Yi Dal-jun (李達尊, 1313 – 24 July 1340 (29th day of the 6th lunar month)1) was a literary official and diplomat of late Goryeo. His family seat was Gyeongju, his courtesy name was Cheongak (天覺), and his art name was Unwa (雲窩). He was the second son of Yi Je-hyeon, known as Ikjae, and a half-elder brother of Consort Hye (Yi clan). He was a sixth cousin younger than Yi Dal-chung.2
He entered office through yeumseo hereditary appointment and served as a Byeoljang before passing the gwageo civil service examination. He rose through several posts to become Chongnang of the Jeolisa (典理司摠郎) and Jikjehak of the Bomungak (寶文閣直提學 知製敎). While returning from a trip to the Yuan dynasty, he suddenly died. He was the son-in-law of Baek I-jeong, a father's teacher and an early Neo-Confucian scholar.3
Life
Early life
Yi Dal-jun was born in 1313 as the second son among three sons and four daughters of Yi Je-hyeon, Prince Gyeryeong's consort, and Lady Gwon of Andong, Lady Gilchang Gukbu-in. He was the second son among five sons and nine daughters of Yi Je-hyeon. His courtesy name was Cheongak (天覺) and his art name was Unwa (雲窩). He was a grandson of Yi Jin (李瑱), Geomgyo Cheomui Jeongseung and Prince Imhae, and a maternal grandson of Kwon Bu (權溥), Prince Yeongga, who was a great scholar and his father Yi Je-hyeon's Neo-Confucian teacher. Both the paternal and maternal families were illustrious noble houses. He was a friend of Yi Gok, a disciple of his father Yi Je-hyeon. Yi Gok was also the father of the Neo-Confucian scholar Yi Saek.
His lineage was descended from Alpyeong, a founding merit subject of Silla, and from Yi Geumseo, who was registered as a Samhan merit subject after the founding of Goryeo. Later the family declined, but his grandfather Yi Jin restored the house after passing the civil service examination and serving as a chancellor. His father Yi Je-hyeon was a prominent scholar and writer who studied Neo-Confucianism under Baek I-jeong and Kwon Bu.
His elder brother was Yi Seo-jong, and a younger full brother died young. His full sisters included one who married Im Deok-su (任德壽, also written 任德秀), one who married Yi Gye-son, and one who married Kim Hui-jo; there was also Yi, Lady Uihwa Taekju, who received the title Uihwa Taekju, and another full sister who died young. His stepmother, Lady Suchun Gukbu-in Park (壽春國夫人 朴氏), had one younger half-brother and two younger half-sisters. One half-sister married Song Mu, and the other was Consort Hye Yi, a concubine of Gongmin of Goryeo. His third stepmother, Lady Seowon Gunbu-in Seo (瑞原郡夫人 徐氏), was the daughter of Seo Jung-rin (徐仲麟); she had two half-sisters who married Kim Nam-u (金南雨) and Yi Yu-bang (李有芳). His father Yi Je-hyeon's concubine had two half-sisters, one of whom married Im Bu-yang (林富陽); the other half-sister is unknown.
He was skilled at writing from an early age. According to Yi Gok, his close friend, his character was such that he had no extravagant habits, was filial and fraternal, and was humble and frugal. He married Lady Baek, daughter of Sangdanggun Baek I-jeong (白頤正), another great scholar of the era and another Neo-Confucian teacher of his father Yi Je-hyeon, and they had five children.
Official career
In 1323 (10th year of King Chungsuk's reign), at age 11, he began his official career through mun-eum (門蔭) and was appointed as a Byeoljang. In 1330 (first year of King Chunghye's accession), at age 18, he passed the civil service examination in the second rank (乙科), was promoted through Sabo (思補) to Heonnap (獻納) of the Sagan-won. After that, he moved from Heonnap to Gamchal Jangnyeong (監察掌令) and Buryeong (典儀副令) of Jeonui. Because he had a grounding in Confucianism, when he was promoted from Sabo to Heonnap of the Sagan-won, he concurrently held a post in the Bomungak (館職). Afterwards, each time his assignment changed over several occasions, he always concurrently held a post in the Bomungak.
In 1333 he lost his mother, Lady Gilchang Gunbu-in of the Andong Gwon clan. According to Yi Gok, he was grief-stricken to the point of nearly losing his senses, and his relatives praised his filial devotion.
