Yi Saek
Korean name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationI Saek
McCune–ReischauerI Saek
Art name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationMogeun
McCune–ReischauerMokŭn
Courtesy name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationYeongsuk
McCune–ReischauerYŏngsuk

Yi Saek (Korean: 이색, 17 June 1328 – 17 June 1396[1]), also known by his art name Mogeun (목은), was a Korean writer and poet. His family belonged to the Hansan Yi clan.[2] Yi Saek played a crucial role in the introduction and localisation of philosophy of Zhu Xi. He studied Neo-Confucianism in Yuan Dynasty China and opened an academy after his return to Goryeo, and from his academy the founders of Joseon Dynasty were educated.

Yi was one of the most significant cultural figures in the country. Aiming to solve the social problems facing Goryeo, Yi fulfilled his responsibilities as a scholar, educator and politician based on his experience studying at Guozijian, a national Chinese university.[3] While leading Sungkyunkwan academy, Yi developed a curriculum that reformed the academy's evaluation methods, which was innovative even by today's standards. Yi Saek played a very important role in introducing Neo-Confucianism to Goryeo, which was the theoretical background for the founding of Joseon.[3]

Yi Saek was patronized by kings during the Koryo period (918–1392). He promoted education based on Confucian texts. Yi Saek is also responsible for establishing the Confucian tradition of public mourning. He favored Confucianism in public affairs. Towards the end of his life, Yi Saek was the respected head of the Confucian National Academy. He is remembered as one of the "Three Hermit Scholars" devoted to Confucian principles.[4]

Many of his disciples, such as Jeong Do-jeon and Gwon Geun, used Neo-Confucianism as the ideological basis for overthrowing the Buddhist kingdom of Goryeo and establishing Confucian Joseon. However, Yi Saek himself remained loyal to the Goryeo Dynasty and didn't believe the wiping out of Buddhism, as Jeong Do-jeon insisted, would be of any benefit. Yi Saek believed in the co-existence of the "Three Disciplines": Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Yi Saek resigned from all political positions after the founding of the Joseon Dynasty.

Some speculate that he was murdered while crossing a bridge, like Jeong Mong-ju (four years earlier in 1392). When he was offered the position of Prime Minister by Yi Seong-gye, Yi Saek turned the offer down and told him that he could not serve two kings (of Goryeo and Joseon). Yi Seong-gye subsequently ordered his men to kill him if he was not able to cross the bridge in time, and if he does cross it in time, to let him go. He died because he didn't cross the bridge in time.

Yi Saek left various poetry, essays and letters compiled in The Collected Works of Mogeun.

