Yi Sun-sin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2007) |
- This is a Korean name; the family name is Yi.
| Yi Sun-sin | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 The statue of Admiral Yi overlooking central Seoul. |
||||||||
| Korean name | ||||||||
|
||||||||
| Courtesy name | ||||||||
|
||||||||
| Posthumous name | ||||||||
|
Yi Sun-sin (April 28, 1545 – December 16, 1598, also commonly transliterated Yi Soon-shin or Lee Sun-shin, Korean:이순신) was a Korean naval leader noted for his victories against the Japanese navy during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598) during the Joseon Dynasty. He led the victories as the first commandant of the Gyeongsang, Jeolla, and Chungcheong provincial navies. His title of Samdo Sugun Tongjesa, literally meaning "Tri-provincial naval commander" was to remain as the title of the commander of the operating arm of the Korean navy until 1896. Yi is also known for his innovative use of the turtle ship (거북선), the world's first armoured warship. He is reputed to be one of the few admirals to have been victorious in every naval battle (at least 23) in which he commanded.[1]
Yi was killed by a single bullet in the Battle of Noryang Point in December, 1598. The royal court eventually bestowed various honors upon him, including a posthumous title of Chungmugong (충무공, 忠武公, Martial Lord of Loyalty), an enrollment as a Seonmu Ildeung Gongsin (선무일등공신, 宣武一等功臣, First-class military order of merit during the reign of Seonjo), and two posthumous offices, Yeongijeong (영의정, 領議政, Prime Minister), and the "Deokpung Buwongun" (덕풍부원군, 德豊府院君, The Prince of the Court from Deokpoong). He also received the title of Yumyeong Sugun Dodok (Admiral of the Fleet of Ming China) posthumously, by the Emperor of Ming.
Contents |
[edit] Early life
Yi was born in Geoncheon-dong Street (Hangul: 건천동, Hanja: 乾川洞), Hanseong (present-day Inhyeon-dong, Jung-gu District, Seoul). His family was part of the Deoksu Yi clan, near present-day Daejeon. In 1552, after his father, Yi Jeong, was convicted and punished for committing illegal rites for deceased criminals, the family moved from Seoul to Asan, in Gyeongsang province. King Seonjo later cleared his father's name in 1567.
One of the most important events of his early life was when Yi met and became friends with Yu Seong-ryong, a prominent scholar who became the prime minister of Korea during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598). During the war, Yu's support of Admiral Yi was extremely important to Yi's achievements.
As a young boy, Yi played war games with other local boys, showing excellent leadership talent at an early age. Yi also constructed and fletched his own bow and arrows as a teenager.
In 1576, Yi passed the annual military examination (무과; 武科). Yi is said to have impressed the judges with his swordsmanship and archery, but failed to pass the test when he broke a leg during the cavalry examination. After he re-entered and passed the examination, Yi was posted to the "Bukbyung" ("northern frontier army") military district in Hamgyong province. However he was the oldest junior officer at the age of thirty-two. There, Yi experienced battles defending the border settlements against the Jurchen marauders. Yi quickly became known for his strategy and leadership.
In 1583, he lured the Jurchen into battle, defeated the marauders, and captured their chief, Mu Pai Nai. According to a contemporary tradition, however, Yi then spent three years out of the army after hearing of his father’s death. After his return to the front line, Yi led a string of successful campaigns against Jurchen nomads.
However, his brilliance and accomplishments so soon in his career made his superiors jealous, and they falsely accused him of desertion during battle. The conspiracy was led by General Yi Il, who would later fail to repel the Japanese invasion at the Battle of Sangju. This tendency to downplay people was very common in the later years of the Korean military and government. (Another conspiracy would deal a terrible blow to his career later.) His military life might have ended there. His military rank was stripped, and he was imprisoned and tortured. After his release, Yi was allowed to fight as a common soldier. So, he had to climb through the ranks again. After a short period of time, he was appointed as the commandant of the Seoul Hunryeonweon ("military training center")and later was transferred to a small county, to be its military magistrate.
