Yi Hang (1499)

Yi Hang (李恒, 1499–1576) was a civil official and scholar of mid-Joseon Korea. His family seat was Seongju. His courtesy name was Hangji (恒之), his pen name was Ilje (一齋), and his posthumous name was Munkyeong (文敬).

Life

He was born in 1499 to his father, Yi Ja-yeong, a Assistant Magistrate of the Uiyeonggo, and his mother, of the Jeonju Choe clan. He was a disciple of Park Yeong (朴英). Early on he aspired to pass the military examination and trained in martial arts, but from age 30 he began studying scholarship. He studied on his own for several years at Mangwolam Hermitage on Dobongsan, and afterward went down to Taein (泰仁) to care for his mother while devoting himself to learning. The scholar Baek In-geol of that time praised Yi Hang's scholarship as comparable to that of Jo Sik (曺植).

In 1566 (the 21st year of King Myeongjong), he was recommended for his learning and conduct and served as Uiyeonggo yeong (義盈庫令) and Magistrate of Imcheon, but he was criticized for failing to fulfill his duties, and in May 1567 he resigned due to illness. Early in the reign of King Seonjo he passed through the posts of Gyeongnyeok (經歷) of the Uibin Office (儀賓府) and Deputy Director (副正) of the Seongong Office (繕工監), and in 1574 he served as Junior Censor (掌令) of the Office of the Inspector General (司憲府) and Chief Director (正) of the Office of Music (掌樂院), but he resigned due to illness. Afterward, he was appointed as Inspector (察訪) of five provinces, but he was unable to take up the posts because of illness, and he died in 1576 (the 9th year of King Seonjo).

After his death, during the reign of King Cheoljong, he was posthumously appointed Minister of Personnel (吏曹判書), and he was given the posthumous name Munkyeong (文敬). He was enshrined at Namgo Seowon (南皐書院) in Taein. Together with Gobong (奇大升), he was regarded as one of the Five Scholars (五學) representing Honam, and he advocated the theory of the unity of principle and material force (理氣一元論). His written work includes the Ilje Collection (〈일재집〉).

Scholarly Thought

In 1558 (the 13th year of King Myeongjong), he discussed the study of the Taegeukdoseol (《太極圖說》) by letter with leading scholars of the day, including Kim In-hu (金麟厚), No Su-sin (盧守愼), and Gi Daeseung (奇大升), and he argued that principle (理) and material force (氣), and the Supreme Ultimate (太極) and yin and yang (陰陽), are one.