Naval commander who captured pirates at Haerang Island and repelled raiders at Chuja; pen name Soyodang
| Life | 1458 ~ 1533 |
| Era | 조선 전기 |
| Clan | 함평 이씨 |
Yi Jong-in was an early Joseon military official of the Hampyeong Yi clan with the pen name Soyodang. The son of Yi Jong-su of the 11th generation, he is a leading figure of the Champan-gong branch, which opened when his father was posthumously made Vice Minister of War. His dates are given as 1458-1533 in a Namdo Ilbo series and 1462-1533 in the Wikipedia entry on the clan.
After passing the military examination he is said to have captured pirates as an aide to the envoy sent to Haerang Island, and rose through Right Gyeongsang naval commander and Jeolla naval commander to Army Commander of North Hamgyeong and Vice Minister of War. When Japanese raiders attacked Chuja Island he is said to have sortied as Left Jeolla naval commander and destroyed them.
He spent his later years studying at Soyojeong, a pavilion he built at Jukji village in Dasi, Naju, where literati such as Bak Sang, Gi Dae-seung, Im Je, Im Eok-ryeong and Baek Gwang-hun are said to have left poems. His nephew Yi Im is recorded as the father-in-law of Gi Dae-seung.
Haerang Island is known as a place where fugitives and pirates gathered, and Yi Jong-in is said to have captured pirates there as an aide to the dispatched envoy.
He then served as Right Gyeongsang naval commander, Jeolla naval commander and North Hamgyeong army commander, and sortied as Left Jeolla naval commander during the Chuja raid. Exact years were not confirmed.
Soyojeong in Jukji village near Juksan Bridge in Dasi, Naju, was built by Yi Jong-in and overlooks the Yeongsan River. It is said to display poems by Bak Sang, Gi Dae-seung, Im Je, Im Eok-ryeong and Baek Gwang-hun.
Descendants such as Yi Yu-geun and Yi Ji-hyo are linked to the village, and the head house of the branch is said to preserve Bosan Jeongsa (Jeonnam Cultural Heritage Material No. 131) and Soyojeong.
The family lived around Dasi in Naju; the exact location of his tomb was not confirmed.