Yi's efforts in northern Korea were rewarded when Yi was assigned as the commandant of the Left Jeolla Province (전라도; 全羅道) naval district. Within the span of a few months in late 1590, he received four military appointments in rapid succession, with each subsequent post carrying greater responsibility than the last--commandant of the Kosarijin Garrison in Pyongan Province, commandant of the Manpo Garrison, also in Pyongan Province, and the commandant of the Wando Garrison, in Jeolla Province, before finally receiving the appointment as the commandant of the Jeolla left naval district. Korean government was in a state of confusion over the possibility of a war with Japan, now unified under the rule of Toyotomi Hideyoshi--which would become reality two years later--and the unstable situation in Manchuria where a young Jurchen chieftain named Nurhaci was gathering strength--Nurhaci's descendants would become masters of China as founders of the Qing Dynasty in a few decades' time, after invading Korea in 1627 and 1637--and was scrambling to place experienced military men in key positions. Yi assumed his new post at Yeosu on the 13th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1591 (March 13, 1591). From there he was able to undertake a buildup of the regional navy, which was later used to confront the Japanese invasion force. He subsequently began to strengthen the province’s navy with a series of reforms, including the construction of the turtle ship, the first and earliest ironclad warship.
[edit] Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598)
Yi is remembered for his numerous victories fighting the Japanese during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598). In 1592, Toyotomi Hideyoshi gave the order to invade Korea, to sweep through the peninsula and use it as a forward base to conquer Ming China. After the Japanese attacked Busan, Yi began his naval operations from Yeosu, his headquarters. Quickly, he won the Battle of Okpo, Battle of Sacheon, and several others. The string of victories made the Japanese generals suddenly wary of the Korean threat at sea. Of the at least 23 major battles during the war, Admiral Yi gained victories for all of them.
Hideyoshi was fully aware of the need to control the seas during the invasion. Having failed to hire two Portuguese galleons to help him, he increased the size of his own fleet to 1700 vessels, assuming that the Koreans would fight hand-to-hand and be easily overwhelmed.
There were several reasons for Yi's success fighting the Japanese fleets. First, Yi had prepared for the war that he saw as inevitable by checking the status of his soldiers, granaries and supplies and replacing them constantly. As part of this preparation, Yi successfully planned and built the Turtle Ship, which was a considerable factor in his victories. Second, the Koreans had a secure knowledge of the home territory of the South Korean coast, and Admiral Yi planned his battles using the sea tides and narrow straits to his advantage. He also demonstrated his loyalty to the people by treating them with respect and fighting amongst them even when endangered. In some records, it stated that he showed deep regret and fulfilled his dying soldiers' requests. This was one of the reasons he came to be loved by the people. Furthermore, Yi showed strength of character as a leader, keeping Korean morale up even when news of Korean losses on land came. Another reason the Korean navy outperformed the Japanese fleet was that Korean Panokseons were structurally stronger than Japanese ships at the time. Korean Panokseons had stronger hulls and could carry at least 20 cannons, compared to the Japanese 1 or 2. Japanese ship-mounted cannons were inferior in both range and power. Cannon development had been neglected by the government, so Yi developed newer, longer-range and more powerful cannons for the navy. He prepared an assault using different types of cannons for specific purposes.
Yi's brilliance as a strategist emerged during the war and his leadership broadened. For example, at the Battle of Myeongnyang, Yi proved victorious in the battle with 12 Panokseons, while the Japanese had at least 333 ships (133 warships, at least 200 logistical). Yi also personally exercised command over his fleets, making the attack on Japanese ships co-ordinated and decisive.
It is largely due to Yi's command that the Japanese were eventually forced to retreat, keeping Korea and the Ming Dynasty for the time being safe from Japanese invasion.
In 1593, Admiral Yi was appointed command of the southern navies title Admiral of Three Provincial Navies (Hangul : 삼도수군통제사, Hanja :三道水軍統制使) which gave him command over the Jeolla Right and Left navies, the Gyeongsang Right and Left navies, and the Chungcheong navy.
