FIGURES FROM THE DUKE JEONSEO FRACTION OF WONJU BYUN

 

The following ancestors lived during the Joseon Dynasty, during the reign of King Seonjo and King Injo. The war period was during the reigns of Seonjo and Injo, considered the worst kings by historians. Seonjo showed a lack of leadership during the Limjin War, and Injo, who rose to power through rebellion, caused the Jeongyo Horan. Also, after King Injo of Joseon, Joseon's subjects ignored the Joseon king and only recognized the king of the Ming Dynasty as their king. Sook, the founder of the Duke Jeonseo fraction, deemed the Joseon regime established through rebellion as unjust and distanced himself from it. Our ancestors' achievements are honorable, but no records of correcting the authorities' wrongdoings exist. Had such records existed, they would have been more honorable, in Line with Sook’s Lessons. The question of how much the Country that Succeeded Joseon, despite being a democratic system, has changed from the Joseon Dynasty is a thought-provoking one. The insights of Sook, who warned of the pitfalls of power serving specific groups, remain relevant today. Readers must beware that neglecting past lessons risks regression over progress.

​

Even if there is a reversal, there must be a justification for the reversal to be meaningful. Joseon had no justification for its founding, so it tried to find a justification with the help of the Ming Dynasty. Because of this justification, Joseon’s history was a country that depended on other countries. Also, this bad form unfortunately continued to South Korea. In reality, Joseon depended on the Ming Dynasty, but Joseon was not an important country to the Ming Dynasty. Even now, South Korea depends on the United States, but South Korea is not a priority for the United States and they do not care about it. The Ming Dynasty and the United States simply prioritize their own national interests over Joseon or South Korea, and when the Ming Dynasty or the United States conducts work that prioritizes the interests of Joseon or South Korea, the Ming Dynasty or the United States always raises issues with Joseon or South Korea. The Ming or the United States support Joseon bureaucrats or South Korean politicians who follow their instructions well. Joseon bureaucrats or South Korean politicians act according to their own interests, but we must keep in mind that it can harm national interests, and historically, there have been many cases where the interests of Joseon bureaucrats or South Korean politicians harmed national interests. The Ming and the US are not interested in the national interests of Joseon or South Korea and only focus on their own interests. Foolish people say that following their orders is beneficial to Joseon or South Korea's national interests. However, it is not because they are fools that all countries prioritize their own interests. If the governments of Joseon or South Korea or the people of Joseon or South Korea think about whether the interests of Joseon or South Korea come first or the interests of the Ming Dynasty or the United States come first, the answer is clear, and the governments of Joseon or South Korea or the people of Joseon or South Korea must decide how to conduct diplomacy with the Ming Dynasty or the United States. If there are people who miss the days of dictatorship in South Korea, they may be missing the lives of the lower classes who had no sovereignty during the dynasty or the lower classes who were ruled by brainwashing education during the dictatorship, rather than the lives of democratic citizens who can still assert their rights. However, it is unfortunate that they do not know their position as a ruled class. Reference books: The Open Society and Its Enemies, Escape from Freedom​

​

• Ryanggirl (邊良傑, 1546~1610) was the 7th generation of the Wonju Byun clan. He is in the duke Jeonseo faction and the founder of the duke Jeongui faction. He is a military official from the Joseon Dynasty. His Character is Kukhwa. He is the son of We(偉). After passing the military service examination in 1572 (the 5th year of King Seonjo's reign), he served as Yongyangwibujang, Byeokdong-gun governor, Insanjincheomjeoljesa, and Ganggyebusa. In 1583, when the Jurchen people crossed the Duman River and invaded Gyeongwon-bu, he participated in the war as Gilju Minister and Jobangjang. He was promoted to Chungcheong Province Sugun Jeoldosa in 1591. He served as Chungcheong Province Byeongmajeoldosa and South Hamgyeong Province Byeongmajeoldosa. He became Gyeonggi Province Bangusa (京畿右道防禦使) in 1597 and a training commander in 1599, but resigned after being impeached by civil servants and civil servants. However, when those who remained in Joseon Dynasty among the Ming Dynasty soldiers revolted, he was reinstated as a training commander for his contribution in suppressing the rebellion, and he became Jijungchubusa and Jihyeonwonsa and participated in the military affairs of Bibyeonsa. As a grape captain in 1604, he corrected the chaotic public order in Capital after the Japanese invasions of Joseon Dynasty.

• Heup (邊潝, 1568~1644) was the 8th generation of the Wonju Byun clan. He is in the duke Jeonseo faction and the duke Jeongui faction. He is the son of Ryanggirl. He is a military official from the Joseon Dynasty. He passed the civil service examination in 1603 (36th year of King Seonjo's reign) and became Jongseongbusa (鍾城府使) in 1617 (9th year of King Gwanghaegun's reign). In 1622, he went to the Ming Dynasty as a Deunggeukbusa (登極副使), accompanying his superior Chunggyeom Oh (吳充謙), and after serving in various government positions, he became Gyeongsang Province Byeongmajeoldosa. During the rebellion of Lee Gwal (李适) in 1624 (the 2nd year of King Injo's reign), he served as a military commander in Hwanghae Province and also served as a Byunseosunbyunsa (兩西巡邊使), contributing greatly to the pacification of the rebellion. He was recorded as a 2nd class Jinmugongsin (振武功臣) and awarded the rank of Wonheunggun (原興君). In 1629, for the purpose of strengthening the defense of Ganghwado, he was appointed as the Gyeonggi Province naval commander and Gyodongbusa when Gyodonghyeon (喬桐縣) was promoted to Gyodongbu (喬桐府) and Gyeonggi Provonce Suyeong (水營) was moved to Gyodongbu. He served as the commander of the three provinces' naval forces and the commander of the five provinces.

• Bokil (邊復一, 1598~?) is the 9th generation of the Wonju Byun clan. He is in the duke Jeonseo faction and the duke Jeongui faction. His Character is Sucho (受初). His father is Heup, his grandfather is Ryanmggirl, and his great-grandfather is We. He was born in 1598 (the 31st year of King Seonjo’s reign). He became an official in 1621, the 13th year of King Gwanghaegun's reign of Joseon Dynasty. His official position was Moksa and the 3rd rank of official position. (正三品, current administrative officer).

• Keup (邊岌, 1598 ~ 1660) was a member of the Duke Jeonseo faction. His father doesn't know. He is a military official from the Joseon Dynasty. In 1654 (the 5th year of King Hyojong's reign), he worked as a military commander in Hamgyeong Province. He went to the battlefield with the Qing Dynasty military to battle Russia. The Raseonjeolbul (羅禪征伐) means ‘Conquering Russia’. He crossed the Tumen River with about 150 soldiers of the General Army. He fought with the Qing army against the Russian army from Yonggutap to the Hutong River. After defeating the Russian army at Hoton, he built an earthen wall for defense and returned. He became Jeolla Province naval commander in 1656, and when King Hyeonjong ascended to the throne, he was transferred to Chunghong Province naval commander.