Iseongyun Wiseonggongsingyoseo Mit Gwanryeon Relics

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.1508

Category

Books & Records

Era

1613년, 1669년, 17-19세기, 조선후기

Designated year

2006

Location

부평구, 인천광역시— 인천광역시 부평구

Coordinates

No precise coordinates are available, so this item is not shown as a map marker. To be added later.

Yi Seong-yun, a royal relative and a major second-rank official, was among those cited as meritorious subjects for their roles in escorting and assisting King Gwanghaegun, then a prince, during the Japanese Invasions in 1592-1598. The awards were deprived after King Gwanghaegun’s dethronement in the coup of 1623. Consequently, all official records about the awards, including personal information about the recipients, were removed from the annals of the dynasty as well as other related documents. Hence the certificates are the only sources of information regarding the awards. Royal certificates of two other meritorious subjects cited at the time have been designated Treasures: one for Jeong Tak, as Treasure No. 494-2; and one for Yu Mong-in, as Treasure No. 1306. Yi’s Certificate has been well preserved in its original condition. It contains the names of the citation composer and calligrapher, further adding to its value as research material for the styles of royal certificates of the Joseon Dynasty. A Letter of Appointment, also handed down through Yi’s descendants, was issued on the 24th of the eighth lunar month in 1669 (the 10th year of King Hyeonjong’s reign), to posthumously promote Yi from the major second rank to the major first, and award him the title Chungjeong, meaning loyalty and fidelity. Hyeonjong sillok (Annals of King Hyeonjong) says in its entry for the same day that the late Yi Seong-yun, Lord of Geumsan, is awarded the posthumous title Chungjeong. The family also keeps resident identification tags and an official tablet. It is very rare for a family to preserve as many as 16 resident identification tags issued over 150 years (from 1677 to 1822). The ivory tablet is presumed to have been used by Yi Jing-gu or Yi Tae-gu. Officials of the fourth rank or higher carried ivory tablets as a status symbol during Joseon.