Choe Gyeong-hoe

Choe Gyeong-hoe (崔慶會, 1532 – June 1593) was a civil official of mid-Joseon and a righteous army leader during the Imjin War. His family seat was Haeju (海州), and he was a descendant of Choe Chung (崔沖), posthumously known as Munheon Gong, the "Confucius of Haedong" of early Goryeo. His courtesy name was Seonu (善遇), his art names were Samgye (三溪) and Ilhyudang (日休堂), and his posthumous name was Chungui (忠毅).

When the Imjin War broke out, he gathered troops and raised a righteous army in Hwasun, and joined the Battle of Geumsan to assist Go Gyeong-myeong, but the effort failed. After Go Gyeong-myeong was killed, he gathered the remaining forces and was recognized as leader of the righteous army. He defeated the Japanese forces advancing from Geumsan and Muju toward Jeonju and Namwon, and then pursued the retreating Japanese from Geumsan and inflicted a major defeat on them at Ujichi. He then won in the First Battle of Jinju, in which the Japanese forces were repelled at Jinju Fortress. However, he was defeated in the Second Battle of Jinju and killed in action.

After his death, he was posthumously appointed Minister of Personnel and was honored with a commemorative gate. He was also listed among the first-rank Meritorious Subjects of Seonmu, and was later posthumously appointed Left Chancellor and given the posthumous name Chungui. He is enshrined at Changnyeolsa (彰烈祠) in Jinju and at Pochungsa (褒忠祠) in Neungju.

Life

In 1532 he was born in Neungju (綾州) in Jeolla Province (present-day Hwasun County, South Jeolla Province), the son of Choe Cheon-bu (崔天符) of the Haeju Choe clan. He studied under Yang Eung-jeong (梁應鼎) of Songcheon, and in 1557 he sought out Gi Dae-seung (奇大升) and became his disciple. In 1561, in the 16th year of King Myeongjong's reign, he passed the Saengwon examination and became a Jinsa, and in 1567 (the first year of King Seonjo's reign) he passed the regular civil service examination with a second-rank result.¹