Won Cheon-seok (1330-?), a childhood tutor of King Taejong (r. 1400-1418) of Joseon, served the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) in several government positions including the Directorate of Education (Gukjagam). When Goryeo was placed in political turmoil, he left the capital of the dynasty to lead a secluded life in the remotest place of Chiaksan Mountain. King Taejong, having been crowned as the third ruler of the newly established Joseon Dynasty, invited Won Cheon-seok to work for him in his government, even visiting his retreat in person, but Won Cheon-seok refused all the king's offers to keep his loyalty to the fallen dynasty. His life of integrity and loyalty earned Won Cheon-seok wide admiration as a great teacher. After his death, his spirit tablet was enshrined in the Confucian shrine-academy called Chilbongseowon. He left behind a few literary works including the two poetic works about his loyalty to Goryeo, 'Song of Retrospection' (Hoegoga) and 'Poetic History of Ungok' (Ungoksisa). He maintained close friendship with the great Confucian elites of his time such as Yi Saek (1328-1396) and wrote books about his philosophical views. WON, Cheon-Seok, also known as Ungok, widely considered a political hermit during late Goryeo Dynasty to early Joseon Dynasty and has been known as the writer of 'Heogoga', a song of reminiscence of the past (i.e. Goryeo Dynasty) in 'Cheong-gu-young-un', a collective edition of Korean traditional poems. He was born Gaeseong in 1330. He was a bright child and excelled in school. He passed Jinsasi, a civil service exam in Goryeo when he was 27. However he was deterred from entering into government by the chaotic political circumstances in the late Goryeo. He once taught Lee Bang-won, who later became King Taejong of Joseon Dynasty. He was summoned several times and even paid a visit by Lee himself shen he tookover the throne but Ungok refused to join the Cabinet. He lived in seclusion and remained as a man of integrity for all his life. In his later life he got interested in Taoism as well as Buddhism even though he was a confucius himself. He suggested the trinity of the three ideas called 'Sam-gyo-Il-Chi-ron'. He wrote 'Ungoksisa', and edited 'Hwahaesajeon', 'Ungoksisa', reflecting the society then and his philosophy as well. In the book, he argued to improve the system rather than replacing the dynasty and went on preaching that local officials should practice panel administration with mercy. HEO, Mok also known as Misoo once commented on Ungok's life 'An honorable man never takes off his interest in the world even though he is hiding from the world. Although Ungok forsook the world, he never took eyes off the world. He kept his spirit pure throughout his life and became a paragon of the generations to come.'

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Tomb of Won Cheon-seok - Public Info

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Inserted: 23-12-2022 16:12:42