The life and splendid accomplishments of Admiral Yi took place amid grim hardships and constant adversities. His
country was in crisis and his people were suffering. From the outside he had
the Japanese to contend with, from within, the jealousy and mischievous
slanders of the King and his Court. The war in which he took part was a
desperate fight on which the fate of his nation depended, and was a heavy
responsibility, one undertaken in spite of the almost total absence of material
support and reinforcement from central or local governments.
The one thing Yi received from the government was the position of Tongjesa,
Supreme Naval Commander, which immediately made him the target of political
antagonism and intrigue, and later became the cause of his demotion and
imprisonment. The local governments were officially obliged to provide the navy
with supplies for battle, but the collection and distribution of these supplies
were made almost impossible by the constant desertion of land by farmers and
the incorrigible venality of local officials. The results spoke for themselves.
In 1593, the Korean navy suffered from serious starvation in their camp at
Hansan. Around 600 sailors (that is, around 10% of the total manpower) died of
hunger, while the rest endured malnutrition and serious illness. In such
circumstances, it was a hard task indeed for Admiral Yi to muster sufficient
numbers of men to fight for him.
Yi’s work was not limited to commanding his men in battles. He was also
responsible for provisions, military supplies, distribution, recruitment, care
for the wounded, shipbuilding, manufacture of cannon and ammunition, farming,
and salt production as a source of raising money. In short, he had to provide
for every aspect of warfare by and for himself. The government, meanwhile, so
far from lending him support, would even occasionally send for supplies of
paper and weapons for the Royal Court from his camp.
Yi’s political misfortunes dated back to the days before his appointment in the
Royal Navy when he served as a junior officer. His promising career was
suddenly cut short when he became an innocent victim of the bitter struggle for
power between the warring parties at court. Yi Sun-sin was a man whose only
loyalties were to his country and to his principles. A man of this kind, for
whom personal glory and influence held so little interest, and who never paid
deference to power for its own sake, was naturally a thorn in the side of the
corrupt politicians who were his contemporaries. In actuality, it was his
upright character which constituted the true substance of the accusation laid
against Yi Sun-sin at Hansan. Officially, however, it was charged that he had:
(1) Deceived and thereby held in contempt the throne and his court.
(2) Betrayed his country by failing to attack a retreating enemy.
(3) Assumed credit for others’ accomplishments, and slandered the
innocent:
thus shown unreserved and impudent attitude.
These grave allegations were the fruits of Yi Sun-sin’s disastrous relationship
with General Won Kyun, which had begun soon after the outbreak of war, and also
the result of the efforts of the Japanese double agent Yoshira who worked to
eliminate Yi and thus clear the path for the Japanese campaign.
Seven Royal Assemblies were held in order to determine Yi’s fate. The
discussion held among the courtiers was recorded for us by the Son Jo Sillok
(Royal Secretary). From this, it is clear that King Son Jo had already decided
that Yi should be killed, and that he was constantly soliciting the agreement
of the court by means of subtle hints. The admiral’s supporters, however,
succeeded in convincing the King that the execution of a general during wartime
could only be in the interests of the enemy. In this way, Yi narrowly escaped
being put to death, and was led back to prison. When the second Japanese
invasion took place, he found himself fighting as a common foot soldier. In a
rigidly hierarchical such as that of Choson dynasty Korea, demotion from
Supreme Naval Command to the rank of common soldier was one of the worst
humiliations imaginable, more bitter than even the death penalty.
It is a testament to the noble nature of Yi Sun-sin that in his diary we find
no mention of his torture and demotion, nor of political intrigue and
persecution. Neither is any trace of his misfortune and disgrace to be found in
much of the literature written about him by others. He left no record or
statement on the subject of his dishonor and dismissal. As a disgraced private
soldier, he kept his silence. And later, when he had to fight with only 13
ships against a 330-strong enemy fleet after Won Kyun’s disastrous defeat, he
quietly did his duty without blaming anyone.
Yi, who had returned as the Tongjesa, had once again saved Choson Korea with
his great victory at Myongnyang. At the news of the victorious battle, the
entire populace, the government officials, and even the Ming generals were
astounded and greatly rejoiced. Meanwhile, the Japanese, having suffered a
disastrous defeat, dispatched 50 soldiers to Yi’s home in Asan in revenge. They
burned the house and plundered the neighborhood. Other family members narrowly
escaped to mountains nearby, but his third son Myon, who remained, fought
against them with a bow and a sword in his hand. Killing three Japanese
soldiers, resisting till the end, he finally lost his life to the enemy’s
sword. He was then 21 years old. The death of his beloved son deeply scarred
Yi’s heart and left him in an even worse state of health.
