This is a Korean name; the family name is Jeong.

Jeong Mong-ju
Korean name
Hangul	정몽주
Hanja	鄭夢周
Revised Romanization	Jeong Mongju
McCune–Reischauer	Chŏng Mong-ju
Pen name
Hangul	포은
Hanja	圃隱
Revised Romanization	Po Eun
McCune–Reischauer	P'o Ŭn

Jeong Mongju (1337–1392), often known by his pen name Poeun, was a Korean civil minister and scholar during the late period of the Goryeo dynasty.^[1][2]

Contents 1 Biography 2 Poem 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References

[edit] Biography

He was born in Yeongcheon, Gyeongsang province to a family from the Yeongil Jeong clan. At the age of 23, after taking three different civil service literary examinations (Gwageo) and receiving the highest marks possible on all three.^[2] In 1367, he became an instructor in Neo-Confucianism at the Gukjagam, then called "Seonggyungwan," whilst simultaneously holding a government position, and was a faithful public servant to King U. The king had great confidence in his wide knowledge and good judgement, and so he participated in various national projects and his scholarly works earned him great respect in the Goryeo court.

Jeong Mongju visited China in 1372 as a diplomatic envoy. Around the time, as waegu (Japanese pirate)'s invasions to Korean peninsular were extreme, Jong was dispatched as a delegation to Kyūshū in 1377.^[2][3]. His negotiations led to promises of Japanese aid in defeating pirates. He traveled to the Chinese capital city in 1384;^[4] and negotiations with Ming dynasty led to peace with China in 1385. He also founded an institute devoted to the theories of Confucianism.

Jeong was murdered in 1392 by five men on the Sonjukkyo Bridge in Gaeseong following a banquet held for him by Yi Bangwon (later Taejong of Joseon), the fifth son of Yi Seonggye, who overthrew Goryeo dynastic to found Joseon dynasty. Yi Bangwon recited a poem to dissuade Jeong from remaining loyal to the Goryeo court, but Jeong answered with another poem that affirmed his loyalty. Yi Seonggye is said to have lamented Jeong's death and rebuked his son. The bridge where Jeong was murdered, now in North Korea, has now become a national monument of that country. A brown spot on one of the stones is said to be Jeong's bloodstain, and it said to become red whenever it rained.

The 474-year-old Goryeo Dynasty effectively ended with Jeong's death, and was followed by the Joseon Dynasty. Jeong's noble death symbolises his faithful allegiance to the king, and he was later venerated even by Joseon monarchs. In 1517, 125 years after his death, he was canonised into the National Academy alongside other Korean sages such as Yi I (Yulgok) and Yi Hwang (Toegye).

The 11th pattern of ITF Taekwon-Do is named after Po Eun. The pattern is performed as part of the testing syllabus for the level of 1st Degree black belt.

[edit] Poem

Yi Bangwon's poem

하여가

이런들 어떠하리 저런들 어떠하리

만수산 드렁칡이 얽어진들 어떠하리

우리도 이같이 얽어져 백년까지 누리리라

Jeong Mongju's poem

이몸이 죽고 죽어 일백 번 고쳐 죽어

백골이 진토되어 넋이라도 있고 없고

임 향한 일편 단심이야 가실 줄이 있으랴.

Though I die and die again a hundred times,

That my bones turn to dust, whether my soul remains or not,

Ever loyal to my Lord, how can this red heart ever fade away?

--Danshimga(단심가), a sijo by Jeong Mongju

[edit] See also

• List of Korea-related topics
• List of Goryeo people
• Korean philosophy

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Kang, Jae-eun and Suzanne Lee. (2006). The Land of Scholars : Two Thousand Years of Korean Confucianism. Paramus, New Jersey: Homa & Sekey Books. 10-ISBN 1-931-90737-4/13-ISBN 978-1-931-90737-8; OCLC 60931394
• Titsingh, Isaac, ed. (1834). [Siyun-sai Rin-siyo/Hayashi Gahō, 1652], Nipon o daï itsi ran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon. Paris: Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. OCLC 84067437

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