**Sim Tong-won** (沈通源, 1499 – 8 July 1572) was a powerful minister and royal in-law of mid-[[Joseon]] Korea. He passed the civil service examinations twice: he placed first in the special civil service examination of 1537 (21st year of Jungjong), and then placed third in the civil service examination reserve round of 1546 (1st year of Myeongjong). His offices included Seungji, [[Chief Inspector-General]], [[Governor of Hanseong]], [[Minister of Works]], [[Minister of Rites]], [[Right State Councillor]] and [[Left State Councillor]] of the [[State Council]], and [[Minister of Personnel]]. He then served as [[Right State Minister]] and [[Left State Minister]], and reached the post of [[Chief State Adviser]] concurrently serving as Director of the Pharmacy Office, after which he entered the [[Giroso]]. His courtesy name was Sayong (士容), his art names were Uljae (勖齋) and Mancuidang (晩翠堂), and his family seat was [[Cheongsong Sim clan|Cheongsong]] (靑松). His alternative name was Sim Sanggong (沈相公). In 1565, he was impeached, along with [[Yun Won-hyeong]] and others, as a royal in-law who had abused his power, and he resigned. However, after [[Seonjo of Joseon|Seonjo]] ascended the throne in 1567, he was impeached by [[Yi I|Yulgok Yi I]] and others and stripped of his office.[^1] He was the great-uncle of Sim Ui-gyeom and Sim Chung-gyeom, the brothers who were the first leader of the [[Westerners (Joseon faction)|Westerners]], and of [[Queen Inseon]], the consort of Myeongjong. Together with [[Yi Ryang]], [[Kim An-no]], [[Yun Im]], [[Yun Won-hyeong]] and [[Yun Won-ro]], he was a representative royal in-law faction of mid-Joseon, and he was known as one of the "Three Villains" together with Yi Ryang and Yun Won-hyeong. ## Life ### Birth and Family Background He was born in 1499, in the reign of [[Sejo of Joseon|Sejo]], as the fourth son of Sim Sun-mun, who had been beheaded by [[Yeonsan-gun of Joseon|Yeonsan-gun]] during the [[Gapja Purge]] and was a grandson of the Chief State Councillor and Cheongsong Lord Sim Hoe [[Sim Hoe|(沈澮)]]. He was the fifth-generation descendant of [[Joseon founding merit subjects|Joseon founding merit subject]] [[Sim Deok-bu]], and his great-grandfather was [[Sim On]], the father-in-law of [[Sejong of Joseon|Sejong]]. He was the younger brother of Chief State Councillor Cheongcheon Lord Sim Yeon-won [[Sim Yeon-won]], the Gimyo Famous Scholar Sim Dal-won [[Sim Dal-won]], and Sim Bong-won (沈逢源), who held the post of Dongji [[Donnyeong-bu]] Sa. He was the uncle of Cheongreung Lord Sim Gang [[Sim Gang]], the father-in-law of [[Myeongjong of Joseon|Myeongjong]], and his granddaughter [[Queen Inseon]] was Myeongjong's consort. He was also the great-uncle of Sim Ui-gyeom, the first leader of the Westerners and a Minister of War under [[Seonjo of Joseon|Seonjo]], of Sim Chung-gyeom, a Minister of War under Seonjo known as Cheongnim Lord, and of Cheongseong Lord Sim Hui-su [[Sim Hui-su]]. He had an extraordinary memory and was called a genius from an early age. In 1519 (13th year of Jungjong), he passed the Saengwon examination in 13th place and became a [[Saengwon]]. After that, he took the examinations many times but failed, until in 1537 (31st year of Jungjong, as recorded) he passed the special [[Munkwa]] examination in first place. ### Official Career In 1541 (36th year of Jungjong), he was considered for the post of Jongsagwan. In February 1543, while serving as Pilseon of the Seja Sigangwon, he was impeached by the [[Office of the Inspector-General|Saheonbu]] on the grounds that his lectures at the [[Gyeongyeon]] were improper. The impeachment stated: "At this time his scholarship was not correct, and he has long had public criticism; when he served as a Sasu of this Office before, while lecturing at the Seoyeon, he expressed an improper argument and stubbornly insisted on it, and has hardly reflected on it." When the king accepted this, he was dismissed. Afterwards, he passed the reserve round of the Munkwa examination in third place, was appointed Buungyo of the [[Hongmungwan]], and assisted the king's studies as a Sigangwan. He then became Jikjehak, in which post he took charge of drafting official documents of the court.