Yi Hwang

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This article is about the philosopher and writer. For other people named Yi Hwang, see Yi Hwang (disambiguation).
In this
Yi
.
Yi Hwang
Korean name
Hangul
이황
Hanja
李滉
Revised RomanizationI Hwang
McCune–ReischauerYi Hwang
Art name
Hangul
퇴계
Hanja
退溪
Revised RomanizationToegye
McCune–ReischauerT'oegye
Courtesy name
Hangul
경호
Hanja
景浩
Revised RomanizationGyeongho
McCune–ReischauerKyŏngho
Posthumous name
Hangul
문순
Hanja
文純
Revised RomanizationMunsun
McCune–ReischauerMunsun

Yi Hwang (Korean: 이황; 1501–1570) was a Korean philosopher, writer, and Confucian scholar of the Joseon period.[1] He is considered the most important philosopher of Korea - he is honored by printing his portrait on the (most often used) 1000 Won banknote, on the reverse of which one can see an image of his school, Dosan Seowon. He was of the Neo-Confucian literati, established the Yeongnam School and set up the Dosan Seowon, a private Confucian academy.[2]

Yi Hwang is often referred to by his

Creek"). His courtesy name was Gyeongho.[3]

His interpretation of Neo-Confucianism was influential not only in Korea, but also in Japan, Taiwan, and Vietnam, and is now being studied even in the mainland China. His main work, Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning, originally published in classical Chinese language, has been already translated into modern Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, English, French, German, Russian and Polish.

Some of his writings were looted by the Japanese military during the Japanese invasion of Korea.

Biography

Yi Hwang was born in Ongye-ri,

Analects of Confucius from his uncle at age twelve and admiring the poetry of Tao Yuanming, started writing poetry. His poem Yadang (야당; 野塘, "Pond in the Wild"), written at the age of eighteen, is considered one of his major works.[3][5] Around the age of twenty, he immersed himself in the study of I Ching and Neo-Confucianism.[3][6]

He came to Seoul (then known as Hanseong) when he was 23 years old and entered the national academy Sungkyunkwan in 1523. In 1527 he passed preliminary exams to become a government official, but re-entered Sungkyunkwan at the age of 33 and socialized with the scholar Kim In-hu. He passed the civil service exams with top honors in 1534 and continued his scholarly pursuits whilst working for the government.[3] He returned to his childhood home at the death of his mother at the age of 37 and mourned her for 3 years. He was appointed various positions from the age of 39 and sometimes held multiple positions including secret royal inspector, or Amhaengeosa (암행어사; 暗行御史), in 1542. His integrity made him relentless as he took part in purges of corrupt government officials. On numerous occasions he was even exiled from the capital for his firm commitment to principle.[2]

Yi Hwang was disillusioned by the power struggles and discord in the royal court during the later years of

Neo-Confucian academy Baekundong Seowon established by his predecessor Ju Se-bung.[3]

He was named Daesaseong (대사성, head instructor) of Sungkyunkwan in 1552 but turned down other prominent offices later on. In 1560, he established the Dosan

Ming Dynasty came to Seoul. When King Myeongjong suddenly died, his successor King Seonjo appointed Yi Hwang as Yejo panseo (예조판서; 禮曹判書, minister of rites) but he declined and returned to his home once again.[3][4]

However, the king continuously called Yi Hwang back and unable to refuse further, he resumed office at the age of 68 and wrote many advisory documents including Seonghak sipdo (성학십도; 聖學十圖, "Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning"). He also gave lectures from the teachings of

Song Dynasty Confucian scholars Cheng Yi and Cheng Hao, I Ching, Analects, and Zhang Zai in royal presence. He finally retired from politics at the age of 70 and died in 1570.[3]

During forty years of public life he served four kings (

King Seonjo. His disciples and followers reorganized the Dosan seodang to Dosan Seowon in 1574.[3][4]

Teachings

Yi Hwang was the author of many books on Confucianism. He followed the dualistic

Yu Seong-ryong and Kim Seong-il.[7]

Yi Hwang was also talented in calligraphy and poetry, writing a collection of sijo, a three line poetic form popular with the literati of the Joseon period.[3]

Selected works

These are some of Yi Hwang's published writings:[8]

