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Chŏng Mong-ju

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Template:Korean name

Chŏng Mong-ju
Korean name
Hangul
정몽주
Hanja
鄭夢周
Revised RomanizationJeong Mongju
McCune–ReischauerChŏng Mongju
Art name
Hangul
포은
Hanja
圃隱
Revised RomanizationPo Eun
McCune–ReischauerP'o Ŭn

Jeong Mong-ju (Korean: 정몽주, Hanja: 鄭夢周, January 13, 1338 – April 26, 1392), also known by his pen name Poeun (Korean: 포은), was a Korean civil minister, diplomat and scholar from the end period of the Goryeo Dynasty.[1][2]

Life

Background and early career

Jeong Mong-ju was born in Yeongcheon, Gyeongsang province to a family from the Yeongil Jeong clan. At the age of 23, he took three different civil service literary examinations (Gwageo) and received the highest marks possible on each of them.[2] In 1367, he became an instructor in Neo-Confucianism at the Gukjagam, then called "Seonggyungwan", whilst simultaneously holding a government position, and was a faithful public servant to King U. The king had great confidence in his wide knowledge and good judgement, and so he participated in various national projects and his scholarly works earned him great respect in the Goryeo court.

As a special envoy in Ming Dynasty (China) and Japan

In 1372, Jeong Mong-ju visited Ming Dynasty, as a diplomatic envoy. Around the time, as waegu (왜구/ 倭寇) (Japanese pirate)'s invasions to the Korean Peninsula were extreme, Jeong Mong-ju was dispatched as a delegate to Kyūshū in Japan, in 1377.[2][3] His negotiations led to promises of Japanese aid in defeating the pirates. He traveled to the Ming Dynasty's capital city in 1384[4] and the negotiations with the Chinese led to peace with Ming Dynasty in 1385. He also founded an institute devoted to the theories of Confucianism.

The last years of life

During the last period of the Goryeo Dynasty, Goryeo went through very hard times - through the dethroning and the assassination of two of its last kings (the 32nd and the 33rd) - King U of Goryeo (r. 1374–1388) and his son - King Chang of Goryeo (r. 1388–1389) by orders of Yi Seong-gye (later Taejo of Joseon) supported by his political allies (such as Jeong Do-jeon, Yi Bang-won) Yun So-jong, Nam Eun and others).

After the enthronement of the 34th and final king of Goryeo - King Gongyang of Goryeo (r. 1389–1392), when Yi Seong-gye was the Prime Minister of Goryeo, Jeong Mong-ju became Vice Prime Minister of the Goryeo Dynasty during the last years of his life, being always very loyal to his country, to kings of Goryeo, and to his political vision. But because of his loyalty and very different opinions about diverse issues, such as: the loyalty for the reckless kings of Goryeo, the reform of the land (for the benefit of every commoner of the country), the founding of a new dynasty (through harmony, peace and Confucianism - according to the "people-oriented" doctrine (Minbon, 민본) desired by Jeong Do-jeon) - Jeong Mong-ju came in conflict with Yi Seong-gye and Jeong Do-jeon, but especially with Yi Bang-won, the last seeing Jeong Mong-ju as a great danger and enemy for their dream (the foundation of Joseon Dynasty).

Even so, Yi Seong-gye and Jeong Do-jeon (Jeong Mong-ju's old friend since childhood) respected Jeong Mong-ju for his devotion and virtues as a man and politician, and they two wanted Jeong Mong-ju as a Prime Minister of the new dynasty (Joseon). But Jeong Mong-ju did not agree with their vision, and because he became a very serious opponent to their cause and dream, eventually he was murdered by Yi Bang-won's men. Both Yi Seong-gye and Jeong Do-jeon were shocked by Yi Bang-won's action against Jeong Mong-ju.

