Military official who fought at Ulsan in the second invasion and fell at Sinryeong; first-class Seonmu Wonjong merit subject
| Life | 1556 ~ 1597 |
| Era | 조선 중기 |
| Clan | 보성 선씨 |
Seon Geuk-rye (1556-1597) was a mid-Joseon military official of the Boseong Seon clan with courtesy name Yejung and pen name Uijae. A ninth-generation descendant of Seon Yun-ji, he is introduced by the head association as a descendant of the third-generation Cheong-yu (Sunmusa-gong). He is said to have been outstanding in filial piety and fraternity from youth and passed the military examination in 1576.
After serving as a unit officer in the Five Garrisons he became a Jeolchung general, served as Daehogun during the Imjin War and was appointed Left Gyeongsang naval commander. In the second invasion of 1597 he fought at Ulsan with distinction but fell at the battle of Sinryeong aged 42.
In 1605 he was recorded as a first-class Seonmu Wonjong merit subject, and his name is said to be carved on the Seonmu Wonjong monument at Jakgwaecheon (Jakcheonjeong) in Ulju. One explanation holds that, because his descendants in Gyeongsang had no contact with the Boseong head association, he was not included among the five loyal subjects. His descendants have a clan village and shrine hall at Geumgok-ri, Samdong-myeon, Ulju, and he is enshrined at Ulsan Chungyisa and Ulju Wonmosa.
He is said to have distinguished himself at Ulsan in the 1597 second invasion and fell at the battle of Sinryeong. Some accounts treat him and Seon Geo-i, who also fell at the Ulsan battles, as representative Boseong Seon generals of the war.
At Geumgok-ri, Samdong-myeon, Ulju, his grandson Seon Dae-gyu is said to have settled in the 1630s, and descendants built a shrine hall with tablets and portraits of Seon Cheong-yu, Seon Geuk-rye and Seon Dae-gyu. Ulju Wonmosa held its plaque ceremony and memorial rite in May 2006.
A grave stele is said to stand near Palgongsan in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang.