The Jesulgwan(Filing Officer) of the diplomatic mission to Japan was responsible for keeping records and documents related with the mission and serving as an officiant at rites and prayers appealing to the guardian deities for a bountiful harvest and safety at sea. It was a unique position for the Joseon dynasty to run only for the missions to Japan, and not those to China, and the government of Joseon tried to pick the most talented man of letters for the position, particularly

someone who could communicate with Japanese officers in a constructive manner. Shin Yu-han(1681-1752) served as the Filing Officer of the diplomatic mission that visited Japan from the 4th month of 1719 to the first month of the following year. Shin recorded his experiences as an envoy to Japan in this manuscript in the form of a diary. In the book, he wrote not only about the geography, customs and systems of Japan but also about the “brush talks”(pildam)

he had with Japanese Buddhist priests and the prefaces he had written for other people’s collected literary works. The “silent conversations” he included in the book were largely questions and answers about Joseon​.