Founding subject of Joseon who oversaw the casting of the Gyemi type and became Second State Councillor; pen name Hyeongjae; posthumous title Mungyeong
| Life | 1362 ~ 1431 |
| Era | 고려 말~조선 초 |
| Clan | 성주 이씨 |
Yi Jik (李稷, 1362-1431) was an official of late Goryeo and early Joseon with courtesy name Ujeong (虞庭), pen name Hyeongjae (亨齋), the title Lord of Seongsan and posthumous name Mungyeong (文景). He was a son of Yi In-min, a great-grandson of Yi Jo-nyeon, and an elder cousin of Yi Je, son-in-law of Yi Seong-gye. His wife was a daughter of Heo Si of the Yangcheon Heo.
He passed the civil examination at sixteen under King U and held posts such as registrar of the Gyeongsun office and Jehak of the Yemun Office, but in the Mujin purge of 1388 he was exiled to Jeonju as a relative of Yi In-im. In 1392 he helped Yi Seong-gye found Joseon and was recorded as a third-class founding subject, and after the Second Strife of Princes as a fourth-class subject. Wikipedia notes that he was not a central figure in the founding or in Taejong's accession, and relays the account that Taejo said he had chosen him because he was Yi Je's cousin. In Taejo's early years he travelled to Ming China four times and showed diplomatic skill, and he was an administrator also talented in institutions and public works such as building the Hanyang wall.
In 1403 by royal order he set up the Type Foundry and had the bronze Gyemi type cast; he was Chief Academician of the Yemun Office in 1402 and Minister of Personnel in 1405, was enfeoffed as Lord of Seongsan in 1412 and rose to Third State Councillor the next year. He was later drawn into the case against the Min brothers and, having opposed deposing Prince Yangnyeong, retired and lived in exile at home; after release he was made Chief State Councillor in 1424 and Second State Councillor in 1426, and died in 1431.
According to Wikipedia, Yi Jik set up the Type Foundry on Taejong's order in 1403 and had the bronze Gyemi type cast. It is widely known as the start of Joseon metal-type printing. It can be read as a case where his literary skill as Chief Academician and his administrative ability were used together, but the details of the casting could not be confirmed from this source alone.
When the case against the Min brothers Min Mu-hoe and Min Mu-hwi broke in 1415, Yi Jik was suspected of shielding them through personal ties and withdrew from office; one of his daughters had married Min Mu-hwi. His opposition, with Hwang Hui, to deposing Prince Yangnyeong also brought exile, and he is said to have lived eight years reading without seeing guests. Later, with his daughter named Sinsun Gungju, he regained his rank certificate and merit-subject record, and became Chief State Councillor in 1424 and Second State Councillor in 1426. The order and years of these events vary by source, so Wikipedia's account is followed.
His sons were Yi Sa-hu, Yi Sa-won and Yi Sa-sun (vice minister), and his grandsons Yi Ham-nyeong, Yi Jeong-nyeong and Yi Gye-nyeong; Yi Jeong-nyeong was Prince Consort Seongwon, husband of Princess Sukhye. His daughters became Taejong's consort Sinsun Gungju and the wife of Min Mu-hwi.