Yun Hwi (尹暉, 1571 - 1644) was a civil official of the late Joseon period. When the Manchu invasion of Joseon broke out in 1636, he accompanied King Injo to Namhansanseong, and he helped King Injo by going back and forth between the enemy camp of the Qing dynasty and the royal court, persuading and pursuing peace negotiations. After the return to the capital, he became Royal Secretary and handled diplomacy with Qing exclusively.
After passing the civil service examination, he held key posts in the Three Offices. In 1613 (Gwanghaegun 5), he was implicated in the Gyechuk Incident, stripped of his office, and later reappointed. In 1618, he went to Ming as Winter Solstice Envoy concurrently Chinjusa. When Gwanghaegun sent reinforcements to Ming, he supported Gwanghaegun's neutral diplomacy, but he was dismissed immediately after the Injo coup. He was restored to office in 1626 and served as Magistrate of Seongju and Magistrate of Cheongju. Later, during the Manchu invasion of Joseon in 1636, he accompanied the royal palanquin to Namhansanseong. He took part in the peace faction, served as the representative of Joseon in dealings with the Qing army, managed compromise between the two sides, and concluded the peace treaty. After the return to the capital, he became Royal Secretary and handled diplomacy with Qing exclusively.
Later, he served as Minister of Justice and then as Right State Councillor of the State Council. After his death, he was posthumously appointed Chief State Councillor of the State Council through the merit of his son Yun Myeon-ji. He was the third son of Yun Du-su. He was the younger brother of Yun Heun and the elder brother of Yun Hwon. Politically he belonged to the Western faction, but he took part in Gwanghaegun's court. His family seat was Haepyeong, his courtesy name was Jeongchun (靜春), his pen names were Jangju (長洲) or Cheonsang (川上), and his posthumous name was Jangik (章翼). He was a disciple of Seong Hon.
Life
Early life
Early activities
Yun Hwi was born in 1577 (Seonjo 11) to Yun Du-su, Chief State Councillor of the State Council, and to Lady Hwang, daughter of Hwang Dae-yong, a Chambong. He was the great-grandson of Yun Hui-rim, who was posthumously appointed Left Councillor, and his grandfather was Yun Byeon, Military Supply Official, who was posthumously appointed Chief State Councillor of the State Council. Yun Geun-su was his uncle, Yun Bang and Yun Heun were his older brothers, and Yun Hwon was his younger brother. In his early years he studied under Seong Hon of Ugye.
In 1589 (Seonjo 22) he passed the Lower Civil Service Examination and became a Jinsa. In 1594 (Seonjo 27) he passed the Special Civil Service Examination in the second rank and became a royal historian. Afterward, in 1595 he became a Gisagwan of the Chunchugwan, and in 1596 he served as Junior Secretary of the Ministry of War, and the following year again as Junior Secretary of the Ministry of War.
Around the Imjin War
In 1597 he was promoted to Senior Secretary of the Ministry of War, and then again served as Senior Secretary of the Ministry of War. He passed through key posts of the Three Offices, including Secretary of the Crown Prince's Tutorial Office, Junior Censor of the Office of the Inspector-General, and Pilseon of the Crown Prince's Tutorial Office, and again served as Junior Censor of the Office of the Inspector-General and Pilseon of the Crown Prince's Tutorial Office. In 1600 he became Chief of the Office of Music and Senior Remonstrator. That year he impeached Cho Eung-mun, Junior Censor of the Office of the Inspector-General, and proposed strengthening the defense of the northern border.
That year, after serving as Eastern Royal Secretary, he negotiated and settled, even after the end of the Jeongyu War, the issue of the withdrawal of Ming troops stationed in Joseon. He then took part in selecting the burial site of Queen Uiin, supervised the consolation of Ming soldiers who had died in battle, and became Western Royal Secretary. Later, when his father Yun Du-su was exiled to Hongwon following the impeachment by Yi Hong-ro, he had been on friendly terms with Yi Hong-ro's relatives, and afterward he cut ties with those connected to Yi Hong-ro.
