The Diary of 1636: The Second Manchu Invasion of Korea

The Diary of 1636 is a firsthand account of the short but devastating Qing invasion of Korea that would permanently alter the geopolitical landscape of Northeast Asia and Chosŏn Koreans’ self-identity. Its author was the scholar-official Na Man’gap, who documented the daily progression of the invasion from inside the Namhan Mountain Fortress, for the most part taking up the role of a “quiet observer” (xxiv). These daily records make up one section of a set of eight texts by Na known in Korea as Pyŏngjarok, translated into English by Kallander as The Diary of 1636. The book contains detailed annotations as well as a comprehensive and insightful introduction that maps out the contexts in which Na’s writings should be read: Na’s personal and professional life, the dynamics of court politics, and the geopolitical dynamics of the region in the aftermath of the Hideyoshi invasions and the first Manchu...