Minister of Personnel and Chief Scholar under King Sejong; founder of the Munhye-gong branch (pen name Hanjae)
| Life | 1371 ~ 1440 |
| Era | 조선 전기 |
| Clan | 한산 이씨 |
Yi Maeng-gyun (李孟畇, 1371-1440) was a civil official who served from late Goryeo to the reign of King Sejong of Joseon. A native of Hansan, his courtesy name was Saweon (士原), pen name Hanjae (漢齋) and posthumous title Munhye (文惠). A grandson of Yi Saek and son of Yi Jong-deok, he is honored as the founder of the Munhye-gong branch that split off from the Munyang-gong line. The title is explained as Mun (文) for his devotion to learning and love of asking questions, and Hye (惠) for his gentle character and care for the people.
He passed the civil examination in 1385 (King U 11) and served as Seonggyun jikhak, Sajae sogam, Naeseo sain and Yemungwan jikjehak. In 1406 (Taejong 6), as Saheonbu jibui, he was exiled to Wonju for delaying lawsuits, and was later pardoned. He then served as head of the Seonggyun-gwan, governor of Chungcheong and Panhanseongbu-sa, and under Sejong went to Ming China several times as deputy envoy of thanks and as a condolence envoy. He held the ministries of Rites, Works, Personnel and War, and in 1427 became Left Binkaek, tutor to the crown prince.
In 1437 he became chief scholar of the Yemungwan and concurrent Pan-Ijo-sa, the first time that combined role was held. He later served as Right and Left Chanseong. He is described as gentle, as having taken up the family tradition early and as writing elegant poetry and prose. In 1440, near the end of his life, he was dismissed and banished to Ubong-hyeon in Hwanghae after his wife, Lady Yi, killed a servant in a fit of jealousy; he was released and died at Gaeseong on the way home. Records say he had no children.
That he left the first case of holding Pan-Ijo-sa concurrently shows he stood at the center of personnel administration under Sejong. Within the scholarly family tradition running from his grandfather Yi Saek and father Yi Jong-deok he was said to write elegant poetry and prose. He is recorded as opening one branch when the Munyang-gong line split in the 9th generation into the Sayun-gong, Munhye-gong, Jeongeon-gong and Panjungchu-gong branches.
His grandfather was Yi Saek and his father the eldest son Yi Jong-deok. In the 9th generation Yi Maeng-gyun opened the Munhye-gong branch beneath the Munyang-gong line.
He went to Ming China as deputy envoy of thanks in 1421, as a condolence envoy in 1425 and again as deputy envoy of thanks in 1429, and is recorded as holding the ministries of Rites, Works, Personnel and War.
In 1437 he became chief scholar of the Yemungwan while also serving as Pan-Ijo-sa, recorded as the beginning of that concurrent post.
The tomb was not confirmed here. He is recorded as dying at Gaeseong in 1440 on the way home from banishment.
Records say he had no children; the Munhye-gong branch is a line that split from the Munyang-gong branch and continues through the wider family.