Yi Sun-shin

A famous naval commander in the Joseon Dynasty, Korea, during the Imjin and Jeongyou Japanese Invasions (Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea). A native of Tok-sui, his pen name was Jo-kai. He was the son of Tei. He was born in Hanseong (Seoul) and passed the military examination in 1576. He distinguished himself in the battle against the Jurchens, and in 1591 he was recommended by Ryu Seong-ryong to become the Chief Navy Officer of Jeolla Left Province. They built turtle-shell ships with lids and drills on the top to defend themselves, and when the Imjin War broke out the following year (92), they rescued Won Gyun, the naval commander of Gyeongsang Left Province, and defeated the Japanese navy in succession in the Gyeongsang Province waters at Okpo, Dangpo, Danghangpo, Hansan Island, Busan, and other areas. This great victory gave the Korean army control of the seas, turning the tide of the war and creating an opportunity to thwart the Japanese invasion. King Seonjo highly praised Shunshin's military achievements, and in 93 he gave him the concurrent position of naval commander of Chungcheong, Jeolla, and Gyeongsang Three Provinces, entrusting him with the command of all navies. During the Jeongyu Rebellion in 1597, he was initially dismissed from his position as a control commander due to slander by Won Gyun, but was reappointed after Won Gyun's defeat and death. He fought well with a small force, oppressing the Japanese navy, and won a major victory in the Battle of Noryang in November 1598, but was killed by a bullet. He was posthumously awarded the title of Chungmugong and has long been revered as a great general who saved the country.

[Kenichi Kasuya]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

朝鮮、李朝(りちょう)、壬辰(じんしん)・丁酉倭乱(ていゆうわらん)（豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉の朝鮮侵略）における水軍の名将。徳水の人。字(あざな)は汝諧(じょかい)。貞の子。漢城（ソウル）に生まれ、1576年武科に及第した。女真(じょしん)との戦いに軍功をたて、柳成龍(りゅうせいりゅう)の推薦を受けて91年に全羅左道水軍節度使となった。船上に蓋(ふた)をのせ錐(すい)刀を装備した亀甲(きっこう)船を建造して防備に努め、翌92年壬辰の乱が起こると慶尚左道水軍節度使の元均を救援して、日本水軍を玉浦、唐浦、唐項浦、閑山島、釜山(ふざん)など慶尚道海域に連破した。その大勝により朝鮮軍は制海権を確保し、戦局を転換して日本の侵略を挫折(ざせつ)させる機をつくりだした。宣祖は舜臣の軍功を厚く賞し、93年忠清全羅慶尚三道水軍統制使を兼職させて全水軍の指揮をゆだねた。97年丁酉の乱には、初め元均の讒言(ざんげん)により統制使を罷免されたが、元均の敗死後に再起用され、少数の兵力により善戦して日本水軍を圧迫し、98年11月露梁(ろりょう)の戦いに大勝したが弾丸にあたって戦死した。忠武公と諡(おくりな)を贈られ、救国の名将として長く追慕された。

［糟谷憲一］

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