Yi Jik

Yi Jik (李稷, 1362–1431) was a civil official who lived during the late Goryeo and early Joseon periods. His courtesy name was Ujeong (虞庭), his art name was Hyeongjae (亨齋), his family seat was Seongju, his enfeoffed title was Lord Seongsan (星山府院君), and his posthumous name was Munggyeong (文景).

Life

He was the son of Yi Inmin and a great-grandson of Yi Jonyeon, and he was the cousin of Heungan Lord Yi Je. In the reign of King U, he passed the civil service examination at the age of 16 and served as Junbu of Gyeongsun Prefecture, Academician of the Yemun-gwan, and in other posts. In 1388, during the Musin Purge, he was exiled to Jeonju because he was a relative of Yi Inim. In 1392 he helped Yi Seong-gye found Joseon and was registered as a Third-Class Meritorious Subject. During the Second Strife of the Princes, he was registered as a Fourth-Class Meritorious Subject, but he did not play a central role in the founding of Joseon or in the accession of King Taejong.¹ King Taejo said that he had selected Yi Jik because Yi Jik was a cousin of Yi Je.² In the early reign of King Taejo, he traveled to the Ming dynasty four times, where he displayed diplomatic skill. He was also an administrator who prepared various institutions and showed talent in public works such as the construction of the Hanyang capital walls and the building of the northeastern fortifications.¹ He served as Chief Academician of the Yemun-gwan (1402) and Minister of Personnel (1405). In 1403, by royal command of King Taejong, he established the Jujasa and produced the bronze movable type Gyemija.³ In 1412 he was enfeoffed as Lord Seongsan, and in the following year he attained the post of . However, in 1415 Min Mu-hoe, who had heard complaints from Hwanghwang Magistrate Yeom Chi-yong about slave ownership, reported those words to . This developed into the case of the Min brothers, and , and Yi Jik was also drawn into the affair. He was accused of shielding the Min brothers because of his personal ties to them, and he resigned from office and returned to his home region. In addition, his opposition, together with , to the deposition of led to his exile in his home region, where he spent eight years reading books day and night without meeting visitors. In 1422, , who had withdrawn from the throne and become Taesang-hwang, took the widowed daughter of Yi Jik as a royal consort. Taejong then summoned Yi Jik and returned his official documents and the certificate of meritorious subject, but Yi Jik was not pleased. At that time, many memorials were submitted demanding his punishment on the grounds that his release from exile was due to his daughter. However, after his daughter was enfeoffed as Lady Sinsun (愼順宮主), Yi Jik was instead enfeoffed as Lord Seongsan (星山府院君) and had his former farmland returned to him. In 1424 he was appointed Chief State Councillor, and in 1426 Left State Councillor. He died in 1431.