Sin Sa-heon (愼思獻, 1520 – ?) was a civil official of mid-Joseon. His courtesy name was Seongbaek (誠伯), his childhood name was Sin Chung-heon (愼忠獻), and his family seat was Geochang (居昌). He was the grand-nephew of Queen Danggyeong (née Sin), by her natal family, and the grand-nephew of Sin, the deposed consort of Yeonsangun, by her natal family. He was a descendant of Sin Seung-seon and Sin Su-geun, and on his maternal side he was the great-grandson of Im Sa-hong. Through his great-grandmother, he was also the fifth-generation maternal descendant of Sejong the Great. He was from Hanseong.
Little is known of his early career. He entered office through eumseo and served as chalbang (察訪), and he passed the jinsa examination. He later served as hyeongam (縣監) through a hereditary appointment, and in 1558 (the 13th year of Myeongjong) he passed the special civil service examination with a second-class rank. However, he had bribed Jeong Sa-ryong (鄭士龍), one of the examiners, to learn the answers in advance. When the content of the top graduate's examination answers, that of Oh Un-gi (吳雲驥), became a matter of dispute, it was also revealed that Sin had bribed the examiner to obtain the answers beforehand, and this became a problem. He was soon dismissed from the examination results, though he was later restored to the list through the patronage of Yi Ryang (李樑), the maternal uncle of Queen Inseon, consort of Myeongjong, whose loyal follower he became. He subsequently served as jeongrang, Seonggyungwan sayesa, sagan of the Office of Remonstrance, and buseong of Bongsangsi, acting as a follower of Yi Ryang. In 1563 (the 18th year of Myeongjong), Yi Ryang attempted to eliminate the Sarim faction but failed. In the eighth month of that year, Sin was attacked by Sim Ui-gyeom, Gi Dae-hang, and others, and he, together with Yi Ryang, Yun Baek-won (尹百源), Yi Gam, Go Maeng-yeong, and others, was labeled one of the Six Traitors and fell from power. In the eighth month of 1563, he was exiled to Jecheon, and two months later he was transferred to Geoje Island. His later activities are unknown, and he was buried in Samsang-ri, Jangheung-myeon, Yangju.
Life
He was born in Hanseong in 1520 (the 15th year of Jungjong), and his birth date is unknown. He was the great-grandson of Sin Seung-seon (愼承善), who served as Uijeongbu chief state councillor, and his grandfather was Sin Su-geun (愼守勤), Uijeongbu left state councillor. Lady Sin of Geochang, the consort of Yeonsangun, was his great-grandaunt. Another of his great-grandaunts married Seungpyeong Buljeong Hyeong, a grandson of Prince Yeo, son of Grand Prince Gwangpyeong, Sejong the Great's son, and son of Hoewon-gun Jaeng. Queen Danggyeong (Sin), the first consort of Jungjong who was deposed at the time of the Jungjong coup, was his aunt. His father was Sin Hong-jo (愼弘祚), who served as jangnyeong of the Office of the Inspector-General and haeng Uigyeong-go ryeong (行義盈庫令). His mother was of the Pungcheon Im clan, and was the daughter of Im Hui-jae (任熙載), who had served as jeongja of the Seungmunwon but was killed in connection with the Gapja Purge and the Mujo Purge. Im Sa-hong was his maternal great-grandfather. His courtesy name was Seongbaek (誠伯), and his alternate name was Chung-heon (忠獻).
Through his great-grandmother, Lady Jungmo Hyeonju, he was the fifth-generation maternal descendant of Sejong the Great. However, in the Jungjong coup of 1506, his grandfather Sin Su-geun and Sin Su-yeong and others refused to take part in the coup and were all killed, and his family declined. Yet his father Sin Hong-jo and he were not punished by guilt by association. His maternal family also suffered, as his maternal great-grandfather Im Sa-hong was executed at the time of the Jungjong coup.
His wife was of the Pungyang Jo clan, and she was the daughter of Jo In-gyu (趙仁奎), a renowned poet of his era whose poetic fame reached as far as Ming China. His father-in-law Jo In-gyu also served as an official, holding posts such as seungji, chamui, left vice minister and right vice minister of Hanseong.
Nothing is known of his early career. He entered office through eumseo (蔭敍) and served as chalbang (察訪), but he resigned after a short time. In 1546 (the 1st year of Myeongjong), he passed the regular Sama examination (式年司馬試) in third place as a jinsa.
