⑥ Admiral Yi's Namesake: Yi Sun-sin (李純信)

Who Was Yi Sun-sin (李純信)?

General Yi Sun-sin (李純信) belonged to the Jeonju Yi clan, and his courtesy name was Ipbu (立夫). His posthumous title is Mu-ui (武毅).

He was born in 1554, nine years after Admiral Yi Sun-sin (李舜臣), the commander who saved Joseon at sea during the Imjin War, who was born in 1545.

He had a different clan from Admiral Yi (Deoksu Yi versus Jeonju Yi) and a different generation name; the two were complete strangers who just happened to share the same three syllables of a name.

(To avoid confusion, in what follows I will drop the title "General" and write his name as Yi Sun-sin (李純信), with the Chinese characters. I ask for your understanding.)

Information sign at the tomb of Muuigong Yi Sun-sin (李純信)

He passed the military examination in 1578, the 11th year of King Seonjo's reign. And in 1591 he was appointed garrison commander of Bangdapjin (today Dolsan-eup, Yeosu City, South Jeolla Province), under the Left Jeolla Naval Command.

A Man Who Appears as Soon as the Diary Begins

The Nanjung Ilgi, Admiral Yi's war diary, begins on the 1st day of the 1st month of 1592. And ten days later, Yi Sun-sin (李純信) appears for the first time.

"Yi Sun-sin (李純信) arrived at Bangdap to take up his post as the new garrison commander." (Nanjung Ilgi, 10th day of the 1st month, 1592)

This was three months before the war broke out. Kwon Jun, introduced in the previous post of "The People of Admiral Yi," first appears on the 26th day of the 1st month of 1592, so Yi Sun-sin (李純信) had taken his place at Admiral Yi's side more than two weeks earlier still. Throughout the war, the garrison commander of Bangdap would be, along with the magistrates of Suncheon, Heungyang, and Gwangyang, one of the neighboring commanders who appear most often in the Nanjung Ilgi.

Forward Division Commander at Hansan Island and Busanpo

When the war broke out, Yi Sun-sin (李純信) took the post of Center Guard Commander (中衛將) of the Joseon navy. The record of the formation Admiral Yi organized on the 27th day of the 4th month of 1592 reads:

"As Center Guard Commander, Bangdap Garrison Commander Yi Sun-sin (李純信); as Left Division Commander, Nagan Magistrate Sin Ho (申浩); as Forward Division Commander, Heungyang Magistrate Bae Heung-rip (裵興立); as Center Division Commander, Gwangyang Magistrate Eo Yeong-dam (魚泳潭)... as Rear Division Commander, Nokdo Garrison Commander Jeong Un (鄭運)..." (Nanjung Ilgi, 27th day of the 4th month, 1592)

The post of Center Guard Commander, which Kwon Jun would later hold, was held by Yi Sun-sin (李純信) early in the war.

In the report Admiral Yi sent to the court after the Battle of Hansan Island on the 8th day of the 7th month of 1592, it is written:

"Bangdap Garrison Commander Yi Sun-sin (李純信) struck one large Japanese ship, captured it whole in mid-sea, and took four heads — but he devoted himself only to shooting and killing and did not bother with taking heads — and he also chased down two more ships, struck them, and burned them at once." (Report on the victory at Hansan Island, 8th day of the 7th month, 1592)

The passage saying he concentrated only on shooting down the enemy rather than taking heads stands out. It reads as meaning that he put dealing with the enemy in front of him ahead of the means of proving his merit (the heads).

Two months later, on the 1st day of the 9th month, at the Battle of Busanpo, he served as Forward Division Commander (前部將) and charged straight in at the vanguard together with Jeong Un, Kwon Jun, and Sin Ho.

"Right Division Commander Nokdo Garrison Commander Jeong Un (鄭運), turtle ship assault commander the officer Yi Eon-ryang (李彦良), Forward Division Commander Bangdap Garrison Commander Yi Sun-sin (李純信), Center Guard Commander Suncheon Magistrate Kwon Jun (權俊), Left Division Commander Nagan Magistrate Sin Ho (申浩), and others charged straight in first and smashed four large Japanese vanguard ships..." (Nanjung Ilgi, 1st day of the 9th month, 1592)

Jeong Un was killed that day (see the post on Jeong Un, Admiral Yi's jieum). Yi Sun-sin (李純信) was with him at the vanguard of the very fight in which Jeong Un died.

