Yi Yuk

Yi Yuk (李陸, 1438 ~ 1498) was a civil official of the early Joseon period. His family seat was Goseong (固城), his courtesy name (字) was Bangong (放翁), his pen name (號) was Cheongpa (靑坡), and his posthumous name (諡號) was Munggwang (文光). He was the grandson of Yi Won (李原), who served as Left State Councillor during the reign of King Sejong, and the son of Sa-amgong Yi Ji (李墀), the central founding ancestor of the Sa-am Gong branch of the Goseong Yi clan (固城李氏 思菴公派).

At age 15 he passed the Lower Civil Service Examination (司馬試), and at age 22 he passed the Jinsa examination. After that, for three years, he entered Mount Jiri to study, and he is said to have gained high renown and attracted many followers.

In the 10th year of King Sejo's reign (1464), at age 27, he earned first place in the special civil service examination held at Oryang (溫陽 別試 文科), was selected for Gyeomyemun (兼藝文), and served as Direct Lecturer of the Sungkyunkwan (成均館直講, Junior Fifth Rank). In the 12th year of Sejo's reign (1466), at age 29, he placed second in the Balyeong Examination (拔英試). Two years later, in the 14th year of Sejo's reign (1468), at age 31, he passed the Munggwa Jungsi, second grade (文科 重試 乙科). He was thus a man who passed examinations five times.

Later he held various posts, including Responsible Lecturer of the Office of Special Advisers (藝文館 應敎, Senior Fourth Rank), Senior Censor of the Office of the Inspector General (司憲府 掌令) concurrently with Royal Secretary of the Office of Special Advisers (藝文館 典翰, Junior Third Rank), Grand Remonstrator of the Office of Remonstrance (司諫院 大司諫, Senior Third Rank), and Grand Academician of the Sungkyunkwan (成均館 大司成, Senior Third Rank). In the 8th year of King Seongjong's reign (1477), at age 40, he was appointed Governor of Chungcheong Province (忠淸觀察使, Senior Second Rank). At that time, his father Sa-amgong Yi Ji had taken office as magistrate of Goesan County in 1473 and was serving there, which made the situation a rare example. He later served as Governor of Chungcheong Province (Senior Second Rank), Governor of Gyeongsang Province, and Governor of Gangwon Province, and then held posts as Vice Minister of Rites (禮曹參判), Vice Minister of War (兵曹參判), and Vice Minister of Justice (刑曹參判).

He was sent twice as an envoy to the Ming dynasty (明). His record of what he saw and heard there, written as a kind of travel account, is known as Cheongpa Geuktam (靑坡劇談), and it is well known.