Mun Ik-jeom (; 8 February 132913 June 1398) was a politician of the Goryeo Dynasty and a Neo-Confucian scholar. His given name was Ikcheom (익첨, 益瞻), his courtesy name was Ilsin (일신, 日新), and his art names were Saeun (사은, 思隱) and Samudang (삼우당, 三憂堂).
History
Moon Ik-jeom was born in Gangseong-hyeon, Jinju-mok, Gyeongsang Province (modern day Danseong-myeon, Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang Province) in 1329. His father was Moon Suk-seon, who had passed the civil service examination but did not work for the government. Ik-jeom started working for the government as a historical recorder in 1360. In 1363, he went to Yuan China as an ambassador for cultural exchange. On the way back to Korea he stole cottonseed in his writing brush cap to bring it secretly into Korea. In 1364, he went back to his home town Jinju to spread the seed and successfully grew one of the seeds he had brought back and continued to grow the number of plants significantly. Within ten years, Korea was able to produce cotton and was able to distribute it to the citizens. He died in 1398.
Family
Great-Grandfather
Moon Geuk-geom (검교군기감 문극검, 文克儉) Grandfather Moon Yun-gak (봉익대부 삼사우사 문한학사 치사 문윤각, 文允恪) Father - Moon Suk-seon (경주 사록 문숙선, 文叔宣) Mother - Lady Jo of the Haman Jo clan (함안 조씨, 咸安 趙氏) Grandfather - Jo Jin-ju (영동정 조진주, 趙珍柱) Wives and their issue Lady Ju (주씨) - No issue. Lady Jeong of the Jinju Jeong clan (진주 정씨, 晋州 鄭氏); daughter of Jeong Cheon-ik (전객령 치사 정천익) Son - Moon Jung-yong (사간원 헌납 문중용, 文中庸) Son - Moon Jung-seong (한림 문중성, 文中誠) Son - Moon Jung-sil (간의대부 문중실, 文中實) Daughter - Lady Moon of the Nampyeong Moon clan (남평 문씨, 南平 文氏) Son - Moon Jung-jin (진사 문중진, 文中晉) Daughter - Lady Moon of the Nampyeong Moon clan (남평 문씨, 南平 文氏) Son - Moon Jung-gye (상서 문중계, 文中啓) Grandson - Moon Rae (문래, 文琜) Grandson - Moon Yeong (문영, 文瑛) Great-Grandson - Mun Geo-ryong (문거룡, 文巨龍) Daughter - Grand Princess Moon of the Nampyeong Moon clan (삼한국대부인 남평 문씨, 南平 文氏); third wife of Grand Prince Wanpung Son-in-law - Yi Won-gye, Grand Prince Wanpung (완풍대군 이원계) (1330 - 1388); King Taejo’s older half-brother Grandson - Yi Baek-on, Prince Wanryeong (완령군 원윤 이백온) (? - 1419) Granddaughter - Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (전주 이씨) Grandson-in-law - No Shin (노신, 盧愼) Granddaughter - Princess Shinhye (신혜택주) Grandson-in-law - Byeon Jung-ryang (변중량, 卞仲良) of the Chogye Byeon clan (초계 변씨, 草溪 卞氏) (1345 - 1398); divorced Grandson-in-law - Yu Jeong-hyeon (유정현, 柳廷顯) (1355 - 1426) Granddaughter - Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (전주 이씨) Grandson-in-law - Hong Ro (홍로, 洪魯) of the Bugye Hong clan (부계 홍씨, 缶溪 洪氏) (1366 - 1392); divorced Grandson-in-law - Byeon Cheo-hu (변처후, 邊處厚) of the Jangyeon Byeon clan (장연 변씨, 長淵邊氏) (1373 - 1437)
Works
Samudangsilki (삼우당실기 三憂堂實記)
See also
Choe Museon
References
Kim Haboush, JaHyun and Martina Deuchler (1999). Culture and the State in Late Chosŏn Korea. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ; OCLC 40926015 Lee, Peter H. (1993). Sourcebook of Korean Civilization, Vol. 1. New York: Columbia University Press. ; ; ; OCLC 26353271 Noh, Daehwan. "The Eclectic Development of Neo-Confucianism and Statecraft from the 18th to the 19th Century," Korea Journal. Winter 2003. 朝鮮王朝實錄太祖 14卷, 7年(1398 戊寅 / 洪武31年) 6月 13日(丁巳)