Kim Chung-seon

Kim Chung-seon (1571–1642), born name Sayaka (沙也可) and often known by his pen name Mohadang, was a Japanese general who defected to Korea during the Japanese invasion.

This is a Korean name; the family name is Kim.
Kim Chung-seon
Hangul
김충선
Hanja
金忠善
Revised RomanizationGim Chung-seon
McCune–ReischauerKim Ch'ungsŏn
Pen name
Hangul
모하당
Hanja
Revised RomanizationMohadang
McCune–ReischauerMohadang
Courtesy name
Hangul
선지
Hanja
Revised RomanizationSeonji
McCune–ReischauerSŏnji

During the Japanese colonial era in the 20th century, Japanese officials and scholars tried to deny Kim’s existence. Some scholars visited the village and personally investigated the records handed down in his family. However, they did not recognize him as Japanese. Rather, they considered him “half Korean and half Japanese” or just a fictional figure. In 1930, Hidetaka Nakamura of the Japanese colonial government’s Korean History Compilation Committee conducted an investigation and confirmed that Kim Chung-seon was indeed a Japanese defector. Recently, a monument in memory of Kim was built in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.[1]

After his defection, Kim served in the Joseon army, contributing to Korean victories over Japanese forces in the battles of Dongnae and Ulsan. Thereafter he was granted his Korean name, on the recommendations of Gwon Yul and others, and was made part of the Gimhae Kim lineage.

Kim continued his military service after the end of the Japanese invasions in 1598, working for 10 years on securing the northern border. He fought the rebellion of Yi Gwal in 1624, personally capturing Yi's lieutenant Seo A-ji (서아지 / 徐牙之). In 1636, he participated in the defense against the Second Manchu invasion of Korea, credited with the death of some 500 Qing troops at the battle of Ssangnyeong.

After Joseon's surrender to the Manchus, Kim retired from military life, moving to Daegu where he married the daughter of the mok commander Jang Chun-jeom (장춘점 / 張春點). They settled in present-day Urok-ri, Gachang-myeon, Dalseong-gun. Kim devoted himself to Confucian ethics, promulgating gahun (family principles) and hyangyak (village creed).

The Nokdong Seowon in Urok-ri was erected in his memory in 1789. This seowon was abolished in 1864 as part of the regent Daewon-gun's general campaign against seowon, but was reestablished in 1914 under the Japanese colonial regime. The seowon remains a popular destination for Japanese tourists in Daegu.[2]

Kim's 6th-generation descendants compiled his collected works, which exist in two editions.

Also, Kim Chung-seon is the founder of one of the Korean clan, Urok Kim clan.[3]

  • Live Up to Your Name, Dr. Heo by Hiromitsu Takeda as Sayaga[4]

See also

Notes
  1. (http://wbs-ceo.sblo.jp/article/41707035.html)
  2. Daegu Tourist Information Center. "Nokdong Seowon". Daegutour.or.kr. Archived from the original on 2007-10-08. Retrieved 2007-02-03.
  3. JIN Guanglin (2014). A Comparison of the Korean and Japanese Approaches to Foreign Family Names (PDF). Journal of Cultural Interaction in East Asia Vol.5 Society for Cultural Interaction in East Asia.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)p24
  4. http://www.hancinema.net/korean_drama_Live_Up_to_Your_Name-cast.html

References and further reading


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