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Plates 24.6–24.7 Poems written by Chinese and Korean scholars (Bong sa Joseon changhwa sigwon 奉使朝鮮倡和詩卷), dated 1450, remounted
in 1905, Hanseong (modern-day Seoul), Korea. Ink on paper, height 33cm, length 160cm. National Museum of Korea, Seoul, Sin 14149

In 1446, Sejong commanded An Gyeon, the most writings of leading scholar officials of the period would be
distinguished court painter at the time, to paint the Eight shown, compared and discussed by a wider audience. This
Steeds of Taejo (Taejo Paljundo 太祖八駿圖) – a depiction of the in turn encouraged scholar officials to become more
eight horses that the founder of the Joseon dynasty once competent intellectual leaders, with finely honed abilities in
rode. This painting is no longer extant, but there is a later poetry writing, in addition to possessing a profound
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version of it dated to 1705 in the National Museum of Korea knowledge of Neo-Confucian classics. Throughout the
(Pl. 24.5). The ‘eight steeds’ of Taejo is referred to in Canto process, Sejong was able to exhibit his cultural leadership by
70 of the epic poetry anthology Songs of the Flying Dragons commanding officials to compose poems, thereby
Flying to Heaven, noted earlier, which consists of poems communicating his ideals of Neo-Confucian governance
glorifying the heroic achievements of the ancestors of the and cultural sentiments.
Joseon dynasty. In the following year, Sejong commissioned
a smaller version of the painting and ordered officials to Poems shared by envoys in Joseon
compose poems on the topic as a test of their literary The result of Sejong’s promotion of literary cultivation
abilities. Seong Sammun won first place out of eight leading among scholar officials can be found in the handscroll of
officials, including Yi Gyejeon 李季甸 (1404–59), Yi Seok- Poems Shared by Envoys in Joseon (Bongsa Joseon changhwa sigwon
hyeong 李石亨 (1415–77), Sin Sukju and Seo Geojeong 徐居正 奉使朝鮮倡和詩卷) in the National Museum of Korea.
(1420–88). The poems written by these officials were then Around 1,600cm in length, it consists of a frontispiece with
mounted together with the small painting as a scroll and the title of the scroll, followed by prose and poems, and
stored at Jiphyeonjeon. Furthermore, After Records on the colophons written by Tang Hanti 唐翰題 (1816–75) and Luo
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Eight Steeds by Jiphyeonjeon was set as an examination topic in Zhenyu 羅振玉 (1866–1940) of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911).
the metropolitan civil service examination that was held The scroll was mounted in its present condition in 1905.
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once every ten years. This scroll records the literary exchanges between Ni Qian
Sejong’s commission of paintings and writings on the 倪謙 (1415–79) (Pl. 24.6), an envoy from Ming China, and
Eight Steeds of Taejo was highly strategic. It promoted the Jiphyeonjeon scholars, including Jeong Yinji 鄭麟趾
achievements of historical figures of significance to Joseon (1396–1478) (Pl. 24.7), Seong Sammun (Pl. 24.8) and Sin
and elicited declarations of loyalty from officials, thereby Sukju (Pl. 24.9). The writings were composed during Ni
reinforcing the legitimacy of the dynasty and his rule. At the Qian’s one-month stay in Joseon when he, together with his
same time, the dissemination of these works meant that the deputy Sima Xun 司馬恂 (?–1466), delivered the imperial

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