160 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
released due to the outbreak of severe floods and returned to Ch’ungju. In
the spring of the Imsin year (1392), he was appointed administrative com-
missioner of the Security Council again, but in the summer of the same year
was exiled to Sunch’ŏn.^167
This time Hwang Kŏjŏng came down to Naju to punish him physically.
As Hwang beat Sungin on the back with a heavy paddle, Sungin finally died
in Namp’yŏng. He was only forty-six years old. He had four sons, and they
were Ch’ajŏm, Ch’ayak, Ch’agŏn, and Ch’asam.
Sungin surpassed others in intelligence. He could devote a text to memory
with just one reading. Before he reached the age of twenty, his poems and
prose works received the praise of the people. Having read many books, he
was learned, especially in the study of Neo-Confucianism.
Starting from royal lecturer of the National University until he rose to the
position of minister, he concurrently took charge of drafting official docu-
ments, and after Yi Saek became sick, all the diplomatic documents sent to
China were written by his hand. Emperor Gao [of Ming China]^168 praised
them, saying, “The way memorials [sent by Korea] are written is quite
appropriate in details and expressions.” Earlier, Yi Saek also said, “In our
country we have had quite a few good writers, but no one could surpass
Chaan [Yi Sungin].”
Our current king, His Majesty [T’aejong], ordered Duke Munch’ung^169
Kwŏn Kŭn to compose the preface to Sungin’s posthumous works so that
they could be circulated.
At first, Sungin made friends with with Chŏng Tojŏn, and their friend-
ship lasted for many years. Later, Tojŏn became close to Cho Chun and
learned that the latter disliked Sungin. So he slandered Sungin and eventu-
ally killed him.
Chonghak is the second son of Yi Saek, Count of Hansan, and his cour-
tesy name is Chungmun. He was a man of intelligence and magnanimity by
nature. In the Kabin year (1374), he passed the National University exami-
nation at the age of fourteen, and in the Pyŏngjin year, during the reign of
the false king [King U], he passed the licentiate examination and became
the supervisor of Changhŭng Granary and eventually rose to chief royal sec -
retary after serving in various offices. In the Mujin year (1388), he supervised- Located near Naju, South Chŏlla Province.
- Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder and first emperor of the Ming dynasty.
- Munch’ung is the posthumous title of Kwŏn Kŭn.