Mid-Joseon Neo-Confucian scholar and disciple of Yi I, Seong Hon and Song Ik-pil; Principal of the Confucian Academy and Second Minister of the Left (pen name Sumong, posthumous title Munsuk)
| Life | 1563 ~ 1625 |
| Era | 조선 중기 |
| Clan | 초계 정씨 |
Jeong Yeop (鄭曄, 1563-1625), of Chogye, courtesy name Sihoe, pen names Sumong and Seolchon and posthumous title Munsuk, was a mid-Joseon official and Neo-Confucian scholar. He was a son-in-law of the scholar Yi San-bo, whose family was linked to the Northerner leader Yi San-hae. He first studied under Yi I and later also under Seong Hon and Song Ik-pil.
He passed the civil examination in 1583, served as inspector and assistant in the Ministry of Punishments in 1587, and became magistrate of Junghwa in 1593 for repelling Japanese troops as deputy magistrate of Hwangju. In 1597 he went to Ming as an envoy. After posts as magistrate of Suwon, royal secretary and magistrate of Naju he became Inspector General but in 1602 was demoted to Jongseong on suspicion of being Seong Hon's disciple, and served as magistrate of Seongju and Hongju in 1606.
Under Gwanghae he became governor of Chungcheong in 1610 and, as chief royal secretary in 1612, urged the king to attend lectures more often. He kept office through the Northerners' rule thanks to his wife's kinsman, becoming Vice Minister of Works in 1614, but in 1617 when deposition of the queen dowager was proposed he volunteered as magistrate of Yangyang and resigned within a year. After the 1623 Restoration he was made Principal of the Confucian Academy and set its curriculum, and served as Second Minister of the Left; during Yi Gwal's rebellion he advised the king to flee to Gongju.
Though he studied under Westerner scholars (Yi I, Seong Hon, Song Ik-pil), his marriage ties to a Northerner family let him keep office under Gwanghae. His refusal to join the push to depose the queen dowager, by seeking a provincial post, is understood to underlie his return as Principal of the Confucian Academy to set its curriculum after the Restoration. The Wikipedia article gives no information on his writings or tomb, which should be checked separately.
His tomb, descendants and collected works were not confirmed here.