[edit] Four Campaigns of Admiral Yi
A Japanese invasion force landed at Busan and Dadaejin, port cities on the southern tip of Korea. The Japanese, without meeting any Korean ships, quickly captured these ports and began a lightning march north. They reached Seoul in just nineteen days on May 2, 1592 due to the military inefficiency of the Korean army, especially at the Battle of Sangju and the failure to defend Joryeong Pass.
The four campaigns of Admiral Yi included every single operation and at least 33 major battles, all of which Yi was the victor. His four campaigns resulted in hundreds of sunken Japanese warships, transports, and supply ships and thousands of Japanese naval casualties.
[edit] Turtle ships
Yi's memorable accomplishment today is for resurrecting and improving the Turtle ship(거북선). With his creative mind and the support of his subordinates, Yi was able to devise the Geobukseon, or “turtle ships”. Contrary to popular belief, the Turtle Ship was not actually invented by Admiral Yi, rather, he improved upon an older design from the early Joseon dynasty that had been suggested by and during the reign of the King Taejong.
The Turtle Ships designed by Yi held eleven cannons on each side of the ship, and two each at the stern and the bow. The ship's figurehead was in the shape of a dragon. The figurehead held up to four cannons, and emitted a smokescreen that, in combination with its fierce appearance, was meant to shock enemy troops. The sides of the Turtle Ship were dotted with smaller holes from which arrows, guns, and mortars could be fired. The roof was covered with hexagonal iron plates and spikes. The purpose of the spikes was so that if enemies were to board the ship, it would be impossible because of the spikes that were covered the whole roof of the ship. There were two masts that held two large sails. The geobukseon was also steered and powered by twenty oars, which were pulled by two men during fair conditions and five in combat situations.
There is an on-going debate as to whether the turtle ship had two decks or three; historians still have no definitive answer. Whichever is the case, it is clear that the turtle ship employed multiple decks to separate the rowers from the combat compartment. This enabled the Turtle Ship to be very mobile since wind and manpower could be used simultaneously. Most support the argument of two decks since that was drawn out in the first and second produced drafts of the Turtle Ship. However some maintain that Yi Sun Sin was rarely the same as people around him and really accomplished genius ideas that were very, very different from ideas of the Koreans during his time. His flag ship (Panokseon) had three decks during his four campaigns and he treated everyone the same. Thus the idea of three decks also in the Turtle Ship.
Turtle ships are the most famous part of Admiral Yi's fleet, however, he never deployed more than five in any one battle. The reason for few being deployed was not that the cost or construction time of the ship was prohibitive; rather, it was the naval strategy employed at the time. Unlike anywhere else in the world at the time (with the possible exception of England), the Joseon dynasty used cannons as the primary offensive naval weapon. Historically, they had often used guns and cannons against Japanese pirates, from as early on as the 1390s. The Joseon navy was not the ship-boarding navy that the Japanese navy was, so it was imperative that their warships remain "stand off" from Japanese vessels. Admiral Yi warned his sailors at all costs to avoid hand-to-hand combat, of which the Japanese navy specialized in, and to fire at enemies from a distance. The turtle ship was developed to support this tactic.
Turtle Ships were first used in the Battle of Sacheon (1592) and were used in nearly every battle until the devastating Battle of Chilchonryang, when every Turtle Ship and all but 13 Panokseons were sunk. They did not re-appear in battle until the Battle of Myeongnyang, the second turning point of the war.
Turtle Ships were used mostly to spearhead attacks. They were best used in tight areas and around islands rather than the open sea.
[edit] Japanese double agent plot
As Yi won battle after battle, Hideyoshi and his commanders became anxious as they neared Busan. They feared their supply ships would come under attack. Also, Yi delayed supply ships bringing food and weapons to Japanese soldiers. Ships also brought reinforcements. At one point, the entire invasion was halted just before attacking Pyongyang when supplies and troops failed to reach the First and Second Divisions.
But Hideyoshi soon adjusted. At Busan, the Japanese warships were added with reinforced wood and some cannons to larger ships, and clustered beneath the harbour's defences of heavy shore-mounted cannon that were acquired from Busan's armory. But above all, the Japanese knew that for a successful invasion of Korea, Yi had to be eliminated. No Japanese fleet would be safe as long as his presence was commanding the sea.