Family

  • Great-Great-Grandfather
    • Yi Hyo-jin (이효진, 李孝進)
  • Great-Grandfather
    • Yi Chang-se (이창세, 李昌世)
  • Grandfather
    • Yi Ja-seong (이자성, 李自誠)
  • Grandmother
    • Lady Yi of the Wolsan Yi clan (울산 이씨, 蔚山李氏); daughter of Yi Chun-nyeon (이춘년, 李春年)
  • Father
    • Yi Gok (이곡, 李穀) (25 August 1298 – 28 January 1351)
      • Uncle – Yi Bae (이배, 李培)
      • Uncle – Yi Chuk (이축, 李畜)
  • Mother
    • Lady Kim of the Hamchang Kim clan (함창 김씨, 咸昌金氏)
      • Grandfather – Kim Taek (김택, 金澤)
  • Sibling(s)
    • Older sister – Lady Yi of the Hansan Yi clan (한산 이씨, 韓山 李氏)
      • Brother-in-law – Park Bo-saeng (박보생, 朴寶生)
    • Younger sister – Lady Yi of the Hansan Yi clan (한산 이씨, 韓山 李氏)
      • Brother-in-law – Park Sang-chung (박상충, 朴尙衷) (1332–1375)
        • Nephew – Park Eun (박은, 朴誾) (1370 – 9 May 1422)[5]
    • Younger sister – Lady Yi of the Hansan Yi clan (한산 이씨, 韓山 李氏)
      • Brother-in-law – Na Gye-jong (나계종, 羅繼從)
    • Younger sister – Lady Yi of the Hansan Yi clan (한산 이씨, 韓山 李氏)
      • Brother-in-law – Jeong In-ryang (정인량, 鄭仁良)
  • Wife and children
    • Lady Gwon of the Andong Gwon clan (안동 권씨); daughter of Gwon Jung-dal (권중달, 權仲達)
      • Son – Yi Jong-deok (이종덕, 李種德)
        • Daughter-in-law – Lady Yu of the Jinju Yu clan (진주 유씨, 晉州 柳氏); daughter of Yu Hye-son (유혜손, 柳惠孫)
          • Granddaughter – Lady Yi of the Hansan Yi clan (한산 이씨, 韓山 李氏)
            • Grandson-in-law – Yu Gi (유기, 柳沂) (died in 1410)
          • Granddaughter – Lady Yi of the Hansan Yi clan (한산 이씨, 韓山 李氏)
            • Grandson-in-law – Ha Gu (하구, 河久)
          • Grandson – Yi Maeng-yu (이맹유, 李孟㽥)
          • Grandson – Yi Maeng-gyun (이맹균, 李孟畇) (1371–1440)
          • Grandson – Yi Maeng-jun (이맹준, 李孟畯)
          • Grandson – Yi Maeng-jin (이맹진, 李孟畛)
      • Son – Yi Jong-hak (이종학) (1361 – 10 September 1392)
        • Daughter-in-law – Lady Yi of the Yangseong Yi clan (양성 이씨, 陽城 李氏); daughter of Yi Chun-bu (이춘부, 李春富)
          • Granddaughter – Lady Yi of the Hansan Yi clan (한산 이씨, 韓山 李氏)
          • Grandson – Yi Suk-ya (이숙야, 李叔野)
          • Grandson – Yi Suk-gyu (이숙규, 李叔畦)
          • Grandson – Yi Suk-dang (이숙당, 李叔當)
          • Grandson – Yi Suk-myo (이숙묘, 李叔畝)
          • Grandson – Yi Suk-bok (이숙복, 李叔福)
          • Grandson – Yi Suk-chi (이숙치, 李叔畤)
      • Son – Yi Jong-seon (이종선)
        • Daughter-in-law – Lady Gwon of the Andong Gwon clan (안동 권씨, 安東 權氏); daughter of Gwon Gyun (권균, 權鈞)
          • Grandson – Yi Gye-ju (이계주)
            • Granddaughter-in-law – Lady Jin (진씨); daughter of Jin Myeong-rye (진명례, 陳明禮)
              • Great-Grandson – Yi Gae (이개) (1417–1456)
        • Daughter-in-law – Lady Gwon of the Andong Gwon clan (안동 권씨, 安東 權氏); eldest daughter of Gwon Geun (권근, 權近)
          • Grandson – Yi Gye-rin (이계린) (1401–1455)
            • Granddaughter-in-law – Lady Yi of the Cheongju Yi clan (정경부인 청주 이씨, 貞敬夫人 淸州 李氏)[6]
              • Great-Granddaughter – Lady Yi of the Hansan Yi clan (한산 이씨, 韓山 李氏) (born before 1420)
          • Grandson – Yi Gye-jeon (이계전) (1404 – 16 September 1459)
          • Granddaughter – Lady Yi of the Hansan Yi clan (한산 이씨, 韓山 李氏)
            • Grandson-in-law – Yi Baek-sang (이백상, 李伯常)
          • Grandson – Yi Gye-won (이계원)
          • Granddaughter – Lady Yi of the Hansan Yi clan (한산 이씨, 韓山 李氏)
            • Grandson-in-law – Kim Sung-ro (김숭로, 金崇老)
          • Grandson – Yi Gye-jeong (이계정, 李季町)

See also

References

  1. ↑ In Lunar Calendar, Yi was born on 20 May 1328 and died on 20 May 1396
  2. ↑ "이색(李穡) - 한국민족문화대백과사전". encykorea.aks.ac.kr.
  3. 1 2 Herald, Korea (2022-05-05). "[Scholars and their Spaces] Sowing the seeds of Korean Neo-Confucianism, Yi Saek and Munheonsewon". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  4. ↑ "Yi Saek | Neo-Confucianism, Poetry & Literature | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  5. ↑ Became the great-great-grandfather of Queen Inseong and the 4th great-grandfather of Queen Uiin
  6. ↑ She is the daughter of Princess Jeongsun (정순공주, 貞順公主) (1385 - 1460) and Yi Baek-kang (이백강, 李伯剛) (1381 - 1451). Princess Jeongsun was the eldest daughter and child of Queen Wongyeong and King Taejong
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