Favorite minister under King Chungnyeol of Goryeo; Heungbeop Jwari merit subject; Dodocheomuijungchan; grandfather of Yeom Je-sin
| Life | 1302 |
| Era | 고려 후기 |
| Clan | 파주 염씨 |
Yeom Seung-ik (廉承益, ?-1302) was an official under King Chungnyeol of Goryeo, of the Paju clan; he was first named Yeom Yu-jik. Wikipedia lists him as second son of Yeom Sun-eon, who rose as an aristocratic house in the Yuan-influence era, while the Wikipedia article on the Paju Yeom clan calls him a grandson of Yeom Su-jang, so his exact line varies among sources and should be checked against a genealogy. He was the grandfather of Yeom Je-sin.
Recommended by Yi Ji-jeo, he won King Chungnyeol's favor and in 1280, as Seungji, is said to have been ordered to build the Buddha hall of Hyeonhwasa. In 1283 he is also said to have been involved in making Iryeon a national preceptor. In 1287 he was named Cheomui Pyeongni, soon Jido Cheomuisasa, in 1291 Pan Pandosa and then Pan Gamchalsasa, and in 1293 he went to Yuan China with the king and princess. He resigned for illness in 1295.
In 1302 he was enfeoffed as Heungbeop Jwari merit subject and retired as Dodocheomui Jungchan (chief minister). The clan association adds that he afterwards shaved his head and became a monk. Sources describe him as a favorite minister who held power, but no source seen here states an explicit verdict such as "treacherous minister." His house rose again greatly in the generation of his grandson Yeom Je-sin, making him an important figure before the clan's revival. The main basis is the Goryeosa, vol. 123, biographies.
The Wikipedia entry on Yeom Seung-ik calls him second son of Yeom Sun-eon, while the entry on the Paju Yeom clan calls him a grandson of Yeom Su-jang (exam passer of 1214). Whether both can be reconciled or one is wrong cannot be judged from the sources here, so we only note that they differ. The clan's early line is outlined as Yeom Hyeong-myeong, Wi, Ga-ching, Hyeon, Han, Deok-bang (6th generation) and then Yeom Sin-yak (7th).
The clan association says Yeom Seung-ik was involved in 1283 in making Iryeon a national preceptor. Iryeon is known as the monk who wrote the Samguk Yusa, and the record suggests Yeom Seung-ik was close to royal Buddhist events. His concrete role was not confirmed here.
His tomb was not confirmed in the sources used here.