Taking advantage of the many internal court rivalries of the Koreans, the Japanese devised a plan. A Japanese double agent named Yoshira was sent to the Korean general Kim Eung-su, and convinced the general that he would spy on the Japanese for the Koreans. Yoshira played this role until the Koreans began believing anything he would say.
One day he told General Kim that the Japanese General Katō Kiyomasa would be coming on a certain date with a great Japanese fleet on another attack on Korean shores, and insisted that Admiral Yi be sent to lay an ambush. General Kim agreed and sent the message to Field Marshal Gwon Yul, Commander-in-Chief (도원수, 導元帥) of the Korean military, in turn sent the message to King Seonjo. King Seonjo immediately ordered the attack, desperate for victories to loosen the Japanese grip on Korea, and gave permission for the attack. When General Kim gave Admiral Yi his orders, the admiral declined, for he knew that the location given by the spy was studded with sunken rocks and was extremely dangerous. The weather and the tides of the water were unfavorable as well. Admiral Yi also refused because he did not trust a single letter of a spy.
When General Kim informed the king of Admiral Yi Sun-Sin’s declination, Admiral Yi’s enemies at court quickly insisted on his replacement by General Won Gyun, former commander of the Gyeongsang Province Western Fleet & commander of the Jeolla Province Ground Forces. They advised that Admiral Yi be arrested. To worsen Admiral Yi's fate, Won Gyun claimed Admiral Yi was a drinker and idler.
As a result, in 1597 Yi was relieved of command, placed under arrest and then taken to Seoul in chains to be tortured and imprisoned. Yi was tortured almost to the point of death, by using simple torture tactics such as whipping, flogging, burning, the cudgel, or even the Korean classic technique of leg breaking torture[citation needed]. King Seonjo wanted to have Admiral Yi killed but the admiral’s supporters at court, chiefly the minister Chung Tak, convinced the king to spare him due to his past service record. The Prime minister Ryu Sung-Ryong who was Admiral Yi's childhood friend was a strong and the main supporter of Admiral Yi all along, but he remained silent during this deadly hour. Spared the death penalty, Admiral Yi was again demoted to the rank of a common infantry soldier under the general Gwon Yul. This penalty was worse than death for Korean generals at that time, since they lived by honour. (Interestingly, this was not the first time for the Admiral to receive the very same penalty. At his earlier stage of being an officer, he was blamed for the lack of preparation for the attack from the Yeo Jin invaders from the north, thus resulting quite a severe casualties. In reality, Yi Sun Sin was the one who spotted the weakness and demanded for more provision. But the Chief officer did not heed and later accused Yi Sun Sin for everything. Yi Sun Sin was later discharged for planning and leading out a great defeat against the Yeo Jins people.) However, Yi Sun-sin responded to this humiliation as a most obedient subject, going quietly about his work as if his rank and orders were totally appropriate. Despite his low rank, many officers treated him with respect, since everyone knew that the Admiral was right and did nothing wrong. For a short time, Yi would stay under Gwon Yul's command until Won Gyun's death at the Battle of Chilchonryang and his reinstatement.
[edit] Reinstatement and the Final Campaign
With Yi stripped of any influence, and negotiations breaking down in 1596, Hideyoshi again ordered his army to attack Korea. The second invasion came in the first month of 1597 with a Japanese force of 140,000 men transported to Korea in 1000 ships. Unfortunately for the Japanese, Ming China had sent down thousands of reinforcements to aid the Koreans. With the help of the Chinese, the Koreans were able to push the Japanese south during the winter of 1597. The Japanese failed to reach Seoul.
But in the naval arena, the Korean navy was doomed. Won Gyun again failed to respond quickly and let the Japanese enter Korea. Had Admiral Yi been in command of the Korean Navy at that time, the Japanese would most likely never have landed on any shore again. Instead, the Japanese fleet landed safely at Sosang Harbour and began their activities.
