Sim Gwang-su (沈光洙, 1598–1662) was a mid-Joseon Southern Faction sallim (南人 山林) of the Cheongsong (靑松) lineage. His courtesy name was Huisung (希聖), his pen name was Noyeon (魯淵), and his enfeoffed title was Cheongan-gun (靑安君).
Family background
He was the great-grandson of Sim Jeon (沈銓), Gyeonggi Provincial Governor and posthumously Chief State Councillor, Lord Cheongpa (靑坡府院君), and the grandson of Sim U-seung (沈友勝), Gyeonggi Provincial Governor and posthumously Chief State Councillor, Lord Cheonggye (靑溪府院君). He was the son of Sim Aek (沈詻), Minister of Personnel and Lord Cheongsong (靑松君). His mother was the daughter of Gwon Jing (權徵), Minister of War. He was the elder brother of Sim Gwang-sa (沈光泗), the father-in-law of Yun I-seok (尹爾錫), the grandson of Yun Seon-do (孤山 尹善道), and the maternal grandfather of Yun Du-seo (恭齋 尹斗緖). He was also a cousin of Sim Gwang-myeon (沈光沔), a son-in-law of the Southern Faction sallim Yun Seon-do.
Life
He studied under Lee Myeong-jun (李命俊), father-in-law of his younger brother Sim Gwang-sa. In 1627 (5th year of Injo) he passed the saengwon and jinsa (司馬兩試) examinations and entered the Sungkyunkwan, but he did not sit for the civil service examination. In 1635 (13th year of Injo) he was selected as tutor to Grand Prince Bongrim (鳳林大君, later Hyojong). The following year, the Manchu invasion (丙子胡亂) broke out, and he accompanied Injo in the Namhan Fortress (南漢山城). He strongly advocated opposition to peace (斥和論) and demanded the execution of Choe Myeong-gil, a proponent of peace negotiations. He also opposed sending Crown Prince Sohyeon (昭顯世子) as a hostage to the Qing dynasty. However, when Injo surrendered to the Qing, he retreated to Chuncheon.
Afterward, as part of Injo's policy of honoring reclusive scholars (山林 隱逸), he was appointed Jipyeong of the Saheonbu. Under Hyojong he was appointed Jinseon of the Sejasigangwon (世子侍講院 進善), Jangnyeong of the Saheonbu, and Chief Secretary of the Jeomjichubusa with concurrent service as a lecturer of the Gyeongyeon (經筵官), as well as Jeong of the Sangeuiwon (尙衣院 正) and Jeong of the Saboksi (司僕寺 正) and Seungji. Under Hyeonjong he served as a Gyeongyeon lecturer and Vice Minister of the Board of Works.
When Hyojong died and Hyeonjong ascended the throne, a dispute arose between the Western Faction and the Southern Faction over whether Queen Dowager Jaui (慈懿大妃, Queen Jangnyeol), the stepmother of Hyojong and second consort of Injo, should observe three years or one year of mourning. This became known as the Yesong controversy (禮訟論爭). Opposing the Western sallim Song Si-yeol and Song Jun-gil, who argued for one year, he joined the Southern sallim Heo Mok, Yun Hyu, and Yun Seon-do in arguing for three years. However, the Western Faction prevailed, and he was exiled along with Yun Seon-do. Yun Seon-do lived for a long time in exile and left many masterpieces of poetry, prose, and painting of national treasure quality, whereas he died early in exile.12345
Posthumous honors
During the reign of Sukjong, at the proposal of his close friend Yun Hyu, he was posthumously granted the rank of Vice Minister of Personnel (吏曹參判) and enfeoffed as Lord Cheongan (靑安君).6
The Gong was born on the 18th day of the 5th month of the Wuxu year of the Wanli era (戊戌年, 31st year of King Seonjo, 1598). In the 5th year after his sixtieth birthday, he died on the 21st day of the 5th month, and in the 9th month of that year, on the 12th day, he was buried on a south-facing hill beneath the ancestral graves in Toechon, 30 li east of the Gwangju (廣州) seat. In the first year of Sukjong, the royal secretaries reported to the king that he had the old favor of Gamban (甘盤), and he was posthumously granted the rank of Vice Minister of Personnel and the title Lord Cheongan.
