전우치 田禹治
Eccentric adept of the Jungjong era known for magic arts and the hero of the classic novel Jeon U-chi jeon
| Era | 조선 중종 무렵 |
| Clan | 담양 전씨 |
Life & career
Jeon U-chi (田禹治) was an eccentric and illusionist active around the reign of Jungjong of Joseon, with the pen name Usa (羽士). Wikipedia places him around 1495-1545, while Namuwiki estimates a birth in the 1470s with the death year unknown. Eo Suk-gwon's Paegwan japgi, Gwon Byeol's Haedong japrok and Yu Mong-in's Eou-yadam record him as a man of Damyang in Jeolla, and the Eou-yadam says he was of humble birth who attained the Way by himself. Scholars generally take his seat to be Damyang.
He is said to have studied at a temple as a youth and acquired the arts of illusion, held a minor post early in Jungjong's reign, then resigned and lived in seclusion at Songdo (Gaeseong) practicing magic. He excelled at transformation and disguise and also at poetry, with two poems surviving. Namuwiki explains his arts as illusion and wit rather than real supernatural power.
Accounts of his end differ. Wikipedia says the court regarded him as dangerous and he hanged himself, with a tomb in Jaeryeong; Namuwiki says he died in prison for deluding the people, and tells a tradition that when the family opened his grave to move it the body was gone. His story later became the anonymous classic novel Jeon U-chi jeon, and was adapted into a 2009 film and a 2012 KBS drama.
Differing Views on His Seat
The general scholarly view treats him as Damyang Jeon. The Namyang Jeon clan, however, argues from its genealogy that he belonged to Namyang. That genealogy was compiled after 1774, more than 200 years after his time, and no Namyang seat appears in contemporary texts, so its reliability is rated low. This entry presents him as Damyang Jeon while noting the dispute.
Between Records and Fiction
The Jeon U-chi of the records is closer to an eccentric who startled people with illusions. Jeon U-chi jeon is an anonymous classic novel with several versions whose setting is Goryeo or Joseon depending on the text. It is best to read the exploits in the novel separately from what is known of the real man.
Grave
Wikipedia says his tomb is in Jaeryeong County; its existence and exact location rest on tradition.