earticle

영어

This paper examines the life of Lee Jeong-Gu, one of high civil officials in the mid-Joseon period. He served as a diplomat at the turbulent time, when the dynasty suffered the invasions of the Japanese army and the powerful Jurchen Manchus. As a westerner he was attacked from big northerners several times. And he witnessed the deposal of Kwanghaegun which took Injo to the throne. War, infectious diseases, famine and factional strife were the symbols of his day. Under such circumstances how he behaved, especially in the diplomatic relations with the Manchurians and the ritual disputes during kings Kwanghaegun and Injo, is the main subject of the paper. Lee Jeong-Gu spoke Chinese fluently, and had outstanding writing skills. He also had acute judgements. Then he could deal with many diplomatic conflicts. Obviously he was one of the scholars with the attitude of sadae(serving the great), but not a stubborn Confucian fundamentalist. As a career diplomat he didn't hesitate making strategic decision for the benefit of the nation. Such flexibility made him serve the government of the opposite northerners. And his long illness worked good for his public service. As for the ritual disputes, he didn't sometimes agree with kings Kwanghaegun and Injo on the basis of the principle of the ritual. But once it was decided upon, he dared to accept the role of the envoy to report the result to China. Thus some historiographer even criticized him for his irresolution. In my view, his flexibility, not indecision, was rather a virtue desperately necessary to the intellectuals of the times, in retrospect of the rough history of the Joseon dynasty after his death.