Neo-Confucian scholar, the only Honam Confucian enshrined in the Munmyo among the 18 Sages of Korea; pen names Haseo and Damjae; posthumous title Munjeong
| Life | 1510 ~ 1560 |
| Era | 조선 전기 |
| Clan | 울산 김씨 |
Kim In-hu (1510-1560) was an early-Joseon Neo-Confucian scholar of the Ulsan Kim clan from Jangseong in Jeolla Province, with courtesy name Huji, pen names Haseo and Damjae, and posthumous title Munjeong.
He passed the special civil examination in 1540 and served as a tutor at the Crown Prince's academy for the future King Injong; he is said to have been learned in astronomy and the calendar as well. His collected works, the Haseojip, survive.
In 1796 (King Jeongjo's reign) he was enshrined in the Confucian Shrine (Munmyo) as one of the 18 Sages of Korea, and is described as the only one from Honam. Pilam Seowon in Jangseong, which honors him, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019 as part of the Seowon, Korean Neo-Confucian Academies.
Kim In-hu was born in 1510 in Jangseong, Jeolla Province, to Kim Ryeong and a lady of the Okcheon Jo clan. After passing the special civil examination in 1540 he served as a tutor at the Crown Prince's academy during the future King Injong's time as heir.
As a Neo-Confucian he opposed Yi Hang's theory of the Taeguk and Yin-Yang as a single substance, and in debate with No Su-sin argued for the doctrine of reverent seriousness (jugyeong). He left more than ten volumes of prose and poetry.
He was enshrined in the Munmyo in 1796. The academy founded at Jangseong in 1590 received the plaque 'Pilam Seowon' from King Hyeonjong in 1662; it was designated Historic Site No. 242 in 1975 and inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2019.
The modern figures Kim Seong-su and Kim Byeong-ro are known as members of the same Ulsan Kim clan.
He is said to be buried in the Jangseong area; the exact tomb location was not confirmed here.