Yi's successor, Won Gyun decided to attack with the entire navy of Korea; a navy built up by Admiral Yi. The navy was filled with 150 battleships operated by 30,000 men. Won Gyun left his headquarters at Yeosu with few apparent plans. He decided to look for the Japanese near Busan. The next morning, Won Gyun then met the Japanese near Busan. At the Chilchon Straits on Aug. 28, 1597, Won Gyun's navy was massacred. As the tired-from-rowing Korean soldiers stumbled, the Japanese launched a surprise attack. Japanese soldiers pursued the Koreans. Grappling hooks were thrown and Japanese sailors jumped aboard the Korean ships, engaged in melee combat, and began a wholesale slaughter.
It was the kind of battle Yi had always won: careful coordination of enemy movements and strategic moves. But Won Gyun allowed the Japanese to gain the upper hand, board the Korean ships and fight hand to hand combat, which was their primary strategy.
At the end of the battle, the Joseon Navy was completely annihilated except for 13 battleships, 12 were saved by an officer named Bae Sol. Bae Sol fled before the battle to save the ships because he predicted the outcome of the battle. After the destruction, Won Gyun and Yi Ok-gi, another Korean commander fled to an island with a straggling band of survivors during the battle but were killed by waiting Japanese soldiers from the nearby fort. The battle of Chilchon Straits was the only naval battle the Japanese ever won during the war.
King Seonjo heard the terrible news and quickly reassigned Admiral Yi as the commander of the Joseon Navy. Admiral Yi found the abandoned 13 battleships and rallied the 200 surviving sailors. Adding his flagship, Admiral Yi's entire naval force was 13 ships, which would be the number for a time. At that time, King Seonjo who judged that the Joseon Navy had lost their power and would never be restored again, sent a letter to abolish the Navy and fight with General Gwon Yul on land. Admiral Yi responded with a letter written "...I still own thirteen ships... As I am alive, the enemies will never gain the Western Sea (a.k.a., the Yellow Sea, the closest sea to Hansung, or Seoul)." The Japanese Navy made up their mind to eliminate the 13 battleships under command of Yi on their way to the capital city of Joseon. Encouraged by their great victory, Kurushima Michifusa, Todo Takatora, Kato Yoshiaki, and Wakisaka Yasuharu hopefully sailed out of Busan harbor to squash this minor annoyance.
Yi responded powerfully. In October, 1597 (September, according to Chinese Lunar Calendar), Yi lured the Japanese fleet (133 battle ships and at least 200 logistical support ships) within the Myongryang Straits and defeated them with only 13 battleships he had. Admiral Yi crushed the Japanese Navy, which lost around 30 battleships.[2] Using his traditional tactics of peppering cannonballs and fire arrows into Japanese ships, Admiral Yi kept the Japanese fleet at a distance giving no chance to board. Thousands of Japanese sailors drowned and many more were killed by Korean arrows. The Japanese general Kurushima Michifusa was killed by archers who got close enough to his flagship. Admiral Yi's victory at the Battle of Myeongnyang demonstrated his effectiveness as a strategic commander. Today, the Battle of Myeongnyang is celebrated in Korea as one of Yi's greatest victories.
After Hideoyshi's death, Kato and Minoshiki ultimately seized power and ordered a retreat. Wakisaka would die in the Battle of Noryang and Todo was received minor injuries in a midnight raid on the Korean spy network. Minoshiki was later involved in planning to found a dynasty in Japan by eliminating Kato, in which his rival thought likewise of him.
In the Battle of Noryang a combined fleet of Joseon and Ming ships defeated a Japanese fleet, consisting of 500 ships and 20,000 men, trying to retreat. As the Japanese withdrew, Admiral Yi ordered a vigorous pursuit. During this time a stray arquebus bullet from an enemy ship struck Admiral Yi[3] near the armpit, on his left side.[4] Sensing that the wound was mortal, the Admiral uttered, "The battle is at its height; do not announce my death. " [5] He died moments later.