The Gong was intelligent and learned broadly, and he had uprightness in self-cultivation, always acting before speaking. Throughout his life he did not like actions aimed at establishing a name or excessive praise beyond the proper course. He was loyal, trustworthy, and cautious, sincere in honoring his parents, and in funerary and ancestral rites he was attentive and diligent, never deviating daily from the norms of human relations. He consistently aimed at the ancients and diligently strove on his own, and when he saw the world falling into disorder, he hid his traces and kept his integrity by himself.
When Hyojong ascended the throne, he was treated with very great favor, so he could not in righteousness leave decisively. He spoke boldly and admonished directly, so it could be said that he had the loyalty left by the ancients. When the Gong had already grown old and the world became more difficult, he concealed his talent and virtue and did not appear, so he was no longer used in the world. His pure and unblemished integrity and the measure of his solitary conduct, when compared with the ancients, had not a speck of shame. His scholarly conduct proceeded from filial and fraternal devotion at home to assisting the sovereign and correcting customs, being pure without being harsh and gentle without losing firmness. He may be said to be a man who was not defiled though living in a turbid age.
Lady Jeong-bu-in was a Gwon of Bok-ju (福州, Andong), granddaughter of Gwon Gyeong-nam (嘉山郡守 慶男), daughter of Gwon Bok-gil (四山監役 權復吉), and maternal grandchild of Yu Hui-seo (儒城君 柳凞緖). She kept her virtue well, so the whole clan praised her, and she was learned in sacrifices and the etiquette of guests, winning the favor of her parents-in-law. Fourteen years after the Gong died, on the 28th day of the 1st month, she passed away at the age of 73 and was buried together with her husband in the same tomb. The lady often admonished her descendants, saying: "From the time I served my paternal grandmother until now, our descendants have come to be five or six generations. When the ancestors look down, all are children of one grandfather. Do not be generous to some and stingy to others because they are distant relatives. Let the descendants keep this well and make it the family precept of our house."
Having no son, he adopted his nephew Sim Baek (沈栢) as heir. Sim Baek passed the royal examination (謁聖試) in the 3rd year of Hyeonjong with first place and rose to the post of Junior Secretary of the Board of War (兵曹佐郞). The son-in-law was Lee Jin-gyu (李震奎), a Byeolgeom. Sim Baek had sons Sim Deuk-jin (沈得震) and Sim Deuk-tae (沈得泰), and his son-in-law was Jeong Jae-jung (丁載重). Lee Jin-gyu had sons Lee Paeng-nyeong (李彭齡), Lee Gwi-nyeong (李龜齡), Lee Yong-nyeong (李龍齡), Lee Hak-nyeong (李鶴齡), Lee Gi-nyeong (李麒齡), and Lee Ik-nyeong (李翼齡). Accordingly, the following inscription was written.
Family tree
- Sim Dal-won (沈達源, Seungmunwon Pangyo, posthumously Minister of Personnel)
- Sim Jeon (沈銓, Gyeonggi Provincial Governor, posthumously Chief State Councillor, Lord Cheongpa)
- Lady: Posthumously ennobled Lady Jeonggyeong of the Jeonui Yi clan – daughter of Yi Han (李翰)
- Sim U-seon (Magistrate of Jangsu)
- Lady of the Paepyeong Yun clan
- Sim Yang (Jiphyeon of the Saheonbu)
- Sim Gwang-han (posthumously Vice Minister of Personnel)
- Sim Sang (son of Sim Gwang-sa, Jeongeon of the Sagan-won, posthumously Minister of Personnel)
- Sim Deuk-ryang (Magistrate of Sunheung, posthumously Jwachanseong)
- Sim Gak (Minister of Rites, Chief Justice of the Uigeumbu, Chief State Councillor, Girosō)
- Sim Chang-seok
- Sim Yu
- Sim Dong-ryang
- Daughter: Cheongsong Sim clan
- Husband: Jeong Dae-mu (丁大懋, 18 May 1824 – ?), son of Jeong Hak-yu, maternal grandson of Sim O, Chambong, Hyeongam, styled Ja-won (子園)
- Sim O (adopted into the family of Sim Gyeong-seok)
- Sim Gyeong-seok (Magistrate of Yonggung)
- Sim O (son of Sim Chang-seok)
- Sim U-jun (Jinsa, posthumously Vice Minister of Personnel)
- Lady: Posthumously ennobled Lady Jeong-bu-in of the Juksan Park clan
Notes