In the winter of 1339 (8th year of King Chungsuk's restoration), his father Yi Je-hyeon accompanied King Chungsuk to the Yuan dynasty to refute the Yuan side's argument that Goryeo should be placed under direct Yuan administration. According to Yi Gok, at that time Goryeo society was "in chaos and public sentiment was precarious and could not be trusted." However, he said, "I know only that I have a ruler and a father," and accompanied them on horseback alone. In 1340, after matters were settled and King Chunghye was restored to the throne, while still staying in the Yuan dynasty he was transferred to Chongnang of the Jeolisa (典理司摠郞4).
Death
In June 1340 he set out to return to Goryeo, but he fell ill and became bedridden. Because his illness was grave and he had difficulty moving, by the king's kindness he received medical treatment and crossed the Yalu River by carriage back to Goryeo. However, despite medical care, he died in a guesthouse on the way to the capital on 29 June. His body was temporarily laid out in a mourning hall at Jangnim Station (長林驛) in Bakcheon County (博川郡?), North Pyongan Province. In August his coffin was transported by carriage, and in October a funeral was held in Kaegyeong. That month he was buried on a hill, but because the rubbing of his epitaph was poor, the burial site was lost. He died at the age of 28. He had five children: his eldest son Deok-rim (德林) was 11 years old at the time, his second son Su-rim (壽林) was 9, and his daughters were all young.
Afterlife
His father Yi Je-hyeon was especially fond of him, the son who had accompanied him to the Yuan dynasty. On 1 October 1340 (first year of King Chunghye's restoration), Yi Je-hyeon, then Cheomui Pyeongni (僉議評理) and Wangbu Dansagwan5 (王府斷事官), asked Yi Gok (李穀), then Wongnang of the Jeongdong Haengseong (征東行省員外郞), to write his tomb inscription: "You have long played with our son Dal-jun, so you should know his character and should write the tomb inscription." Yi Je-hyeon also said, "Who among people does not love their children? But my love was greater, so when I met my son's death, my grief is excessive."
Family
- Great-grandfather: Yi Hyeok (李翮)
- Great-grandmother: Gimhae Kim clan (金海金氏)
- Grandfather: Yi Jin (李瑱)
- Grandmother: Lady Jinhan Gukdae-buin Park (辰韓國大夫人 朴氏), daughter of Park In-yuk (朴仁育)
- Father: Yi Je-hyeon
- Mother: Lady Gilchang Gukbu-in Gwon (吉昌國夫人 權氏, 1288 – 1332), daughter of Kwon Bu – three sons and four daughters6
- Elder brother: Yi Seo-jong (李瑞種)
- Wife: Namp'o Baek clan, daughter of Baek I-jeong
- Son: Yi Deok-rim (李德林)
- Grandson: Yi Sin (李伸), anchalsa (安撫使)
- Son: Yi Su-rim (李壽林)
- Son: Yi Hak-rim (李學林), sobuyun (少府尹)
- Grandson: Yi Dam (李擔), jikye Yemun-gwan, ubudaeon (直藝文館, 右副代言)
- Daughters: 2 (eldest daughter married Gi In-geol (奇仁傑) of the Haengju Gi clan, Gaeseong-yun and Dongji Chuwiwon Sa)
- Sister: Yi, Lady
- Brother-in-law: Im Deok-su (任德壽, also 任德秀)
- Sister: Yi, Lady
- Brother-in-law: Yi Gye-son (李係孫)
- Sister: Yi, Lady Uihwa Taekju (義和宅主 李氏)
- Brother-in-law: Kim Hui-jo (金希祖)
- Sister: Yi, dates of birth and death unknown7
- Stepmother: Lady Suchun Gukbu-in Park (壽春國夫人 朴氏), daughter of Park Geo-sil (朴居實) – one son and three daughters
Evaluation
He rose to office through yeumseo hereditary appointment, but he studied diligently and passed the civil service examination. Some accounts also say that he was especially outstanding in literary composition.8 After his death, his friend Yi Gok praised him, saying that he was skilled in scholarship and handled affairs well, so people knew he could carry on the family's vocation. However, Yi Gok lamented that if heaven had given him special talent and he had a role to play in this world, why did it not lend him a lifespan that would allow him to reach such achievements?9
References
- Goryeosa
- Goryeosa jeolyo
- Donggang gangmok
- Dongmunseon
- Joseon geumseok chongnam
Footnotes