Mid-Joseon official and scholar who left office in the Gimyo Purge, taking a moderate course (pen name Eumae, posthumous title Munui)
| Life | 1480 ~ 1533 |
| Era | 조선 전기 |
| Clan | 한산 이씨 |
Yi Ja (李耔, 1480-1533) was a mid-Joseon official and scholar from Hansan, with courtesy name Chaya, pen names Eumae (陰崖), Mongong and Gyegong, and posthumous title Munui. A fifth-generation descendant of Yi Saek, he was born in Seoul as the third son of Yi Ye-gyeon and a lady of the Seonsan Kim clan. While the Hansan Yi house, centered on the Jongseon line, leaned toward the Hungu faction, Yi Ja kept a Sarim outlook by frequenting the circle of the Sarim figure Yi Sim-won.
As a child he followed his father's postings through Gwandong and Yeongnam, and at fourteen is said to have read the Songsa at Dutasan in Samcheok and tried to submit a long memorial, giving it up at his father's objection. At fifteen he studied under Prince Jugye, a disciple of Kim Goeng-pil. He passed the sama examination in 1501 and in 1504 (Yeonsangun 10) placed first in the regular civil examination, becoming a Saheonbu inspector and holding key posts such as jeongnang and jwarang of Personnel. Disillusioned by Yeonsangun's tyranny he even asked for a posting as magistrate of Uiseong.
After the 1506 Jungjong Restoration he served as suchan, gyori and sagan, and in 1517 rose to vice-director of the Hongmungwan and right royal secretary. He worked with new reformers such as Jo Gwang-jo but did not simply follow their line, taking a middle course between the Sarim and Hungu factions and acting as a buffer. In 1519 he became Minister of Punishments and right consultant, but the Gimyo Purge branded him one of Jo Gwang-jo's group and he was dismissed. He lived in Yongin, Eumseong and Chungju before retiring to Supyo Palbong in Chungju, spending his remaining years in study. His name is in the Gimyo myeonghyeon-rok, he is enshrined at Palbong Seowon in Chungju, and he left the Eumae ilgi and Eumaejip.
Yi Ja's life shows one image of an intellectual who tried to avoid extremes amid the conflict between Sarim and Hungu. He neither marched with Jo Gwang-jo nor harmed his group, which was his path, and because of it he did not lose his life after the Gimyo Purge. Gyetan Seowon was built in his memory at Supyo Palbong in Chungju, and he is still introduced as a representative of the Sarim side among Hansan Yi figures.
His family leaned toward the Hungu faction, but he mixed with Sarim figures and, while working with Jo Gwang-jo and others, did not follow the radical line, so he is assessed as a buffer between the two sides.
After dismissal in the 1519 Gimyo Purge he spent time in several places of exile and retreat, then built Mongam at Supyo Palbong in Chungju and associated with Yi Yeon-gyeong and others. Gyetan Seowon was built in his memory after his death.
The Eumae ilgi and Eumaejip survive, and Ro Su-sin wrote his biographical account.
The Eumae Yi Ja tomb site is in Jigok-dong, Giheung-gu, Yongin, designated Gyeonggi-do Monument No. 172.
His father was Yi Ye-gyeon. Descendant relations were not confirmed here.