Scholar of Yi I's circle, recruiting commissioner in the Imjin War, author of Punggaejip
| Era | 조선 중기 |
| Clan | 광주 안씨 |
An Min-hak was a mid-Joseon scholar and official from Gwangju, courtesy name Seupji (later Isup), pen name Punggae. His father was the postal officer An Dam and he was born in Hanseong (Seoul). His birth and death years were not confirmed here; a nomination at age 20 in 1561 and death at 60 are recorded.
Brilliant from youth, he read the Elementary Learning and Classic of Filial Piety at nine and Neo-Confucian works such as the Simgyeong at about twenty. He took no interest in the examinations and read widely; at 25 he became a disciple of Bak Sun and associated with Yi I, Jeong Cheol, Yi Ji-ham, Seong Hon and Go Gyeong-myeong. He was recommended in 1561 and 1580 for tomb-keeper posts.
He became a censor in 1583 and served as magistrate of several counties. In the Imjin War, as recruiting commissioner centered on Gwangju in Jeolla, he gathered thousands of sok of grain, hundreds of horses and thousands of troops but fell ill at Asan, and the army and provisions were passed to Yu Seong-ryong. Offered a post for this he declined, retired to Hongju, and died at 60; he was posthumously made a councillor of the Ministry of Personnel.
An's learning belonged broadly to Yi I's line. Studying under Bak Sun and associating with Yi I, Jeong Cheol, Yi Ji-ham, Seong Hon and Go Gyeong-myeong shows he was part of the Giho Sarim of the late sixteenth century. He was also praised for his calligraphy. Yi I's 1580 recommendation of him for a tomb-keeper post shows their trust.
A recruiting commissioner was a temporary wartime post to gather troops and provisions locally. The force and grain An collected were substantial, but illness at Asan stopped him from going north and the court redirected them to Yu Seong-ryong. His declining of office after such service shows his conduct as a scholar.
His collected works are the Punggaejip. Together with An Gong and An Hwang, who each took part in the same war, he shows how the invasion tested many people of the clan.
He retired to Sinpyeong in Hongju and died there; his grave was not confirmed.