Civil official under King Injo who served as Inspector-General and Vice-Director of the Hongmungwan; author of the Donggangjip; pen name Donggang
| Life | 1588 ~ 1656 |
| Era | 조선 중기 |
| Clan | 함양 여씨 |
Yeo I-jing (呂爾徵, 1588-1656) was a mid-Joseon civil official of the Hamyang Yeo with the pen name Donggang. His father was Yeo Yu-gil, his grandfather Yeo Sun-won and his wife was a daughter of Han Jun-gyeom. As the son of Yeo Yu-gil, younger brother of Yeo U-gil, he represents part of the Hamyang Yeo's continuing presence in the Joseon central government.
He passed the civil examination in 1624 (Injo 2) and is said to have served as governor of Hamgyeong, Inspector-General, Vice-Director of the Hongmungwan and Royal Secretary. English Wikipedia says he rose to Inspector-General, Grand Academician and Vice Minister of Public Works, so posts differ among sources and are given in parallel. He was versed in Neo-Confucianism, skilled in poetry, wrote many epitaphs and was talented in astronomy, calendrical calculation and calligraphy and painting. His work is the Donggangjip.
A record says he adopted Yeo Seong-je, son of Yeo I-ryang, linking him with the later Chief State Councillor; this site gives the relation as an adoption record.
1624, the year of Yi Gwal's rebellion, was an unsettled time just after Injo's accession. Having passed the examination then, he is said to have served in censorial and scholarly posts through the court that lived through the Manchu invasion of 1636-37. Details of his activities could not be confirmed.
His skill in astronomy and calendrical calculation was a rare quality among scholar-officials, and he is said to have been talented in painting and calligraphy. The many epitaphs he composed show that his writing was recognised among his peers.
His tomb could not be confirmed.
Yeo Seong-je is recorded as continuing his line through adoption.