Poetry, the Book of Documents, medicine, and divination buse; specifically divination using tortoise shells and yarrow stalks all flowed into this land. Their government offices, official systems, and clothing all follow the regulations established by the various dynasties of China.

Their customs value Confucian benevolence; the people are gentle and loathe killing, and their judicial punishments are never cruel or brutal. However, their etiquette differs from that of China. For example:

• When meeting royal relatives or high nobility, they "pull at the throat" likely a gesture involving the collar or neck while bowing and kneel with their knees on the ground.
• When a person of lower status meets someone of high status, they crouch their bodies and lower their heads in greeting.

This behavior is similar to how Chinese people might look away or dare not look up when encountering bandits; these are the customs of the border peoples original: "yidi"; a term used historically for non-Han ethnic groups, here used to describe cultural differences, which they practice as a matter of habit.

The land does not produce fine horses. White stone found there can be fashioned into lamps and lighting fixtures. They also produce black hemp, which can be woven into summer cloth original: "xiabu"; a lightweight, breathable fabric often made from ramie or hemp.

The kingdom’s territory extends two thousand li a Chinese mile, roughly 500 meters from east to west and one thousand five hundred li from north to south. The King resides in Kaizhou, which is called Kaesong Prefecture Kaesŏng, the capital of the Goryeo dynasty.