Yujeong (original) (raw)

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Korean buddhist monk (1544–1610)

For people with the given name Yu-jeong, see Yoo-jung.

Samyeong Daesa 사명대사 / 泗溟大師
Title bhikṣu
Personal
Born 1544Joseon
Died 1610
Religion Buddhism
School Korean Seon
Korean name
Hangul 사명당
Hanja 泗溟堂 or 四溟堂
Revised Romanization Samyeongdang
McCune–Reischauer Samŏngdang
Art name
Hangul 송운 or 종봉
Hanja 松雲 or 鍾峯
Revised Romanization Songun or Jongbong
McCune–Reischauer Songun or Chongbong
Birth name
Hangul 임응규
Revised Romanization Im Eunggyu
McCune–Reischauer Im Ŭnggyu
Courtesy name
Hangul 임이환
Hanja 離幻
Revised Romanization Ihwan
McCune–Reischauer Ihwan
Dharma name
Hangul 유정
Hanja 惟政
Revised Romanization Yujeong
McCune–Reischauer Yuchŏng
Posthumous name
Hangul 자통홍제존자
Hanja 慈通弘濟尊者
Revised Romanization Jatong hongjejonsa
McCune–Reischauer Chat'ong hongjejonsa

Samyeongdang (1544–1610), also known by his dharma name Yujeong, was a Korean Buddhist monk during the Joseon era. He is sometimes identified by his art name, Song-un. He was born to a family of the Im clan in Miryang, Gyeongsang Province. After the deaths of his mother in 1558 and his father in 1559, he became a monk at Jikjisa on Hwangaksan in Gimcheon.

In 1561, he passed the seon-gwa, the specialized gwageo (civil service examinations) for Buddhist monks. He corresponded with various scholars of the time including Pak Sa-am, Heo Hagok, and Im Baekho. In 1575, he was recommended as head of the Seon order, but refused and instead traveled to Myohyangsan. There he was instructed by preceptor Hyujeong. He went on to pass three years at Bodeoksa on Mount Kumgang, and later traveled through Palgongsan, Cheongnyangsan, and Taebaeksan.

With the start of the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–98) in 1592, Yujeong joined his teacher Hyujeong's righteous army of monks. After Hyujeong retired due to his age, Yujeong took over the leadership of the army. He led the army into battles at Pyongyang and Uiryeong County in 1592, set up mountain fortresses through Gyeongsang in 1594, and joined in battle again at Ulsan and Suncheon.

In 1604, after the end of the war, he traveled to Japan on Seonjo of Joseon's orders to forge a peace accord with Tokugawa Ieyasu, and returned with 3500 Koreans who had been taken prisoner. Yujeong's diplomatic missions established a resilient foundation for a series of major Joseon missions to Japan.[1]

After his death in 1610 on Haeinsa, Yujeong was enshrined in the Pyochung Seowon in Miryang and at Suchungsa in Nyongbyon. He continues to be remembered in modern times, with numerous statues and other memorials around Korea. He has been cited together with Hyujeong as an example of a "patriotic-minded" Buddhist by the North Korean Buddhist Federation.[2] Yujeong's writings are preserved in the Samyeongjip (Korean: 사명대사집; Hanja: 四溟大師集) and Bunchungseo Nallok (Korean: 분충서난록; Hanja: 奮忠紓難錄).

  1. ^ (in Korean) "Yu Jeong", Encyclopædia Britannica Korean Edition
  2. ^ "For the Building of an Elysium". KCCKP.net. 2005. Retrieved 2006-09-27.