ORI YI WONIK

Ori Yi Wonik

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Yi Wonik(李元翼, 1547~1634)
He was a civil minister of the middle years of the Joseon Dynasty, and one of the representative statesmen of the period. His bongwan("family origin") was Jeonju, ja("another name") was Gongryeo(公勵), ho("pen name") was Ori(梧里), and his siho("posthumous epithet") was Munchung(文忠). He was born in Cheondalbang, Yudong of Hanseongbu(Seoul at present) as a son of Yi Eokjae, and a fourth-generation son of Iknyeonggun Yi Chi, a son of King Taejong.
Nature
He was widely called 'small prime minister' due to his short stature. He did not enjoy hanging out with his friends, but usually stayed at home except for his official duties. It was Yu Seongyong that became aware of Yi Wonik's unusual gift earlier than others.
Education and the Beginning of Government Service
He entered Donghak(one of four academies in Seoul) at the age of 15. He passed a samasi("civil officer qualification examination") in 1594(19 th year of King Myeongjong's reign), passed a byeolsimungwabyeonggwa("final stage of the highest-level state exam for civil officer") in 1569(2nd year of King Seonjo's reign), and was appointed to the post of Seungmunwon Gwonjibujeongja in the next year.
Jiljeonggwan of Seongjeolsa and a Dosa of Hwanghae-do
After he served as the Jeongja and the Jeojak holding also the post of Bongsangjikjang, he was appointed the Jeonjeok of Seonggyungwan in 1573, and visited Beijing as a jiljeonggwan("envoy in charge of learning advanced civilization") of Gwon Deokyeo, the Seongjeolsa(envoy in chief) in February of the next year. Thereafter he worked as a jwarang("middle-ranking official of a ministry") of Hojo, Yejo, and Hyeongjo, respectively, and was appointed a dosa("administrative official") of Hwanghae-do in the fall of the following year. During his service as a dosa, he showed his ability especially for the arrangement of military register. This talent of his was soon recognized by Yi I, who later recommended Yi Wonik to positions in the central government several times. After he was posted to the central government as a jeongeon("official in charge of remonstrating with the throne") in the fall of 1575, he successively serviced in such posts as jipyeong, heonnap, jangryeong, suchan, gyori, Ggyeongyeongangdokgwan, eunggyo, and Dongbuseungji.
Story of the Dismissal from Office
When he was the Ubuseungji in 1583, the Seungjeongwon(secretary's office) was impeached by Ha Rak, the Wangjasabu(official in charge of teaching princes) since Bak Geunwon, the Doseungji(chief secretary to the king), and Bak Sun, the Yeonguijeong(prime minister), were on bad terms. While other seungjis("secretary to the king") tried to be freed from their responsibility ascribing the impeachment to the trouble between Bak Geunwon and Bak Sun, Yi Wonik distinctively reported to the king that he was responsible for the impeachment, and, as a result, was dismissed from office. He was out of official position for five years after the dismissal.
Achievements as Magistrate of Anju
After the dismissal, Yi Wonik was appointed magistrate of Anju on the recommendation of Gwon Geukrye, the champan("vice-minister") of Ijo. He provided the famished with food through asking the central government relief grain, and stabilized their livelihood by distributing seed grains to them. In addition, he reformed the military service system. He lightened the burden of his people by reducing the length of military service from three months a year to two months a year. This new system was adopted all over the country at the instance of Yun Dusu, the sunchalsa("governor in charge of military affairs"). He also encouraged sericultural industry during his service as the magistrate of Anju, so that the mulberry trees in Anju were called 'Igongsang(Yi Wonik's mulberry trees)'. Thereafter he served consecutively as the champan of Hyeongjo, Daesaheon, panseo("minister") of Hojo and Yejo, panseo of Ijo holding also the post of Dochongwan, and Jiuigeumbusa until the outbreak of the Japanese Invasion of Joseon in 1592.
Outbreak of the Japanese Invasion and Dosunchalsa of Pyeongan-Do
As the Japanese Invasion broke out, he was sent first to Pyeongan-do as the Dosunchalsa(temporary local commander in wartime) of the region holding also the post of panseo of Ijo, and King Seonjo fled from the royal palace to Pyeongyang and again to Yeongbyeon. At this time, Pyeongyang was being garrisoned by only about 3, 000 soldiers. To make things worse, they were not fully under the leadership of Gim Myeongwon, the commander in chief, and their military discipline was slackened. Therefore, Yi Wonik served Gim Myeongwon with modesty and restored the military discipline. After the fall of Pyeongyang, he went to Jeongju for recruiting, and rendered distinguished military services in repulsing the Japanese army as a gwanchalsa("governor") as well as a sunchalsa. In January of 1593, he retook Pyeongyang with Li Rusong(李如松), and in recognition of the victory he was designated to Sungjeongdaebu. Even after King Seonjo's return to the capital, he remained in Pyeongyang and administered military affairs. In 1592, he was appointed Sadodochechalsa(temporary commander in wartime of four districts) holding also the post of Uuijeong(no. 3 prime minister), but mainly worked at the Chechalsayeong of the Yeongnam area.
