Great Joseon leaders and thinkers
From kings to poets, meet ten of the dynasty’s most fascinating figures
JEONG YAK-YONG 1762-1836
Usually remembered by his pen name Dasan, Jeong Yak-yong was one of the greatest thinkers of the Joseon Dynasty. He passed the state exam to become a high-ranking official at the age of 28 and was a trusted advisor and confidant of King Jeongjo, who asked him to design Hwaseong Fortress. In 1801, Yak-yong was accused of associating with Catholics and was subsequently exiled by his rivals to Gangjin, in the South Jeolla province, for the next 18 years. However, Yak-yong wrote a number of his major works while in exile, focusing on topics such as politics, ethics and reform.
KING SEJONG 1397-1450
Best remembered by his epithet ‘the Great’, King Sejong was known for appointing people from all social classes as civil servants. Under his rule, the Korean Renaissance occurred, with numerous technological advances and the establishment of a royal research institute, the Hall of Worthies, in 1420. Sejong also strengthened the military, reformed the Korean calendar and is credited with inventing the phonetic alphabet, Hangul, so commoners could learn to read and write. His government also introduced maternity leave for female servants at public offices. The king was unwell in his final years and so his son, Crown Prince Munjong, acted as his regent.
KIM HONG-DO C.1745-C.1806
Also known by his artist name Danwon, Kim Hong-do was a renowned court painter from the Joseon Dynasty. He painted landscapes, animals, portraits, and Buddhist and Daoist themes, but his genre paintings were his most famous works, focusing on the working class and their everyday activities. These lively, candid paintings were greatly admired for their natural depictions of emotion and Hongdo is widely credited for starting a new trend in Joseon art.
KING TAEJO 1335-1408
Successfully overthrowing the Goryeo Dynasty after launching a coup, General Yi Seong-gye founded the new Joseon Dynasty as King Taejo in 1392. His ascension ushered in the rise of Neo-confucianism and improved relations with the Ming Dynasty in China, which had previously supported his faction in the Goryeo court. In 1398, Taejo abdicated after becoming frustrated with his sons, who were fighting over who would succeed him. He died ten years later in Changdeokgung Palace.
YI HWANG 1501-1570
Yi Hwang was a philosopher, writer and one of the most renowned Neo-confucian thinkers of the Joseon Dynasty. Also known by his pen name, T’oegye, Yi Hwang took the civil service exam and held a number of government positions, although his true passion was for studying. He eventually retired in his late-forties and established his own academy, although he was recalled to office numerous times by the king – in total, he served four Joseon kings during his lifetime. His last great work, Ten Diagrams On Sage Learning, is a classic of Korean Neo-confucian tradition and it went through several reprints.
EMPRESS MYEONGSEONG 1851-1895
Queen Min, consort of King Gojong, opposed Japan’s grip over Joseon Korea following the former’s victory in the first Sino-japanese war. She tried to counter Japan’s imperial ambitions by advocating a pro-russian policy and therefore was seen as a threat to the Japanese and their plans to annex Korea. In October 1895 the queen was brutally assassinated in Gyeongbokgung Palace and her body was burned, leaving the nation shocked. She was posthumously given the title Empress Myeongseong when her husband became Emperor of Korea.
HEO NANSEOLHEON 1563-1589
Heo Nanseolheon was a talented poet who, at just eight years old, wrote Inscriptions On The Ridge Pole Of The White Jade Pavilion In The Gwanghan Palace, which was considered a work of poetic genius. Much of her poetry was influenced by her life – in particular her unhappy marriage – but her work was cut short when she passed away at the age of 27. Nanseolheon had asked her brother, Heo Gyun, to burn her poems after her death but, thankfully, he did not destroy them all. They were later published posthumously, becoming popular in China and Japan in the 18th century.
SHIN SAIMDANG 1504-1551
One of the most famous women in Korean history, Shin Saimdang was a writer, artist and calligraphist who is best remembered for her delicate paintings, which included landscapes, insects and plants. Her father ensured that she received an education that was usually only given to boys, and when he arranged her marriage he chose a husband who would not interfere with her art. In 2009, she became the first woman to appear on a Korean banknote.
HEO JUN 1546-1615
Heo Jun was an acclaimed physician and scholar at the court of King Seonjo. He was asked to create an encyclopedia of medical knowledge that could be published and given to the people, but he was exiled by jealous officials after Seonjo’s death in 1608. Nonetheless, Heo Jun continued the project privately and produced the Dongui Bogam, which was considered the defining text of traditional Korean medicine and is still influencing Eastern medicine today.
JANG YEONG-SIL C.1390-C.1443
One of Joseon’s best scientists and inventors, Jang Yeongsil was a peasant who rose through the government to become the chief court engineer under King Sejong. He contributed to the development of Korean weapons and produced many inventions, including a celestial globe, a sundial and a self-striking water clock, which became the standard timepiece across the country. In 1441 he developed his most famous invention, the cheugugi, a rain gauge. In 1442 he was expelled from court by his enemies in the elite who opposed his social mobility.