Chancellor under King Munjong whose three daughters all became Munjong's consorts; laid the foundation of the Incheon Yi in-law house; posthumous title Janghwa
| Life | 1003 ~ 1061 |
| Era | 고려 전기 |
| Clan | 인천 이씨 |
Yi Ja-yeon (李子淵, 1003-1061) was an early Goryeo civil official and in-law of the throne from Incheon, courtesy name Yakchung. He was the son of Right Vice Director Yi Han and grandson of Yi Heo-gyeom. Because his aunt's three daughters by Kim Eun-bu had become consorts of Hyeonjong, he began his career already close to the ruling elite. In 1024 he placed first in the civil examination and in 1031 became Right Remonstrator, later serving as Director of Personnel, Censor and Royal Secretary, and holding posts in the Privy Council under Jeongjong.
In 1047 he became Minister of Personnel and Participant in Government Affairs, then Minister of Works in 1049 and Chancellor of the Royal Secretariat in 1050. Around then his three daughters all married Munjong as Queen Inye and the royal concubines Ingyeong and Injeol; Inye bore Sunjong, Seonjong and Sukjong, so the kings down to Injong were all of her line. After Choe Chung retired in 1055 he became Munha Sijung. Whereas Choe led the Confucian scholars, Yi was close to Buddhist circles, matching Munjong's policy, and he backed the founding of Heungwangsa and renewed relations with Song.
He was ennobled as Duke of Gyeongwon with a fief of 3,000 households. Of his eleven children, the son Sohyeon became royal preceptor at Geumsansa, grandson Uicheon became the National Preceptor Daegak, and descendants led the Beopsang school at Hyeonhwasa. On this base of royal, bureaucratic and Buddhist ties the Incheon Yi became Goryeo's foremost aristocratic house. He died in 1061, was given the posthumous title Janghwa, and was enshrined in Munjong's ancestral hall. His grandsons Yi Ja-gyeom, Yi Ja-hyeon and Yi Ja-ui took very different paths, which is key to understanding the clan's later history.
He topped the civil examination in 1024, entered office as Right Remonstrator in 1031, became Vice Chancellor in 1050 and Munha Sijung in 1055.
Queen Inye and the royal concubines Ingyeong and Injeol married Munjong, and the line of kings continued through Inye's sons Sunjong, Seonjong and Sukjong. Korean Wikipedia credits the clan with ten queens and eighteen ministers.
His son Sohyeon, maternal grandson Uicheon (National Preceptor Daegak) and grandson Seryang rose in the Buddhist order, extending the family's reach to monastic power.
The location of his tomb was not confirmed here.
Three daughters became consorts of Munjong (Queen Inye, Ingyeong and Injeol). Sons included Yi Ho, Yi Jeong, Yi Ui and Yi Seok, and grandsons included Yi Ja-gyeom, Yi Ja-hyeon, Yi Ja-ui and Yi Ja-deok.