| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 이수광 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 李睟光 |
| Revised Romanization | I Sugwang |
| McCune–Reischauer | I Sugwang |
Yi Sugwang (Korean: 이수광; 1563–1628), also known asLee Soo-kwang,[1] was aKoreansarim, a military official, and adiplomat of theJoseon period. He was also anacademic and anencyclopedist who compiled theJibong Yuseol, the earliest Korean encyclopedia.
Yi Sugwang was born to a wealthy, aristocratic family in 1563, and was offered the finest education his parents could afford. In 1585, he passed thecivil service exam and became a military officer.
In the wake ofSeven-Year War, he was stationed inJogyeong,Gyeongsang province, where he was given command of a small army contingent. He encountered a Japanese expeditionary contingent inYongin,Gyeonggi province and lost. His superiors restationed him inUiju,Hamgyong province, where he encountered more Japanese forces. His actions during this period were sufficiently successful for him to be promoted.
In 1614, he would write about his military experience, noting that the Joseon forces had "too manysajok (families ofyangban or scholar officials), idlers, vagrants and too few people liable for service."[2] The book is considered to be the foundation of theSilhak school.[3]
After the war, he was dispatched as an emissary to theMing Dynasty.[4] In Ming China, he acquired several books written onCatholicism by an Italian priest,Matteo Ricci, who was living in China at this time. He brought them back to Korea, which was the first time Western literature had been brought into Korea. He took great interest in the Western world. From the research he developed during his three missions to China, he was able to create a 20-volume encyclopedia, with the titleJibong Yuseol.[5]
TheJibong Yuseol contained not only information on Catholicism and China, but also onJapan,Vietnam, andThailand. It also contained basic information on the Western world, including the geography and weather of England, western food, and western weapons. He also wrote about the knowledge ofastronomy that he had acquired from an Italian priest staying in China at the time. He visited China several times, and even metThai (known then to Koreans asSeomra people) emissaries in China. Taking a great interest in the Thais, he closely recorded the customs of the Thai people. He also had contact with emissaries from Vietnam and the Okinawan Islands.
When he came back to Korea, he became the high-ranking government official of Ijo (吏曹, Ministry of Personnel), theIjo Panseo (이조판서). In his later works -Jibong Jib (지봉집) andChaesin Jamnok (채신잡록)- he placed less emphasis onConfucianism and emphasized adopting western knowledge to strengthen the nation. His work also dealt with the subject of moderate political and economic reforms to improve the living standards of the peasants, which had deteriorated following theSeven-Year War, and the bureaucracy. He also implemented welfare policies, believing that theWay of Heaven was found among the people and the most noble endeavour was to feed and clothe the poor. His idea of a welfare state was inspired by both Confucianism and Catholicism. These books were stored inChangsu Seowon (Changsu Confucian Academy) inSuwon,Gyeonggi province.
Those whom he is said to have influenced include the early 17th century thinkers,Yu Hyeong-won (1622–1673) andYun Jeung (尹拯, 1629–1714).[6]
He died in 1628. He was given the posthumous official titleYeonguijeong, the Chief State Councillor of the State Council.
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