He later served as hyeongam (縣監) through an eumjik (蔭職) appointment, and in 1558 (the 13th year of Myeongjong) he passed the special civil service examination with a second-class rank. At that time, Sin Sa-heon had bribed Jeong Sa-ryong (鄭士龍), one of the examiners, to learn the answers to the examination questions in advance, and so he passed. At the same time, the content of the examination answers of the top graduate of that special civil service examination, Oh Un-gi (吳雲驥), became an issue, and the censors debated it and demanded the cancellation of the results (paebang), which caused much controversy. During the investigation of Oh Un-gi's answer sheet, it was also revealed that, just before the examination, Sin had bribed the examiner Jeong Sa-ryong and obtained the examination answers in advance, and this became a problem.
Eventually, from the ninth month of 1558 (the 13th year of Myeongjong), repeated discussions and denunciations by the censors and the Office of the Inspector-General formed public opinion. Jeong Sa-ryong was temporarily dismissed, Sin's examination pass was revoked, and he was soon exiled.1 In the twelfth month of that year, his son Sin Hui (愼喜) petitioned the throne on his father's behalf, protesting the injustice. Myeongjong, intending to check Yun Won-hyeong, sought out Yi Ryang (李樑), the maternal uncle of Queen Inseon on her natal side and a tenth-degree kinsman on the paternal side, and became his loyal follower. In the twelfth month of 1558, the king issued an order to the Royal Secretariat stating that Sin had been unjustly removed from the list. In the third month of 1559, through the efforts of Yi Ryang and others, he was restored to the examination list (bokgwa). The Office of the Inspector-General repeatedly requested the revocation of his restoration, but the requests were not accepted. Then, on the 29th day of the third month of that year, his son Sin Hui again appealed to Myeongjong by petition on his father's behalf, and this petition was accepted, which confirmed his restoration.
After being released from exile, he soon became jeongrang (正郞). Afterward, he acted as a follower of Yi Ryang and then served as Seonggyungwan sayesa (成均館司藝), sagan of the Office of Remonstrance, and other posts. He was also close to Yun Baek-won and others, and he disliked Yi Yang-won, who had once served as jeongrang of the Ministry of Personnel (吏曹), and secretly had him removed from office and arranged for Gang Geuk-seong to become jeongrang of the Ministry of Personnel. Afterward, in the tenth month of 1561 (the 16th year of Myeongjong), he was appointed sayesa of Seonggyungwan, and in 1563 (the 18th year of Myeongjong) he was appointed buseong of Bongsangsi (奉常寺副正). In that same year, Yi Ryang attempted to eliminate the Sarim faction, but Sim Ui-gyeom, who learned of this, incited Gi Dae-hang to impeach him, and Yi Ryang fell from power. Sin himself soon came under impeachment and attack by Gi Dae-hang. Soon public opinion turned against them, and when Yi Ryang lost his influence, in the eighth month of 1563 he, together with Yi Ryang, Go Maeng-yeong, Yi Gam, Yun Baek-won, Kim Baek-gyun, and others, was labeled as the Six Traitors (六奸) and demoted or dismissed from office. He was also dismissed and exiled to Jecheon in North Chungcheong Province, and in the tenth month of that year he was transferred to Geoje Island. Meanwhile, his maternal grandson was Nam I-gong and others, who were leaders of the Northern Faction and Soebuk faction during the reign of Gwanghaegun. His later activities are unknown, and both the year and date of his death are unknown.
Afterward
Only fragmentary records of his activities survive, and no precise account of his life has been transmitted.
His tomb is located in Suhoe-dong, Samsang-ri, Jangheung-myeon, Yangju, Gyeonggi Province. He was buried in a shared double tomb with his wife, Lady Jo of Pungyang, below the tombs of his father Sin Hong-jo and mother. In nearby Ilyeong-ri, Jangheung-myeon, are the tombs of Sin Seung-seon and Sin Su-geun, among others.
Miscellaneous
He was related to Seongjong through multiple marriage ties. His great-grandaunt was Lady Sin, the deposed consort, who was the wife of Yeonsangun, son of Seongjong, and thus Seongjong's daughter-in-law. His biological aunt was Queen Danggyeong, who was the wife of Jungjong, another son of Seongjong, and thus also Seongjong's daughter-in-law. His maternal grandfather Im Hui-jae's elder brother Im Gwang-jae (任光載) married Princess Hyeonsuk, a cousin of Seongjong and daughter of Yejong. Im Hui-jae's younger brother, Im Sung-jae (任崇載), who was his maternal great-uncle, married Princess Hwisuk, a daughter of Seongjong. Therefore, on both his paternal and maternal sides, he was related to Seongjong by marriage and as a relative by marriage.
References
- Jungjong Sillok
- Myeongjong Sillok
- Gukjo Bangmok
- Samma Bangmok
- Daedong Yaseung
- Yonghwa Chongjae
- Yeollyeo Silgisul
- Gukjo Bangmok
Notes