Songun Yu Jeong
Encyclopedia
Samyeongdang also known by his Buddhist name, Yujeong (or Yu jeong), was a Korean Buddhist monk during the Joseon Dynasty
. He is sometimes identified by his pen name, Song-un. He was born to a family of the Im clan in Miryang
, Gyeongsang
province. After the deaths of his mother in 1558 and his father in 1559, he became a monk at Jikjisa
on Hwangaksan in Gimcheon
.
for Buddhist monks. He corresponded with various scholars of the time including Pak Sa-am, Heo Ha-gok, and Im Baek-ho. In 1575, he was recommended for the headship of the Seon
order, but refused and instead traveled to Myohyangsan. There he was instructed by preceptor Seosan Daesa. He went on to pass three years at Podŏksa on Kŭmgangsan
, and later traveled through Palgongsan
, Cheongnyangsan
, and Taebaeksan
.
With the outbreak of Japanese invasions in 1592, Yujeong joined his teacher Seosan's righteous army
of monks. After Seosan retired due to his age, Yujeong took over the leadership of the monks' army. He led the army into battles at Pyongyang
and Uiryeong
in 1592, set up mountain fortresses through Gyeongsang in 1594, and joined in battle again at Ulsan
and Suncheon
.
In 1604, after the end of the war, he traveled to Japan on King Seonjo's orders to forge a peace accord with Tokugawa Ieyasu
, and returned with 3500 Koreans who had been taken prisoner. Yu jeong's diplomatic missions established a resilient foundation for a series of major Joseon missions to Japan.
After his death in 1610 on Haeinsa
, Yujeong was enshrined in the Pyochung Seowon in Miryang and at Suchungsa in Nyŏngbyŏn
. He continues to be remembered in modern times, with numerous statues and other memorials around Korea. He has been cited together with Seosan Daesa as an example of a "patriotic-minded" Buddhist by the North Korean Korean Buddhist Federation. Yujeong's writings are preserved in the Samyeongjip (사명대사집, 四溟大師集) and Bunchungseo Nallok (분충서난록, 奮忠紓難錄).
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
. He is sometimes identified by his pen name, Song-un. He was born to a family of the Im clan in Miryang
Miryang
Miryang, often spelled Milyang, is a city in Gyeongsangnam-do Province, South Korea. Neighboring cities include Changnyeong to the west, Cheongdo to the north, Ulsan to the east, and Yangsan, Gimhae, and Changwon to the south. The city bird is the Korean magpie, the city tree is the pine, and the...
, Gyeongsang
Gyeongsang
Gyeongsang was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Gyeongsang was located in the southeast of Korea....
province. After the deaths of his mother in 1558 and his father in 1559, he became a monk at Jikjisa
Jikjisa
Jikjisa is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. It is located on the slopes of Hwangaksan in Daehang-myeon, Gimcheon, in the province of Gyeongsangbuk-do. It may be one of the oldest temples in South Korea....
on Hwangaksan in Gimcheon
Gimcheon
Gimcheon is a city in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It is situated on the major land transportation routes between Seoul and Busan, namely the Gyeongbu Expressway and Gyeongbu Line railway.-Administrative divisions:...
.
Life
In 1561, he passed the seon-gwa, the specialized civil service examinationsGwageo
The gwageo were the national civil service examinations under the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties of Korea. Typically quite demanding, these tests measured candidates' knowledge of the Chinese classics, and sometimes also of technical subjects...
for Buddhist monks. He corresponded with various scholars of the time including Pak Sa-am, Heo Ha-gok, and Im Baek-ho. In 1575, he was recommended for the headship of the Seon
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
order, but refused and instead traveled to Myohyangsan. There he was instructed by preceptor Seosan Daesa. He went on to pass three years at Podŏksa on Kŭmgangsan
Kumgangsan
Kŭmgangsan , Geumgangsan, or Mount Geumgang is a -high mountain in Kangwon-do, North Korea. Its name means "a firm heart in the face of truth". It is about 50 km away from South Korea's Sokcho in Gangwon-do. It is one of the best-known mountains in North Korea...
, and later traveled through Palgongsan
Palgongsan
Palgongsan, also Palgong Mountain, is a mountain in southeastern South Korea, lying on an outlier of the Taebaek range. It stands on the border between Daegu metropolitan city and North Gyeongsang province...
, Cheongnyangsan
Cheongnyangsan
Cheongnyangsan is a mountain of Gyeongsangbuk-do, eastern South Korea. It has an altitude of 870 metres.-References:...
, and Taebaeksan
Taebaeksan
Taebaeksan is a South Korean mountain that stretches from the city of Taebaek and Yeongwol County, Gangwon-do and Bonghwa County, Gyeongsangbuk-do. It has an elevation of ....
.
With the outbreak of Japanese invasions in 1592, Yujeong joined his teacher Seosan's righteous army
Righteous army
Righteous armies, sometimes called irregular armies or militias, have appeared several times in Korean history, when the national armies were in need of assistance....
of monks. After Seosan retired due to his age, Yujeong took over the leadership of the monks' army. He led the army into battles at Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
and Uiryeong
Uiryeong
Uiryeong County is a county in Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea. It is one of the least populated counties in Korea.In 1938, Uiryeong native Lee Byung-chull founded Samsung Group in nearby Daegu....
in 1592, set up mountain fortresses through Gyeongsang in 1594, and joined in battle again at Ulsan
Ulsan
Ulsan , officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's seventh largest metropolis with a population of over 1.1 million. It is located in the south-east of the country, neighboring Busan to the south and facing Gyeongju to the north and the Sea of Japan to the east.Ulsan is the...
and Suncheon
Suncheon
Suncheon or Sunchon is the name of two Korean cities:*Sunchon, North Korea*Suncheon, South Korea...
.
In 1604, after the end of the war, he traveled to Japan on King Seonjo's orders to forge a peace accord with Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
, and returned with 3500 Koreans who had been taken prisoner. Yu jeong's diplomatic missions established a resilient foundation for a series of major Joseon missions to Japan.
After his death in 1610 on Haeinsa
Haeinsa
Haeinsa is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in the Gaya Mountains , South Gyeongsang Province South Korea...
, Yujeong was enshrined in the Pyochung Seowon in Miryang and at Suchungsa in Nyŏngbyŏn
Nyongbyon
Nyongbyon-gun, alternatively Yongbyon-gun, is a county in North Pyongan province, North Korea. It borders the cities of Kaech'on and Anju, and covers an area of 504 km²....
. He continues to be remembered in modern times, with numerous statues and other memorials around Korea. He has been cited together with Seosan Daesa as an example of a "patriotic-minded" Buddhist by the North Korean Korean Buddhist Federation. Yujeong's writings are preserved in the Samyeongjip (사명대사집, 四溟大師集) and Bunchungseo Nallok (분충서난록, 奮忠紓難錄).