In 1603 he served as Left Royal Secretary and Chamchan-gwan. Meanwhile, by special order of King Seonjo, he was granted one pair of otter-skin gauze caps with ear covers. In 1604 he served as Royal Secretary and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and in 1605 he became Magistrate of Haeju. Afterward he went out as Governor of Jeolla Province and Governor of Gyeongsang Province, where he achieved good administration. Politically he belonged to the Western faction, but he took part in Gwanghaegun's court.
Official career and diplomacy
Participation in Gwanghaegun's court
In 1609 (Gwanghaegun 1) he became Left Royal Secretary, and after serving as Judge of the Jangnyewon, he went out in 1610 as Governor of Jeolla Province. That year, citing the confusion among the people caused by the use of identity tags, he proposed measures to calm and address the system of identity tags. That winter, citing illness, he submitted several petitions to resign and was transferred. In December he served as Acting Vice Guard Commander, and in 1611 he became Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. In 1611 he again went out as Governor of Jeolla Province, and for his merit in taking part in the construction of the Office for Relocation of the Yeongnyeongjeon Shrine, he was granted one bolt of linen. In 1612, while serving as Governor of Gyeongsang Province, he was promoted to Gasaeon daebu.
In 1613 (Gwanghaegun 5), while serving as Governor of Gyeongsang Province, he accepted the proposal from local Confucian scholars to enshrine Jo Mok in Woncheon Seowon and carried it out. In 1613 (Gwanghaegun 5), in connection with the Gyechuk Incident, he was implicated because of his elder brother Yun Heun's concubine's younger brother, Seo Yang-gap, and was dismissed from office. Later, the matter of giving Seo Yang-gap a military post and salary led to attacks from the Censorate and the Office of Remonstrance, but he was later reappointed. He did not attend the discussion on deposing Queen Inmok.
Diplomatic activities
Meanwhile, when Gwanghaegun pursued neutral diplomacy between Ming and Later Jin, he strongly supported Gwanghaegun's neutral diplomacy together with Gang Hong-rip and Im Yeon (任兗), among others.
In May 1618 (Gwanghaegun 11) he was appointed as Winter Solstice Envoy concurrently Chinjusa to be dispatched to Ming, but he declined and was replaced. However, he was again appointed as Seongjeolsa and went to Ming. During this period he frequently submitted reports to the Joseon court on the movements of Nurhaci and the Jurchen, and he obtained saltpeter (焰硝) and sent it to the Joseon court. Afterward he served as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites.
In 1618 he became Commissioner of the Palace Construction Office, and in 1621 he was appointed as one of the Chief Officials of the Seungmungwon, and that year he became Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works. In 1622 he became Senior Official of the Uigeumbu, Acting Official of the Border Defense Council, and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. In early 1623, together with Cha Eon-sim and others, he seized the slaves of Heo Gyun, who had been executed as a traitor, and used them as his own slaves. When Park Hong-do and others attacked him, he voluntarily requested to resign, but Gwanghaegun did not listen.
Before and after the Injo coup
In March 1623 (Injo 1), during the Injo coup, he was accused of colluding with eunuchs to manipulate personnel appointments, and of advocating peace with Later Jin when the court planned to conquer Liaodong. Because of impeachments by Western remonstrators, he was dismissed from his post as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and exiled to Jangheung. In April of that year he was moved to Imp'i, and then transferred again to places such as Asan.
Although he was abandoned in the early days of the coup despite belonging to the same Western faction, he received a special pardon in 1625 on the recommendation of meritorious officials who had helped the coup. However, Western remonstrators continued to petition for his punishment or for his banishment from the capital. After being pardoned, in 1626 he became Yongyangwi Buhogun, and that year he went to Ming as Saeunsa. However, impeachment petitions and criticism over his participation in Gwanghaegun's court continued.