The Only One Left Off the Reward List

On the 11th day of the 9th month of 1592, right after the Battle of Busanpo, Admiral Yi sent a report to the court. In it, after mourning Jeong Un's death, he wrote this about Yi Sun-sin (李純信):

"Bangdap Garrison Commander Yi Sun-sin (李純信) gave all his strength to the defense of the frontier, and after the outbreak worked all the more diligently; in the four times we struck the enemy he always led the way and fought furiously, and in the fighting at Danghangpo his merit in shooting and beheading a Japanese commander was outstanding. Moreover, because he devoted himself only to killing and did not bother with taking heads, I reported the reason separately — yet in this document of rewards, only the name of Yi Sun-sin (李純信) is missing..." (Report to the throne, 11th day of the 9th month, 1592)

Next in this report comes the famous sentence I already introduced in the post on Kwon Jun.

"Among the commanders, Kwon Jun (權俊), Yi Sun-sin (李純信), Eo Yeong-dam (魚泳潭), Bae Heung-rip (裵興立), and Jeong Un (鄭運), each having something to rely on, vowed to die together, and discussed and planned everything together. Kwon Jun and the commanders below him have all been promoted to the upper ranks, but only Yi Sun-sin (李純信) has not received His Majesty's grace, so I humbly await an order from the court to reward him." (Report to the throne, 11th day of the 9th month, 1592)

To sum up: of the five commanders who "vowed to die together," Kwon Jun, Eo Yeong-dam, Bae Heung-rip, and Jeong Un were all promoted, but Yi Sun-sin (李純信)'s name was left out. Admiral Yi pointed this out to the court himself and asked separately that he be rewarded.

Not Even Able to See His Parents

Even during the war, Yi Sun-sin (李純信), along with the magistrates of Suncheon, Gwangyang, and others, often came and went at Admiral Yi's camp, sharing drink and food, shooting arrows, and talking. On the 8th day of the 3rd month of 1593 there is this record:

"I returned to Hansan Island and had breakfast, and the magistrate of Gwangyang (Eo Yeong-dam), the magistrate of Nagan, and the garrison commander of Bangdap (Yi Sun-sin) came. The garrison commander of Bangdap and the magistrate of Gwangyang had prepared plenty of drink and food, and the Right Naval Commander (Yi Eok-gi) came too..." (Nanjung Ilgi, 8th day of the 3rd month, 1593)

But their meetings were not always full of smiles. On the 2nd day of the 8th month of the same year, Yi Sun-sin (李純信) earnestly asked to go and see his parents, but because the other commanders opposed it, he could not.

"Toward dusk the Right Naval Commander (Yi Eok-gi) came to my ship and said, 'The garrison commander of Bangdap (Yi Sun-sin) is earnestly asking to go and see his parents,' but since the commanders said he could not be sent, I replied accordingly." (Nanjung Ilgi, 2nd day of the 8th month, 1593)

What the war took was not only lives. Even a few days' leave to see one's parents was not easily granted to a commander holding the front.

To Chungcheong Naval Commander, and Trial

On the 18th day of the 4th month of 1594, Yi Sun-sin (李純信) was promoted to Chungcheong Naval Commander and came again to Admiral Yi's camp.

"The newly appointed naval commander of Chungcheong Province (Yi Sun-sin, 李純信), the magistrate of Suncheon, and the deputy of the Right Naval Commander (Yi Jeong-chung, 李廷忠) came." (Nanjung Ilgi, 18th day of the 4th month, 1594)

A record also remains of him formally handing over his post as garrison commander of Bangdap three days later, on the 21st day of the 4th month.

"The garrison commander of Bangdap, having become Chungcheong Naval Commander, reported on correcting the inventory ledger and went back." (Nanjung Ilgi, 21st day of the 4th month, 1594)

Even after becoming Chungcheong Naval Commander, Yi Sun-sin (李純信) still appears often. He played janggi with Admiral Yi, shot arrows with him, and shared drinks.

But things were not always smooth. On the 16th day of the 3rd month of 1595, the Nanjung Ilgi brings this news:

"Sado Garrison Commander Kim Wan (金浣) came in. Through him I heard that Chungcheong Naval Commander Ipbu Yi Sun-sin (李純信) had been caught by the provisions inspector Kang Cheom (姜簽) over some two hundred seom of military grain, and for that reason was arrested and interrogated." (Nanjung Ilgi, 16th day of the 3rd month, 1595)

On this very day, news also came that Kwon Jun, who had been dismissed as magistrate of Suncheon, had returned to headquarters (see the post on Kwon Jun). On the same day, news came side by side of one man returning from a trial and another falling into one. What punishment Yi Sun-sin (李純信) actually received does not appear further in the Nanjung Ilgi. But since the same day's record mentions "the newly appointed Chungcheong Naval Commander Yi Gye-hun (李繼勛)," he seems to have already left the post of Chungcheong Naval Commander by this time.