[edit] Joseon government reaction
Admiral Yi was annihilating Japanese invasion forces, while preserving and respecting his soldiers and their families. Yi was supported by many peasants for not only his victories, but his kindness and gratitude towards citizens negatively affected by the war. They had much faith in Admiral Yi, and he was regarded as more than just an Admiral of the Joseon Fleet.
On the other hand, King Seonjo had accomplished nothing to save his kingdom. At his greatest need, the Joseon Dynasty's King had failed to defend the kingdom, and his rapid retreat to Uiju left his reputation in ruins. It is feasible to believe that King Seonjo and his royal court looked towards Admiral Yi's victories and rising support as the foundations for a revolt. King Seonjo, who feared that Yi may hold political power and instigate a revolt against him, arrested and tortured Admiral Yi. Defended by his loyal friend Yu Seong-ryong, Admiral Yi was spared the death sentence twice.
Nearly all awards to Admiral Yi and his deeds were awarded posthumously.
Many royal advisors of the King played an important part in manipulating the King's opinion to Admiral Yi. The Joseon government was plagued by factional fighting, jealousy, and hatred. The advisors feared and hated the lone Admiral who fought his heart out for his nation, while the royal court sulked in despair and ingratitude. Along with other jealous contemporaries, the sporadic conspiracies against Yi Sun Shin succeeded in restricting Admiral Yi's true capabilities to completely shred Japanese invasion forces and enemy supply routes.
It should also be noted that according to a recent Chosun Ilbo article, historians have discovered written government recordings of the Joseon government's reaction to Admiral Yi's death. The records show that King Seonjo expressed a 'blank expression', offering no signs of sadness or shock.
Entwined with the history of the Joseon Dynasty, extreme factional fighting eventually disrupted the peace and stability of the government, resulting in its eventual collapse to Imperial Japan in 1910.
[edit] Legacy
Today, Yi is one of Korea's greatest admirals of all time. Koreans look upon Yi as a man of courage, perseverance, strength, self-sacrifice, and loyalty to his country.
Admiral George Alexander Ballard of the Royal Navy considered Yi Sun-sin a great naval commander, and compared him to Lord Nelson of England:
It is always difficult for Englishmen to admit that Nelson ever had an equal in his profession, but if any man is entitled to be so regarded, it should be this great naval commander of Asiatic race who never knew defeat and died in the presence of the enemy; of whose movements a track-chart might be compiled from the wrecks of hundreds of Japanese ships lying with their valiant crews at the bottom of the sea, off the coasts of the Korean peninsula... and it seems, in truth, no exaggeration to assert that from first to last he never made a mistake, for his work was so complete under each variety of circumstances as to defy criticism... His whole career might be summarized by saying that, although he had no lessons from past history to serve as a guide, he waged war on the sea as it should be waged if it is to produce definite results, and ended by making the supreme sacrifice of a defender of his country. (The Influence of the Sea on The Political History of Japan, pp. 66–67.)
Admiral Tetsutaro Sato of the Imperial Japanese Navy mentioned the Korean Admiral in his book published 1908:
Throughout history there have been few generals accomplished at the tactics of frontal attack, sudden attack, concentration and dilation. Napoleon, who mastered the art of conquering the part with the whole, can be held to have been such a general, and among admirals, two further tactical geniuses may be named: in the East, Yi Sun-sin of Korea, and in the West, Horatio Nelson of England. Undoubtedly, Yi is a supreme naval commander even on the basis of the limited literature of the Seven-Year War, and despite the fact that his bravery and brilliance are not known to the West, since he had the misfortune to be born in Joseon Dynasty. Anyone who can be compared to Yi should be better than Michiel de Ruyter from Netherlands. Nelson is far behind Yi in terms of personal character and integrity. Yi was the inventor of the iron-clad warship known as the Turtle Ship (Geobukseon). He was a truly great commander and a master of the naval tactics of three hundred years ago. (A Military History of the Empire (Japanese: 帝國國防史論), p. 399)
It can also be noted that Yi was a contemporary of Sir Francis Drake, with the respective dates of the two's births, major victories and deaths all being within a few years of each other - but there is no reason to assume that either one ever heard of the other.