In 1627, during the Jeongmyo War, he was reappointed, served as Left Magistrate of Hansung-bu, and in 1628 became Acting Buhogun and was appointed as Chanhoek-sa, but the appointment was canceled due to illness. In August 1628 he took part as one of the examiners in that year's Byeolsi civil service examination. In 1629 he went out as Magistrate of Seongju and then took up the post of Magistrate of Cheongju. Afterward he served as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. In 1632 he became Acting Hogun, and in 1633 Deputy Chief Commander, and then again served as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.
Later life
Diplomacy
During the Manchu invasion of Joseon in 1636, he accompanied King Injo to Namhansanseong, and when the court split between the war faction and the peace faction, he sided with the peace faction.
Afterward, as special plenipotentiary envoy of the Joseon court, he worked to negotiate peace while going back and forth between the Qing army and Namhansanseong, persuaded the Qing troops, and concluded the peace treaty. After the return to the capital, he was appointed chief royal secretary and handled diplomacy with Qing exclusively, and he traveled to Qing and Ming as envoy several times. In the process, he also managed to calm the Qing's public opinion calling for a punitive expedition against Joseon. In 1638 he passed through the posts of Mayor of Hansung and Minister of Justice, and became the envoy who requested investiture (奏請使) for Queen Jangnyeol, the second wife of King Injo, and went to Qing to receive the investiture decree. However, on the way home he hid tobacco (南草) in his palanquin, and was impeached by the Office of the Inspector-General and dismissed from his envoy post.
In March 1639 (Injo 17), he was impeached by the Office of the Inspector-General for taking part in the welcome of Crown Prince Sohyeon, who had been taken to Qing, when the crown prince returned to Joseon, by traveling slowly in a palanquin to meet him. King Injo calmed the matter, but he continued to be impeached by remonstrators and was sent into exile. He was released and returned while on the way to his place of exile.
Final years
In 1639 he became Right State Councillor of the State Council. In 1640 he served as Wonjeopsa and received the Qing envoys, and in 1641 he became Minister of Works. That year, as Minister of Works, he served as Unhyangsa (運餉使) and went to Qing, and he rose to Minister of Justice. In 1642 he became Jiuigeumbusa, and he was skilled at calligraphy. His written work includes the Jangju Collection (《장주집》). He died of illness in 1644.
After death
After his death, through the merit of his son Yun Myeon-ji (尹勉之), he was posthumously appointed Grand Guardian of the State, Great Senior Grand Master for Stability (大光輔國崇祿大夫), and Chief State Councillor of the State Council. His posthumous name was Jangik (章翼).
Works
- Jangju Collection (《장주집》)
Family
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Great-grandfather: Yun Hui-rim (尹希琳)
- Grandfather: Yun Byeon (尹忭)
- Grandmother: Lady Yi
- Grandmother: Lady Hyeon, birth mother of father Yun Du-su and uncle Yun Geun-su
- Uncle: Yun Geun-su (尹根壽)
- Aunt: Lady Jo, daughter of Jo An-guk (趙安國)
- Cousin: Yun Hwan (尹晥, 1556 - ?)
- Cousin: Yun Jil (尹晊)
- Cousin: Yun Myeong (尹㫥)
- Cousin: Yun Yu (尹曘)
- Cousin: Yun Hwan (尹㬇)
- Cousin: Yun Min (尹旼)
- Father: Yun Du-su (尹斗壽)
- Mother: Lady Hwang
-
Maternal grandfather: Hwang Dae-yong (黃大用)
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Father-in-law: Yi Gi-myeong (李耆命)
References
- Gumi Cultural Center, Gumi Inmuljii (Gumi Cultural Center, 2001)
- Chungbuk National University Jungwon Cultural Research Institute and Cheongju City, Cheongju Eupji (Chungbuk National University Jungwon Cultural Research Institute, 2003)