Scholar who never held office and devoted himself to learning in retirement; pen name Ilsu; author of the Simseongnok
| Life | 1758 ~ 1828 |
| Era | 조선 후기 |
| Clan | 성산 이씨 |
Yi Won-gu (李元龜, 1758-1828) was a late-Joseon scholar of the Seongsan Yi, courtesy name Hanseo, pen name Ilsu. Korean Wikipedia briefly says that he never held office and lived all his life as a scholar in retirement, and that he wrote the Simseongnok. Because his birthplace, teachers, disciples, specific doctrines and family could not be cross-checked in other sources, only confirmed facts are given here.
His name is sometimes introduced among Seongsan Yi members of the Hangae area in Seongju, but whether he came from Hangae is not confirmed by the source above. The title Simseongnok suggests a Neo-Confucian discussion of mind and nature, but the contents were not checked directly. In the same period Yi Won-jo (1792-1871) was active in Hangae, and the school continued through Yi Jin-sang.
Records of scholars in retirement are scarce because there are no official career records. More detail on Yi Won-gu should be sought in collected works and local materials, and clan association records or the Academy of Korean Studies' person database are worth checking. This entry deliberately includes only the minimum of confirmed facts.
He never held office and devoted himself to learning, leaving the Simseongnok.
His tomb was not confirmed.