The task of leading and controlling his men was never an easy one. The crimes of robbery, rape, disobedience,
mutiny, drunkenness, desertion, divulgence of military secrets, improper
recruitment, espionage, dissemination of false rumors – all these took place,
as they do in all such camps during wartime. Yi Sun-sin, however, forced his
men to face the hellish reality of life, the wretched plight of the Korean
navy, and never accepted any excuse for avoiding them. He shared with his men
the firm belief that ‘He who seeks death will live, and he who seeks life will
die.’ ; he put his belief into practice by always leading his navy from the
front in battle and was wounded in the Battle of Sacheon as a result of this
courageous policy.
Throughout
his whole career, Yi Sun-sin fought face to face with death on behalf of his
country and countrymen. And in the last battle of the war, he finally offered
up his life.
Chronological Career Note
1545.
8th day of 3rd moon. One o’clock in the morning Yi Sun-sin was born as the third
son of Chong at his home at Keoncheon-dong, Seoul. His clan origin was Deoksu; his mother was of the Pyon
clan. His mother had a dream before she brought forth her third son: Her
father-in-law appeared in her dream and advised as follows: “You will have a
son who will be a great man and his name shall be ‘Sun-sin’.”
1552.
His family moved to Asan, the country home of the family.
1564.
Married to the daughter of Pang Chin, a military officer.
1566.
Started practice in archery and drilling necessary for military service.
1567.
His first son, Hoe was born.
1571.
His second son, Yol was born.
1572. In
the 8th moon. He fell from horseback and broke his left leg while he was taking
the military service examination.
1576. 2nd
moon. Passed military service examination. 12th moon. Appointed the Acting
Commandant of Fortress Tonggubi, Hamgyung
Province.
1577.
Third son, Myon was born.
1579.
Appointed staff captain to the Army Commander of Chungcheong Province.
1580.
7th moon. Appointed Naval commandant of Palpo, Cholla Province.
1583.
7th moon. Staff officer of the Hamgyong Army Commander.
10th moon. Appointed Acting Commander of
Konwon Fortress, and destroyed the Jurchen forces.
11th moon. Appointed Staff Officer of
Military Training Command.
15 th day of 11th moon. His father Chong
passed away.
Resigned his official post in accordance
with the custom of the society, which required a mourner to withdraw himself
from official posts for two years.
1586.
Appointed Garrison Captain of Chosan Fortress, Hamgyung Province.
1587.
Dismissed from the post and enlisted as common soldier owing to the jealousy of
Yi Il.
Army Commander of Hamgyung.
1588.
6th moon. Returned home.
1589.
2nd moon. Appointed Staff Officer of Cholla Commissioner.
11th moon. Appointed Concurrent
Transmitter-Commissioner.
12th moon. Appointed Magistrate of Chongup Prefecture.
1591.
13th day of 2nd moon. Appointed Navy Commander of Left Cholla
Province.
1592.
Completed the Turtle Ship before the Hideyoshi Invasion started.
13th day of 4th moon. Japanese forces invaded Korea.
5th moon. The first campaign at Okpo with the signal
victory of the Admiral.
6th moon. The second campaign at Tangpo with the victory
of the Admiral.
7th moon. Defeated the Japanese Navy in the Hansan
campaign.
9th moon. Fourth Fourth campaign at Busan-po with his
victory.
1593. 2nd moon. Defeated Japanese
fleet at Ungpo.
7th moon. Moved his fleet
to Hansan-do.
8th moon. Appointed Tongjesa, Supreme
Naval Commamder of the Three Provinces.
1594.
7th day of 3rd moon. Submitted his objection to the peace negotiation proposed
by Ming Chinese envoy Tan.
6th of 4th moon. Held provisional Military Examination
at Hansan-do to recruit sailors.
9th moon. Defeated the enemy at
Changmunpo.
1595.
2nd moon. Submitted a memorial to be transfered from his present post because
of the criticism by Admiral Won Kyun.
Refused.
1597.
2nd moon. Placed under arrest at Hansan-do.
4th day of 3rd moon. Imprisoned at Seoul.
1st day of 4th moon. Released
under the order to enlist as a soldier under the Field Marshall Kwon Yul.
11th day of 4th moon. His mother
passed away.
7th moon. Admiral Won Kyun (who
replaced admiral Yi Sun-sin) was defeated by Japanese fleet and beheaded in his
refuge.
22nd day of 7th moon. Appointed Supreme
Naval Commander.
8th moon. Resumed his duty. All he
could gather was 12 ships and 120 sailors.
9th moon. Had a great victory in
the campaign at Uldolmok (Myongnyang).
10th moon. The third son Myon died
in a faight against the Japanese Army at
his home, Asan.
1598.
2nd moon. Moved his Navy to Kogum-do.
7th moon, Organized United Naval Forces
wuth the Ming Chinese commodore Chen Lien.
19th day of 11th moon. Died in the final
victorious fight against the retreating Japanese.
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