Yi Wonik as Jinjubyeonmusa
The central government of Joseon was organizing the Jinjubyeonmusa(a kind of diplomatic delegation) for explaining the incident that Jeong Eungtae of the Ming Dynasty landed Yang Ho in difficulties. At that time, Yi Wonik volunteered for the mission, saying to Yu Seongyong, the Yeonguijeong(prime minister), "I do want to go to Ming in spite of my old age. But, please don't expect that I have enough knowledge and oratorical talent to fulfill the mission". However, he came home to Joseon without any outcome due to the disturbance of Jeong Eungtae. In spite of the poor results, King Seonjo appreciated and praised his effort, and appointed him to the Yeonguijeong.
Criticism on Party Strife
As Yi Icheom and his clique attacked Yu Seongyong and drove other righteous persons out of the government, Yi Wonik reported this to the king and resigned his post under the pretext of illness. Thereafter he was appointed to the Jungchubusa, and restored to the Yeonguijeong in September of the next year. During his service, Jeong Yeongguk and Chae Gyeomgil attacked other ministers, sheltering Hong Yeosun and Im Gukro. Yi Wonik considered this as a bad effect of party strife, and again resigned the post of the Yeonguijeong, crying for the eradication of party strife and objecting to the abdication of the throne to the crown prince.
Hoseonggongsin and Wanpyeongbuwongun
After serving as the Jwauijeong(no. 2 prime minister) in 1600, he was appointed Dochechalsa and consoled the people of the Yeongnam and the Seobuk regions. In recognition of his services, he was honored as Hoseonggongsin, a meritorious retainer, and was designated to Wanpyeongbuwongun, an honorary prime minister.
Operation of Daedongbeop
He, again, was appointed the Yeonguijeong after King Gwanghaegun's accession to the throne. By operating the Daedongbeop in Gyeonggi-do which was established at the instance of Gim Yuk, Yi Wonik reduced the burden of taxation imposed on the people for the sake of the postwar restoration and the stabilization of the people's livelihood.
Objection to the Dethronement of the Queen Dowager and the Banishment to Hongcheon
As King Gwanghaegun became violent, Yi Wonik remonstrated with the king about the king's undutifulness to the queen dowager, bad brotherliness, carnal desire, and squandering of the national finance. And he went back to his hometown under the pretext of illness after he failed to stop the execution of Prince Imhaegun. He sent up a memorial to the king, in spite of the dissuasion of his family, against the dethronement of the queen dowager which was suggested by Jeong Jo and Yun In. As a result, he was banished to Hongcheon, and later transferred to Yeoju.
Enthronement of King Injo and the Relief of the Dethroned Gwanghaegun
Yi Wonik was, again, appointed to the Yeonguijeong shortly after Gwanghaegun was dethroned and King Injo was enthroned as a new king in 1623. As public opinion was for the execution of Gwanghaegun, Yi Wonik saved Gwanghaegun's life from death through telling King Injo that he also must be punished if Gwanghaegun would be executed because he had been the Yeonguijeong during the Gwanghaegun's reign.
Attendance on the King during the Rebellion of Yi Gwal
During the rebellion of Yi Gwal in 1624, Yi Wonik was in attendance on the king to Gongju in spite of the advanced age of nearly 80. During the Chinese Invasion of Joseon in 1627, he escorted the crown prince to Jeonju as the Dochechalsa, and was appointed to the Jejo of Hunryeondogam after returning to the capital. Due to his advanced age, however, he went back to the hometown. Later, the king asked him to do official service several times, but he did not accept the request.
Simplicity and Honesty
Having an open heart and a strong sense of justice, he never showed off his authority but was devoted to his duties. He was clean-handed to the extent that his house was a small thatched house and his family managed to live after his retirement from office, although he served as the Yeonguijeong five times. In appreciation of his honest poverty, he was awarded a gwejang("set of a cushion and a cane") by King Injo.
Literary Works
He wrote many writings including Orijip, Sokorijip and Oriilgi, and also wrote a gasa("an old form of Korean verse"), 'Gogongdapjuinga'.