[^4] In 1546 (1st year of Myeongjong), he became Daesagan of the [[Office of Remonstrance]]; in 1547, Byeongjo Chamji of the [[Ministry of War]] and Dongbu Seungji of the [[Royal Secretariat]]; in 1548, he served as Right Buseungji and Left Buseungji before becoming Right Seungji; and in 1549 he became Left Seungji and served as [[provincial governor]] of [[Gyeongsang Province]]. He then served as Vice Minister of the [[Ministry of Rites]] and Chief Inspector-General, and immediately afterwards became Vice Minister of the [[Ministry of Justice]]. Later he served as [[Governor of Hanseong]] and, in July 1557, as [[Minister of Works]]. In early 1558, upon receiving a report from Jangmunbo, the magistrate of Pungi County, he worked with [[Right State Minister]] An Hyeon and others to arrange the repair and restoration of the damaged portrait of [[An Hyang]]. In August 1558, he served as [[Minister of Rites]] and, as envoy for the winter solstice mission to the [[Ming dynasty]], he went to [[Beijing]]. In December 1558, he was promoted to [[Right State Councillor]] of the State Council, and in 1559 he served as [[Left State Councillor]], among other posts. In early 1560, he became [[Minister of Personnel]] and was then promoted to Right State Minister of the State Council. Following Sim Yeon-won, who had been Chief State Councillor, he rose to the position of chief minister, and became known for his brotherly pair of chief ministers. In 1564, he reached the post of [[Left State Minister]] of the State Council and entered the [[Giroso]]. Afterwards, when Myeongjong, intending to check his maternal uncle [[Yun Won-hyeong]], installed [[Yi Ryang]], Sim Tong-won, who had also been a rival of Yun Won-hyeong, supported him. In 1565, as a royal in-law, he abused power together with Yun Won-hyeong and others, accepted bribes and caused public outrage; he was impeached by the Three Offices, withdrew from the post of Left State Minister, was reassigned as [[Chief State Adviser]], and concurrently served as Director of the Pharmacy Office. Meanwhile, he came into conflict with [[Yi Jun-gyeong]], who had newly become [[Chief State Councillor]]. ### The Final Moments of Myeongjong The sickly Myeongjong was on the verge of death without an heir. Yi Jun-gyeong regarded Ha Seong-gun Gyun, the third son of Prince Deokheung, as a suitable king. However, Left State Minister Sim Tong-won, who was a royal in-law, harbored a different intention and showed no sign of agreeing. Then Yi Jun-gyeong said to Sim Tong-won: "The royal physicians have examined Your Majesty's pulse and say a certain medicine would be effective. Would you, Minister of the Left, go to the Special Chamber of the Royal Medical Bureau and fetch that medicine?"[^6] Sim Tong-won had his subordinate carry out the order of the Chief State Councillor. Yi Jun-gyeong glared at Sim Tong-won and scolded him: "Your Majesty's illness is extremely precarious, and how can you have a subordinate fetch the medicine to be presented to the king!" Sim Tong-won quickly apologized, and went up himself to the attic of the Special Chamber of the Royal Medical Bureau to look for the medicine. Meanwhile, Yi Jun-gyeong locked the door leading to the attic. Then, in a hurry, he audienced with Myeongjong and petitioned him to name a successor.