Shin Heon

Shin Heon (申櫶, 1810 – 1884) was a military officer and diplomat of late Joseon. His ancestral seat was Pyeongsan (平山). His courtesy name was Gukbin (國賓), his pen name Widang (威堂), and his posthumous name Jangsuk (壯肅). His original name was Shin Gwanho (申觀浩), which he later changed.

Career

In 1828 (the 28th year of King Sunjo), he passed the military examination and was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Hullyeonwon (訓練院主簿). During the reign of King Heonjong, he served as Military Commander of Jeolla Province and others, and in 1849 became Commander of the Royal Guard (禁衛大將), but was soon dismissed and exiled, and was pardoned in 1857. During the reign of King Cheoljong, he served as Minister of Justice, Mayor of Hanseong, Minister of Public Works, and Commander of the Right Police Force. Early in the reign of King Gojong, he gained the trust of the Daewongun and served as Minister of Justice, Minister of War, and Minister of Public Works. During the French campaign of 1866, he became Commandant of the Chongnyungsa and defended the Yeomchang (鹽倉) area of Ganghwa Island. In 1874, he was appointed Commander of the Jinmusa and Hullyeon Daejang and built artillery emplacements along the coast of Ganghwa Island. In 1876, when the Unyo Incident occurred, he concluded the Treaty of Ganghwa with Kuroda Kiyotaka of Japan as Chief Councillor of the Privy Council (Pan Jungchubusa, senior first rank). In 1882, he concluded the Korea–United States Treaty of Amity and Commerce with Shufeldt of the United States.

Writings

He inherited and developed the civilian self-defense theory of Jeong Yak-yong, the Minbo Bangwiron, and wrote military treatises such as 《Minbo Jipseol》 (民堡輯說) and 《Yungseo Chwalyo》, compiling his own national defense theory. He studied epigraphy, poetry, and calligraphy under Kim Jeong-hui, and was especially accomplished in clerical script (隸書). He also had a strong interest in geography, assisted Kim Jeong-ho in producing the 《Daedongyeojido》, and compiled his own historical geography work, 《Yusan Pilgi》. He was interested in Buddhism and in agriculture, and wrote an agricultural treatise titled 《Nongchuk Hoetong》.