성혼 成渾
Neo-Confucian scholar who debated the Four Beginnings and Seven Emotions with Yi I and was enshrined in the Confucian shrine; courtesy name Howon, pen name Ugye, posthumous title Mungan
| Life | 1535 ~ 1598 |
| Era | 조선 중기 |
| Clan | 창녕 성씨 |
Life & career
Seong Hon (1535-1598) was a mid-Joseon Neo-Confucian scholar whose seat was Changnyeong; his courtesy name was Howon (浩原), pen names Ugye (牛溪) and Mugam (默庵), and posthumous title Mungan (文簡). He was born on 25 June 1535 and died on 6 June 1598. His father was the scholar Seong Su-chim, his mother was of the Papyeong Yun clan and his grandfather was Seong Se-sun. His wife was a daughter of Sin Yeo-ryang of the Goryeong Sin clan, his sons were Seong Mun-yeong and Seong Mun-jun, and his son-in-law Yun Hwang was also his disciple. Through his maternal grandsons Yun Seon-geo, Yun Mun-geo and Yun Won-geo he is linked to Yun Jeung.
He studied under his father Seong Su-chim and Baek In-geol and is regarded as the heir to the line of learning from Jo Gwang-jo through Su-chim. Though offered many posts, such as keeper of the Livestock Office, he declined most of them and devoted himself to study and teaching. From 1572 he debated the Four Beginnings and Seven Emotions and the theory of principle and material force in letters with Yi I; he supported Yi Hwang's view that principle and force each issue and criticized Yi I's single-path theory of force issuing and principle riding it, though his position is also described as an attempt to reconcile the two. Sources differ on whether the exchange lasted six or seven years.
In 1581 he resigned as deputy chief of the Naesi Office and returned to the country; in 1583 he was successively royal secretary of war, vice minister of personnel and deputy minister of personnel, and in 1589, around the time of the Gichuk purge, was appointed vice minister of personnel but opposed a sweeping purge of the Easterners. During the Japanese invasion he served as right assistant of the State Council, inspector-general and inspector, and in 1594 became left assistant and then Left Consultant. That year he drew criticism for advocating peace talks with Yu Seong-ryong and, having provoked King Seonjo's anger, returned to the country. His works are Ugyejip, Jumun jigyeol and Wihak jibang, and his calligraphy, following his father's, was judged gentle yet strong. Yi I is said to have remarked that he himself was better at clarifying principle but fell short of Seong Hon in practice. Under King Sukjong he was enshrined in the Confucian shrine with Yi I, was removed in the Gisa disturbance of 1689 and restored in the Gapsul change. His disciples include Jo Heon, Jeong Yeop, Yi Gwi, Gim Jang-saeng and Gim Deok-ryeong.
The Debate with Yi I
From 1572 Seong Hon debated the Four Beginnings and Seven Emotions and the theory of principle and material force by letter with Yi I, a landmark of the Korean Neo-Confucian debate that sets the Yi Hwang and Yi I schools apart. His great-grandson through a daughter, Yun Jeung, is introduced as a later leader of the Soron.
Grave
His tomb is in Hyangyang-ri (written Hangyang-ri in Wikipedia), Paju-eup, Paju, Gyeonggi Monument No. 59. Academies include Pasan Seowon in Paju, Mulgye Seowon in Changnyeong, Sohyeon Seowon in Haeju and Jungnim Seowon in Nonsan.
Descendants
His sons were Seong Mun-yeong and Seong Mun-jun, and Seong Mun-jun's sons Seong Yeok, Seong Ik and Seong Jik are named. Yun Jeung, leader of the Soron, was his great-grandson through a daughter.