[^6] "The foundation of the state has not yet been settled, so I beg Your Majesty to issue a command." Myeongjong, breathless, barely managed to say, "The third son of Prince Deokheung," and when Yi Jun-gyeong looked back and loudly repeated the words, the Juseo Hwang Dae-su took them down in large characters, carried them on his back and went out. Thus Ha Seong-gun inherited the royal succession, and he became [[Seonjo of Joseon|Seonjo]].[^6] ### Later Years and Death After Seonjo[^7] ascended the throne, in 1567 Sim Tong-won was impeached by [[Yi I|Yulgok Yi I]] for having, in the reign of Myeongjong, accumulated wealth and power by taking bribes together with Yun Won-hyeong and others. Although there was public opinion calling for mitigation of his punishment on the grounds that he was a close relative of the Queen Dowager, he received impeachment from the Three Offices for flattery, and Yi I and others submitted another impeachment memorial, and he was stripped of his office. At his death in 1572, he was 73 years old. He was buried on the mountain at Igok-ri 42, Sohol-myeon (later Soheul-eup of [[Pocheon]]), [[Pocheon County|Pocheon County]], [[Gyeonggi Province]], and in 1575 (8th year of Seonjo) a spirit stele was erected near the tomb. The tomb was designated as No. 16 of the [[Local cultural heritage sites of Pocheon|Pocheon local cultural heritage]], the *[[Tomb and stele of Sim Tong-won|Tomb and Spirit Stele of Sim Tong-won]]*. ## Family - **Father**: Posthumously honored Chief State Councillor Sim Sun-mun - **Mother**: Posthumously honored [[Lady Jeonggyeong]] of the [[Pyeongsan Sin clan]] – daughter of Sin Yeong-seok, Chamgwan of the Office of the Inspector-General - Elder brother: Cheongcheon Lord [[Sim Yeon-won]] (Sim Yeon-won, 1491 – 1558) - Nephew: Cheongreung Lord [[Sim Gang]] (Sim Gang, 1514 – 1567) – father-in-law of [[Myeongjong of Joseon|Myeongjong]] - Grandniece: [[Queen Inseon]] - Elder brother: [[Sim Dal-won]] (Sim Dal-won, 1494 – 1535) - Elder brother: Sim Bong-won (沈逢源) – grandfather of [[Sim Hui-su]] - **Spouse**: [[Lady Jeonggyeong]] of the [[Jeonju Yi clan]] (Jeonju Yi, 1502[^8] – ?) – daughter of Yi Ja, Prince Deokrim, granddaughter of [[Yi Sun, Prince Jeongyang]], and great-granddaughter of [[Prince Pyeongwon]] - **Eldest son**: [[Sim Roe]] (沈鐳)[^9] - **Second son**: Sim Hoeng (沈鈜)[^9] – Daehogun (大護軍) - **Third son**: Sim Hwa (沈鏵)[^9] – Jinsa (進士), posthumously honored Vice Minister of Personnel - **Fourth son**: Sim Jeon (沈錪)[^9] - **Eldest daughter**: wife of Yi Hwang, magistrate of [[Hampyeong Yi clan|Hampyeong]] (Yi Hwang)[^9] - **Second daughter**: Sim Eodon-gae (沈於頓介)[^9] - Son-in-law of second daughter: Sang Si-son of [[Mokcheon Sang clan|Mokcheon Sang clan]] – Pangwan (判官) ## Evaluation He was called one of the Three Villains (三凶) together with [[Yi Ryang]] and [[Yun Won-hyeong]].[^10] He was also sometimes called one of the Three Villains together with [[Yi Gi (1476)|Yi Gi]] and [[Yun Won-hyeong]]. ## Baekundong Seowon Becomes Sosu Seowon > Six years after the founding of [[Baekundong Seowon]] by [[Ju Se-bung]], Magistrate of Pungi County, in 1543, in 1549 the successor magistrate of Pungi County, Toegye [[Yi Hwang]], wrote a letter to Sim Tong-won, the provincial governor of Gyeongsang Province (Yi Hwang's disciple [[Sim Ui-gyeom]]'s great-uncle). > > This was after the [[Eulsa Purge]] of 1545, when scholar-official politicians from the Sarim faction had been purged en masse. > > "If the name is not recorded in history, I fear it will not be transmitted for long." (From the *Geunjaejip* (謹齋集), [[Yi Hwang]], "Letter to Provincial Governor Sim Tong-won (與沈方伯通源 書)") > > It was a letter asking that Baekundong Seowon be officially recognized