During the time of the invasion, it was up to the admiral to supply his fleet. Yi’s navy was cut off from any helping hand from the king’s court and had to fend for itself. Yi often wrote in his war diary how concerned he was about the food supply during winters. His enemy was fully supplied, and always outnumbered him.
Yi himself had never been trained as a naval commander. Korea, called Joseon at the time, did not have any naval training facilities. Although Yi passed the military exams when he was young, he was never trained at an academy. Yi's only military experiences came from fighting foreign Jurchen tribes invading from Manchuria. In fact, the Battle of Okpo, his first victory against the Japanese fleet, was also his first sea battle ever. None of his subordinates, including his own staff, had ever fought at sea before.
One reason Yi won was because his cannons and guns had longer range and power than the enemy's cannons, the Japanese heavily favoring troop transport over naval combat. His turtle ship, which had first set sail the day before the invasion, was very effective in leading the attack and breaking the enemy’s formation. Yi won all of at least 33 naval battles fought while suffering very minimal losses, destroying over a thousand Japanese ships and killing thousands of Japanese soldiers.
Yi also wrote numerous poems and diaries, including his most famous Nanjung Ilgi. Most of what we know about Yi comes from his writings. Also, much information about the Turtle Ships are written in the diaries.
He used many different formations according to the situation, and capitalized on tides and ocean currents. Admiral Yi also took advantage of his knowledge of the surrounding sea. Many times he lured the enemy to a place where his fleet would have the upper hand.
At the Battle of Hansando, the Japanese commander broke ranks and routed his fleet. Yi’s expertise on naval strategy is apparent in the fact that his successor Won Gyun, even with all of Yi’s ships and trained crew, could not defeat an enemy fleet of similar might. One of the greatest legacies of the Admiral was the disruption of the Japanese supply line. Through his calculated attacks, he successfully burdened the Japanese navy and the supplies trying to reach their lines near the Chinese border.
Yi's naval reforms did not persist and disappeared soon after his death. The turtle ships faded in the annals of Korean history, reaching iconic legendary status today. The Joseon court decided on a reduced military, especially after the Manchu invasions in the 1630s.
Yi kept a careful record of daily events in his diary, and it is from these entries, along with the reports he sent to the throne during the war, that much about the man has been learned. These works have been published in English as Nanjung Ilgi: War Diary of Admiral Yi Soon Sin, and Imjin Jangcho: Admiral Yi Soon Shin’s Memorials to Court.
Among his direct male descendants, more than two hundred passed the military examination and pursued military careers, hence constituting a prominent family or military "yangban" of late Joseon. Although many of his male descendants did not play the kind of a vital role in the tumultuous factional politics of late Joseon as did those of the Pyeongsan Shin and Neungseong Gu military yangban lines, the court seems to have treated them with respect. Many attained important high-level posts in the administration. Moreover, at the end of the Joseon period, at least several descendants are known to have become anti-Japanese independence activists. Today, most of Yi's descendants live in or nearby Seoul and Asan.
In Korea Yi is not only famous for the turtle ship but also for his last words before death. He told his nephew to wear his armour and to hide his death until the battle is over to avoid demoralizing his men in the middle of battle. His last words were, "Do not let my death be known" ("나의 죽음을 알리지마라"). After the battle was won, the people were rejoicing until they heard the death of their general/leader. He was praised by the king personally and was given many honors.
Yi's posthumous title, Lord of Loyalty and Chivalry (Chungmu-gong, 충무공; 忠武公) is used in Korea’s third highest military honor, the Cordon of Chungmu of the Order of Military Merit and Valour. He was posthumously granted the title of Prince of Deokpoong. Chungmuro (충무로; 忠武路) — a street in downtown Seoul — is also named after him. The city Chungmu, now renamed Tongyeong, on the southern coast of Korea is named in honour of his posthumous title and the site of his headquarters. There is a prominent statue of Admiral Yi Sunsin in the middle of Sejongno in central Seoul. Korea's new KDX-II naval destroyer is named "Chungmugong Yi Sunsin".
