Jangseogak Archives Academy of Korean Studies (AKS)

Overview

The Jangseogak Archives is a major Korean historical archive operated by the Academy of Korean Studies (AKS) in Seongnam (Bundang), Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea. Its collections originate from the royal library of the Joseon Dynasty and represent one of Korea's most significant repositories of pre-modern historical manuscripts, royal records, and cultural heritage.

History and Founding

The origins of the Jangseogak lie in Emperor Gojong's 1908 initiative to consolidate books and records from various royal institutions—including the Gyujanggak, Hongmungwan, and Jibokjae—into a centralized imperial library. Following Japan's annexation of Korea in 1910, the project was transformed, and a library named Iwangjik Jangseogak was established inside Changdeok Palace in 1915. The library was formally named Jangseogak in 1918. The collection was moved to Changgyeong Palace in 1936. In 1981, the collection was transferred from the Cultural Heritage Administration to the Academy of Korean Studies, where it has been housed ever since. A dedicated Jangseogak building was constructed on the AKS campus, opening in July 2011.

Collections and Holdings

The Jangseogak Archives holds approximately 97,334 royal collection items and 88,721 primary sources for Korean studies. Key holdings include royal protocols (Uigwe), genealogical records of the Joseon royal family, classical Korean novels written in hangeul script from the Nakseonjae Hall collection, military records, and rubbings of royal tomb inscriptions. Among the most significant items are the Donguibogam (Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine, 1613) and various Uigwe, both inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. Since the 1990s, the archive has also actively collected private documents donated by descendants of Joseon noble clans, and now holds approximately 40,000 such texts.

Digitization and Access

The Digital Jangseogak portal at jsg.aks.ac.kr provides integrated online access to digitized versions of the collections, with high-resolution image files and, for selected items, English translations. Physical access to the archive is available at the AKS campus. The archive conducts ongoing research, annotation, and database construction, and hosts an annual summer school for early-career researchers in Korean studies.