Conflict with Yi Bang-won

Jeong Mong-ju was murdered in 1392, on the Sonjukkyo Bridge in Gaeseong, now in North Korea, by five men sent by Yi Bang-won, following a banquet held for him by the same Yi Bang-won (later Taejong of Joseon, the fifth son of Yi Seong-gye, who overthrew the Goryeo Dynasty, in order to found the Joseon Dynasty). Jeong Mong-ju was murdered because he refused to betray his loyalty to the Goryeo Dynasty and because he refused to accept the changes wanted by Yi Bang-won for the creation of a new dynasty (Joseon), instead of the rotten Goryeo Dynasty. During the banquet, Yi Bang-won recited a poem (Hayeoga, 하여가/ 何如歌) to dissuade Jeong Mong-ju from remaining loyal to the Goryeo court, but Jeong Mong-ju answered with another poem (Dansimga, 단심가/ 丹心歌) that affirmed his loyalty. Yi Seong-gye is said to have lamented Jeong Mong-ju's death and rebuked his fifth son (Yi Bang-won) because Jeong Mong-ju was a highly regarded and very loyal politician by the common people. The Sonjukkyo Bridge where Jeong Mong-ju was murdered, now in North Korea, has now become a national monument of that country. A brown spot on one of the stones is said to be Jeong Mong-ju's bloodstain, and is said to become red whenever it rains. Currently, his direct surviving descendants are his 21st and 22nd generation, all of whom reside in South Korea and the United States.

The 474-year-old Goryeo Dynasty symbolically ended with Jeong Mong-ju's death, and was followed by the Joseon Dynasty for 505 years (1392 – 1897). Jeong Mong-ju's noble death symbolises his faithful allegiance to the king, and he was later venerated even by Joseon monarchs. In 1517, 125 years after his death, he was canonised into the National Academy alongside other Korean sages such as Yi I (Yulgok) and Yi Hwang (Toegye).

In sport

The 11th pattern of ITF Taekwon-Do is named after Poeun. The pattern is performed as part of the testing syllabus for the level of 2nd degree black belt. The diagram ( - ) represents his unerring loyalty to the king and country towards the end of the Goryeo Dynasty.

The poems

portrait of Jeong Mong-ju

Yi Bang-won's sijo/ poem (Hayeoga)

하여가 (何如歌)

이런들 어떠하리 저런들 어떠하리 此亦何如彼亦何如 (차역하여피역하여)

만수산 드렁칡이 얽어진들 어떠하리 城隍堂後垣頹落亦何如 (성황당후원퇴락역하여)

우리도 이같이 얽어져 백년까지 누리리라 我輩若此爲不死亦何如 (아배약차위불사역하여)

(Based on the Hanja)

What shall it be: this or that?

The walls behind the temple of the city's deity* has fallen - shall it be this?

Or if we survive together nonetheless - shall it be that?

(* Yi Bang-won is declaring the death of the era - the Goryeo Dynasty.)

Jeong Mong-ju's sijo/ poem (Dansimga)

단심가 (丹心歌)

이몸이 죽고 죽어 일백 번 고쳐 죽어 此身死了死了一百番更死了 (차신사료사료일백번갱사료)

백골이 진토되어 넋이라도 있고 없고 白骨爲塵土魂魄有無也 (백골위진토혼백유무야)

임 향한 일편 단심이야 가실 줄이 있으랴 鄕主一片丹心寧有改理歟 (향주일편단심유개리여)

Though I die and die again a hundred times,

That my bones turn to dust, whether my soul remains or not,

Ever loyal to my Lord, how can this red heart ever fade away?

Books

  • Poeun Jip (포은집, 圃隱集)
  • Poeun Sigo (포은시고, 圃隱詩藁)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Kang et al. (2006), p. 191.
  2. ^ a b c 정몽주 鄭夢周 (in Korean) Nate / Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
  3. ^ Titsingh, (1834). p. 313.
  4. ^ Kang, p. 159.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jeong Mongju.
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