[edit] Modern depiction
Yi's life has been depicted in two motion pictures, both entitled Seong-ung Yi Soon Shin (“The Saintly Hero Yi Soon Shin”), the first a 1962 black & white movie, and the second, based upon his war diaries, in color in 1971 and in 2004.
Yi and his turtle ships appear in the game Age of Empires 2. However, for the purposes of balance, the turtle ships are wrong in two areas of the game: They are slow (in reality they were incredibly quick) and they can only fire the cannon out of the dragon's mouth/bow (the turtle ships actually fired broadsides and used the front mostly as a flamethrower and ram).
A 2005 Korean film, Cheon gun (천군; 天軍) or "Heaven's Soldiers", directed by Min Joon Gi, portrayed a young Yi Soon Shin, played by Park Joong-hoon, fighting the Jurchen tribes, along with local villagers and North and South Korean soldiers who traveled in time, from 2005 to 1572, with Halley's Comet. Unusually, the film presented Yi as a cunning, slightly eccentric young man, rather than a distinguished austere hero, a couple of decades before Hideyoshi's Invasions of Korea. Some historical events were also distorted: most notably Yi's campaign against the Jurchens, which did not happen in 1572 but a few years later, after his 1576 military examination. The film, financed with a comfortable budget by Korean standards ($7-8 million), was a relative commercial success in 2005. The film's theme clearly uses the figure of Yi, venerated as a hero in both parts of contemporary Korea, to plead for Korean Reunification.
From September 4 2004 to August 28 2005, a 104-episode drama series was aired on KBS. The show, titled The Immortal Lee Sun Sin (불멸의 이순신) in English, dealt mostly with the events related to the Japanese invasions of Korea, as well as the life of the admiral, played by Kim Myung-min, who later received the Best Actor's award for this role. It became a popular drama in China and was re-aired in certain ethnic channels in the United States as well. The drama was criticized for the many artistic licenses taken, such as depicting Yi as weak and lonely in his early life and taking liberties with the events surrounding his death. On the other hand, many people complimented the way the drama portrayed the whole drama with a more human touch. It described the Admiral as a true man who had to overcome so many dangers and difficulties quite frequently alone, not just a hero among the clouds. This drama was a heated topic at the time since it overlapped with the time when the Koreans were offended by Japan declaring that the DokDo island was theirs.
Yi also inspired literary works. In 2001, Kim Hoon's first novel, Song of the Sword, was a commercial and critical success in South Korea. For this poetic first-person narrative written from Yi's perspective, he received the Dongin Literature Award, the most prestigious literary prize in that nation.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Korean Hero Yi Sunsin
- ^ War Diary (亂中日記), the autobiographical diary of Admiral Yi Sun-Sin
- ^ Ha, Tae-hung (translated by), 1979, Imjin Changch'o, Yonsei University Press, p. 237.
- ^ Hawley, Samuel, The Imjin War , University of California, Berkeley, p. 549-550.
- ^ Ha, Tae-hung (translated by), 1979, Imjin Changch'o, Yonsei University Press, p. 237.
- The Influence of the Sea on The Political History of Japan (1921) ISBN 0-8371-5435-9
- War Diary (Nan Jung Il Gi), the autobiographical diary of Admiral Yi Sun-Sin
- Choson Joong-Gi, Noon-Eu-Ro Bo-Nen Han-Gook-Yuk-Sa #7. Joong-Ang-Gyo-Yook-Yun-Goo-Won, Ltd. Copyright 1998.
- Katano, Tsugio yi Sun Shin and Hideyoshi (1996)
- Hawley, Samuel 2005 The Imjin War: Japan's Sixteenth-Century Invasion of Korea and Attempt to Conquer China. Republic of Korea and U.S.A.: Co-Published by The Royal Asiatic Society and The Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley.
[edit] External links
- Hyeonchungsa Shrine Management Office
- Admiral Yi Sun-sin - A Korean Hero (includes clips from the drama Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-shin)
- Choong-mu
- Biography of Admiral Yi Sun Shin
- Yi-Sunshin
- Heaven's Soldiers
- YiSunsin.com: Yi Sunsin information portal.
- Yi Sun-sin at Find A Grave