The Day He Left Prison, the Man Who Came with a Bottle

In 1597, Admiral Yi was imprisoned through Won Gyun's slander and King Seonjo's misjudgment. And on the 1st day of the 4th month, he at last walked out of the prison gate. That day's Nanjung Ilgi begins like this:

"I came out of the prison gate. Arriving at the house of Yun Gan's servant outside the South Gate (Sungnyemun), my nephews Bong and Bun (芬) and my son Ul (蔚), together with Yun Sa-haeng (尹士行) and Won-gyeong (遠卿), sat together in one hall and talked for a long time." (Nanjung Ilgi, 1st day of the 4th month, 1597)

Jisa Yun Ja-sin came to console him, came again with drink, and many people sent others to ask after him. And there, at that place, was Yi Sun-sin (李純信).

"Yi Sun-sin (李純信) came carrying a whole bottle of drink, and we got drunk together as he consoled me. The Chief State Councillor (Ryu Seong-ryong) sent a servant, and Panbusa Jeong Tak (鄭琢), Minister Sim Hui-su (沈禧壽), Right State Councillor Kim Myeong-won (金命元), Vice Minister Yi Jeong-hyeong (李廷馨), Inspector-General No Jik (盧稷), Dongji Choe Won (崔遠), and Dongji Gwak Yeong (郭嶸) sent people to ask after me." (Nanjung Ilgi, 1st day of the 4th month, 1597)

The high ministers of the court — the Chief State Councillor, ministers, the Inspector-General — all "sent people" to ask after him. But Yi Sun-sin (李純信) alone came himself, and with a bottle of drink in hand — on what must have been the bleakest day, just before the Admiral set out as a common soldier in disgrace.

Meeting Again as Right Gyeongsang Naval Commander

In the devastation of the second Japanese invasion, the two met again. On the 1st day of the 12th month of 1597, Yi Sun-sin (李純信) came to Admiral Yi's camp as Right Gyeongsang Naval Commander.

"Clear and warm. In the morning, Gyeongsang Naval Commander Ipbu Yi Sun-sin (李純信) came to camp. I had a stomachache, so I saw the commander only in the late afternoon, and talked with him all day, discussing plans." (Nanjung Ilgi, 1st day of the 12th month, 1597)

This was a little over two months after the Battle of Myeongnyang (16th day of the 9th month). Though unwell, Admiral Yi sat with him until late in the day discussing strategy. Six years after they first met when he was garrison commander of Bangdap, Yi Sun-sin (李純信) had become a naval commander standing shoulder to shoulder with Admiral Yi, sharing the last phase of the war.

Noryang, the Last Battle

The Nanjung Ilgi ends with the entry for the 7th day of the 10th month of 1598 (5th November in the solar calendar). Since Admiral Yi was killed at the Battle of Noryang about two weeks later, on the 19th day of the 11th month, the Nanjung Ilgi cannot tell us exactly what role Yi Sun-sin (李純信) played in this battle.

Nevertheless, Yi Sun-sin (李純信), then Right Gyeongsang Naval Commander, took part in the Battle of Noryang and fought alongside Admiral Yi.

After the War

In 1604, the 37th year of King Seonjo's reign, Yi Sun-sin (李純信) was enrolled as a Meritorious Subject of the Third Class (Seonmu Gongsin) for his service in the Imjin War — the same class as Kwon Jun. In 1607 he was enfeoffed as Lord Wancheon (完川君).

After the war, he held many posts: Chief of Police, Chungcheong Naval Commander, governor of Suwon, governor of Gyeongsang, Army Commander of Hwanghae, Defense Commander of Jeolla, Army Commander of Hamgyeong, Army Commander of Jeolla, and Commander of the Military Training Command concurrently serving as Commander-in-Chief of the Five Military Commands.

In 1611, the 3rd year of King Gwanghaegun's reign, Yi Sun-sin (李純信) died.

His tomb is in Iljik-dong, Gwangmyeong City, Gyeonggi Province, and was designated Gwangmyeong Local Cultural Heritage No. 4 in 1987.

The Republic of Korea Navy named the seventh submarine of the Jang Bogo class after Yi Sun-sin (李純信): the "Lee Sunsin (SS-068)."

Closing

If Jeong Un was Admiral Yi's jieum, Yi Eok-gi his "closest fellow commander," Jeong Geol his "mentor," and Kwon Jun his "close friend," I would like to call Yi Sun-sin (李純信) the commander who stood by Admiral Yi when he was in the greatest difficulty. For he was at the Admiral's side on the first day of his service as a disgraced soldier, and at the Battle of Noryang, at the Admiral's end.

👉 Next post: ⑦ Comrades Who Nursed Each Other in Sickness: Bae Heung-rip

— Momcheolhak