Yŏnsan’gun established falconry runs inside the palace garden. There was not a hawk, dog, rare beast, or bird that he did not raise.

Wu Wang [?–1043 bc; 武王, the first ruler of the Zhou Dynasty (China), 1046–256 bce] received a gift of a mastiff (o; 獒). Shao Gong (?–1000 bc; 召公) [a senior minister] told him to exercise caution [a warning against overindulging in entertainment and lavish items, such as a rare dog breed]. Zhou Dynasty Wu Wang and Tang Dynasty China (618–907) Emperor Taizong (r. 624–49) prized hawks and hounds, and the statesman Wei Zheng (580–643; 魏徵) wrote a ten-point petition [suggesting the emperor was neglecting politics because he was too involved in raising dogs]. Wu Wang of the Zhou Dynasty and Emperor Taizong of the Tang were sagely rulers and certainly were not reckless or harmful. As for the boundary between Shao Gong and Wei Zheng, they both said if you don't behave in delicate ways, then trouble (nu; 累) appears.

[Our former] King Sŏngjong established the position of falconer (ŭngbang; 鷹坊). He did not pay any attention to the scholarly remonstrations to stop this. He was only concerned about [raising hawks]. The only things absent were the Book of Songs and the literature and the arts (munye; 文藝) [He was not focused on the more important things such as scholarship, learning and writing].

Please hear me out. Your Majesty, in the palace, you have newly constructed a falcon enclosure [and dog kennel], and many hawks and hounds are gathered there. Senior [experienced] slaves (sangno; 上奴) have been selected to take care of them. Rice from T’aech’ang [government storage] is used to feed [these slaves, instead of feeding other members of society]. Hawks [can be seen] perched on the falconry gloves [of their handlers] travelling from the royal palace park (kŭmwŏn; 禁苑) to their cages, and packs of wild dogs [can be heard] barking in the main hall of the palace – in the eyes of others, these events are troublesome.