Mid-Joseon civil official who served Jungjong as Inspector-General, Minister of Personnel and Left Second State Councillor; pen name Rakseo; condemned to death after impeachment in 1533
| Life | 1474 ~ 1533 |
| Era | 조선 중기 |
| Clan | 성산 이씨 |
Yi Hang (李沆, 1474-1533) was a mid-Joseon civil official from Seongsan, courtesy name Hosuk, pen name Rakseo or Rakseoheon. Korean Wikipedia summarises that he was learned and upright but late in life dominated state affairs with Sim Jeong and Kim Geuk-pil, was impeached and executed by poison. He passed the civil examination under Yeonsangun and became a Corrector of the Hongmun Hall; after admonishing the tyrant without success he joined the Jungjong Restoration.
Under Jungjong he served as Reader, Inspector and Senior Fifth Rank officer, becoming Director of the Hongmun Hall in 1512 and Right Deputy Royal Secretary. He then served as Inspector-General and Vice Minister of Punishments, was pushed out as governor of Gyeongsang after Jo Gwang-jo's faction impeached him, but returned as Inspector-General by joining the Gimyo Purge. He held posts such as Director of the Yemungwan, Minister of Punishments and of Personnel and Right Second State Councillor, and as Inspector-General he impeached and exiled the disruptive Kim An-ro. At the Crown Prince's academy he is said to have warned that discord between ministers and censors had led to the Muo Literati Purge and the death of many worthy scholars.
Judgements are divided, however, on his joining Nam Gon, Sim Jeong, Yi Haeng and Kim Geuk-pil to drive Jo Gwang-jo's faction from court. He was once named Third State Councillor but the appointment was cancelled after impeachment and he was demoted to Right Chancellor; he later served as Minister of Personnel, Left Chancellor, Chief of the Privy Council and Minister of War, wielding power with Sim Jeong and Kim Geuk-pil. After Kim An-ro returned to court his faction impeached him, and he was exiled and executed by poison in 1533; he was rehabilitated in 1537 after Kim An-ro was executed. Some office entries in the Wikipedia account overlap, so please check the exact career against the Annals.
He passed under Yeonsangun, admonished the king without success and joined the Jungjong Restoration.
Impeached by Kim An-ro's faction, he was executed in 1533 but rehabilitated in 1537.
His tomb was not confirmed.