by the state. > > The following year, in 1550, at a royal council, Left State Minister [[Sim Yeon-won]] (the grandfather of [[Queen Inseon]], the consort of [[Myeongjong of Joseon|Myeongjong]], and of [[Sim Ui-gyeom]]) raised the matter of Baekundong Seowon with Myeongjong. > > The powerful figure Sim Yeon-won was the elder brother of Provincial Governor Sim Tong-won. > > "Baekundong has land and slaves; please bestow a name and books." (*Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty*, Myeongjong, 11 February 1550) > > Two months later, Myeongjong bestowed the name "紹修 (Sosu)" and books on Baekundong. This became Sosu Seowon in Yeongju, the first royally sanctioned (sayaek, 賜額 – where the king bestowed a plaque) seowon in Joseon. > > It was the first time the state officially recognized a privately run educational institution, the seowon. > > Afterwards, the practice of exempting land belonging to royally sanctioned seowon from taxes and granting books and slaves was institutionalized by law. > > — 30 January 2019, Chosun Ilbo – [Park Jong-in's Land History] "Enlightenment is more important than relief from drought!"[^11] ## Actors Who Portrayed Sim Tong-won - Lee Jong-man – KBS drama *[[Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin]]* (2005) ## References - Park Young-gyu, *Joseon Wangjo Sillok in One Volume* (Woongjin.com, 2004) - National Library of Korea editorial staff, *Korean Translation of Dongchaek Jeongsu* (National Library of Korea, 2006) - Park Yun-gyu, *Jaesang* (Iga Seo, 2005) ## Footnotes [^1]: There were also public opinions calling for mitigation of his punishment on the grounds that he was a relative of the Queen Dowager. [^2]: [“Cheongsong Sim Clan Great Clan Assembly Internet Genealogy Search (Yeon-won, Dal-won, Bong-won, Tong-won – father Sun-mun)”](https://web.archive.org/web/20110623043040/http://www.csshim.or.kr/htmls/webjokbo_new/search/index.asp#). Preserved from the [original document](http://www.csshim.or.kr/htmls/webjokbo_new/search/index.asp#) on 23 June 2011. Confirmed 6 September 2010. [^3]: [“Cheongsong Sim Clan Great Clan Assembly Internet Genealogy Search (Yeon-won, Dal-won, Bong-won, Tong-won – father Sun-mun)”](https://web.archive.org/web/20110623043040/http://www.csshim.or.kr/htmls/webjokbo_new/search/index.asp#). Preserved from the [original document](http://www.csshim.or.kr/htmls/webjokbo_new/search/index.asp#) on 23 June 2011. Confirmed 6 September 2010. [^4]: [“Sim Tong-won: Korean Historical Personage Comprehensive Information”](https://web.archive.org/web/20160316161828/http://people.aks.ac.kr/front/tabCon/ppl/pplView.aks?pplId=PPL_6JOa_A1499_1_0006706). Preserved from the [original document](http://people.aks.ac.kr/front/tabCon/ppl/pplView.aks?pplId=PPL_6JOa_A1499_1_0006706) on 16 March 2016. Confirmed 15 May 2011. [^5]: Park Yun-gyu, *Jaesang: Korean Edition* (Iga Seo, 2005), p. 364 [^6]: Park Yun-gyu, *Jaesang: Korean Edition* (Iga Seo, 2005), p. 365 [^7]: Seonjo ascended the throne not as a son of Deokheung Daewongun but under the status of an adopted son of Myeongjong. [^8]: [*Seonwonrok: Sejong Jason Rok*](https://royal.aks.ac.kr/Ge/JokboPageData?bookId=JSK_WJ_K21047&pid=35429) Jangseogak Materials Center, Academy of Korean Studies [^9]: [*Seonwonrok: Sejong Jason Rok*](https://royal.aks.ac.kr/Ge/JokboPageData?bookId=JSK_WJ_K21047&pid=35430) Jangseogak Materials Center, Academy of Korean Studies [^10]: [Dissecting Joseon's Factional Politics (4): Prometheus](http://www.prometheus.co.kr/articles/111/20081023/20081023004900.html) 23 October 2008 [^11]: [30 January 2019, Chosun Ilbo – "Enlightenment is more important than relief from drought!"](https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/023/0003424699?sid=102)