  • 1599 — 退溪全書
  • 1681 — The Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning (성학십도; 聖學十圖)[9]
  • 1746 — 退溪集
  • Outline and Explanations of the Works of Zhu Xi (주자서절요; 朱子書節要)
  • Commentary on the Heart Sutra (심경석의; 心經釋義)
  • History of
    Ming
    Dynasties     (송계원명이학통록; 宋季元明理學通錄)
  • The Four-Seven Debate (사칠속편; 四七續篇): discusses Mencius's philosophy with Gi Dae-seung[10]

Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning

The Neo-Confucian literature of Seonghaksipdo was composed by Yi Hwang in 1568 for King Seonjo. It is a series of lectures for rulers through examples of past sages.[11] Traditional Confucians had affirmed that any man could learn to become a sage; the new Confucians made the ideal of sagehood real and attainable, just as enlightenment was for Buddhists. Yi Hwang intended to present that path by starting each chapter with a diagram and related text drawn from Zhu Xi or another leading authority, and concluding with a brief commentary. He intended for "Ten Diagrams" to be made into a ten paneled standing screen, as well as a short book, so that the mind of the viewer could be constantly engaged with its contents, until it totally assimilated the material.[12]

Legacy

Yi Hwang on the currently circulating 1,000 won note

Toegyero, a street in central Seoul, is named after him,

Toi-Gye was named in honor of Yi Hwang.[15]

Many institutes and university research departments devoted to Yi Hwang have been established. The Toegye Studies Institute set up in Seoul in 1970, Kyungpook National University's Toegye Institute opened in 1979, and an institute and library in Dankook University in 1986. There are research institutes in Tokyo, Taiwan, Hamburg and the United States.[3][4]

A notable direct descendant of Yi is poet and independence activist Yi Yuksa, who is also an Andong native.

Family

  • Father: Yi Sik (이식; 12 September 1463 – 13 June 1502)
  • Mother:
    • Biological: Lady Park of the Chuncheon Park clan (춘천 박씨; ? – 1537) – Yi Sik's 2nd wife.
    • Adoptive: Lady Kim of the Munso Kim clan (문소 김씨) – Yi Sik's 1st wife.

Wives and their issue(s):

  1. Lady Heo of the Gimhae Heo clan (김해 허씨; 1502–1528)
    1. Yi Jun (이준; 1523–1583) – 1st son.
    2. Yi Chae (이채; 1527–1550) – 2nd son.
  2. Lady Gwon of the Andong Gwon clan (안동 권씨; 1502–1547) – No issue.
  3. Unnamed concubine
    1. Yi Jeok (이적) – 3rd son.
  4. Gisaeng
     Du-Hyang (기생 두향) – No issue.

See also

References

  1. ^ Daehwan, Noh. "The Eclectic Development of Neo-Confucianism and Statecraft from the 18th to the 19th Century," Archived June 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Korea Journal. Winter 2003.
  2. ^ a b (in Korean) Yi Hwang at Doosan Encyclopedia
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j (in Korean) Yi Hwang Archived 2011-06-10 at the Wayback Machine at Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
  4. ^ a b c d (in Korean) Yi Hwang at The Academy of Korean Studies
  5. ^ (in Korean) 君子有終, Seoul Sinmun, 2005-05-18. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  6. ^ (in Korean) Yi Hwang Archived 2011-06-10 at the Wayback Machine at Britannica Korea
  7. ISBN 89-88095-85-5
  8. ^ WorldCat Identities: 李滉 1501–1570; Yi, Hwang 1501–1570: May 23, 2015
  9. ^ Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning, Michael C. Kalton, Columbia University Press, 1988
  10. ^ Michael C. Kalton et al., The Four-Seven Debate. An Annotated Translationnof the Most Famous Controversy in Korean Neo-Confucian Thought, SUNY Press, Albany, 1994
  11. ^ (in Korean) Seonghaksipdo at Doosan Encyclopedia
  12. ^ Ten Diagrams, Michael C. Kalton, Columbia University Press, 1988
  13. ^ (in Korean) Toegyero at Doosan Encyclopedia
  14. ^ (in Korean) The new 1,000 won bill, Maeil Business News, 2006-01-17. Retrieved 2010-07-08.
  15. Yonhap News
    , 2005-07-10. Retrieved 2010-07-08.

Further reading

External links

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