Minister of Personnel who raised army provisions and relieved famine in the Imjin War (pen name Myeonggok, posthumous title Chungan)
| Life | 1539 ~ 1594 |
| Era | 조선 중기 |
| Clan | 한산 이씨 |
Yi San-bo (李山甫, 1539-1594) was a mid-Joseon civil official from Hansan, with courtesy name Junggeo (仲擧), pen name Myeonggok (鳴谷) and posthumous title Chungan (忠簡). A descendant of Mogeun Yi Saek, he was a son of Yi Ji-mu and a daughter of Gu Seung-yu, magistrate of Gimje. He studied under his uncle Tojeong Yi Ji-ham and was a cousin of Chief State Councillor Yi San-hae. A native of Boryeong, he is described as simple and upright and unmoved by calculations of gain and loss.
He passed the special civil examination in 1568 (Seonjo 1) and after serving as magistrate of Haemi, jeongeon and jeonjeok he patrolled the northern provinces as inspector of Sunan and held key Hongmungwan posts. Impeached by the Easterners, he was demoted to jongbusi-jeong but later served as dongbu seungji and chief remonstrator, and in 1585 earned Seonjo's trust by rebutting vice-director Kim U-ong's attack on Yi I and Jeong Cheol, rising to chief censor. In the 1589 Gichuk Purge after Jeong Yeo-rip's rebellion he steadied matters as chief remonstrator. When Westerners such as Jeong Cheol were ruined in the 1591 crown-prince affair he was governor of Hwanghae, was implicated and dismissed, and returned to Boryeong to read.
When the Imjin War began he accompanied Seonjo and served as vice-minister and then Minister of Personnel. When the Ming army sat at Liaoyang without advancing, he played a large part in persuading Li Rusong to bring it into Korea, and as chief inspector of the northern provinces and the three southern provinces he secured army provisions with the cooperation of people moved by his earlier good governance. When a great famine struck in 1594 he worked day and night on relief at the crown prince's order, fell ill and died. In 1604 he was recorded as a second-class Hojong merit subject, posthumously made Chief State Councillor and enfeoffed as Hanheung Buwongun. He is enshrined at Hwaam Seowon in Boryeong and Geonam Seowon in Seocheon.
Yi San-bo is assessed as one of simple, upright character in an era of fierce factional strife. Unlike his cousin Yi San-hae, he stands out as a practical official tending to provisions and relief on the ground rather than as a political leader. The Boryeong area with his tomb and Seocheon are known as home regions of Hansan Yi figures such as Yi Ji-ham, Yi San-hae and Yi San-bo.
He studied under his uncle Yi Ji-ham, and at court took a different path from his cousin Yi San-hae.
He contributed to persuading Li Rusong to bring Ming troops into Korea and, as chief inspector, raised provisions in the northern and three southern provinces.
In the great famine of 1594 he went out on relief at the crown prince's order, fell ill from overwork and died, and was later posthumously made Chief State Councillor.
His tomb site is said to be on Goman Mountain in Gojeong-ri, Jugyo-myeon, Boryeong, South Chungcheong.
His father was Yi Ji-mu, and he was a nephew of Yi Ji-ham and a cousin of Yi San-hae.