李之蘭 硏究

A Study of Yi Ji-ran(李之蘭)

" When the political influence of the Mongolian Yuan(元) was enfeebled as the dynasty approached its last period, Koryo(高麗) was gradually freed from its control, and then the Jürchens(女眞) in the northeastern frontiers of Korea became a serious concern of Koryo. Around the time when Yuan had to withdraw from the northeastern frontiers of Korea, the Jürchens began to submit to Koryo, and it was in the reign of King Gong-min(恭愍王) of Koryo. When, thus, the Jürchens chose to come under the influence of Koryo rather than remain without it, a Turan Timur(豆蘭帖木兒), one of the Jürchen chieftains with considerable authority among his tribes, submitted himself with his tribes to Koryo in the 20th year of King Gong-min’s reign (1371 A.D.). Turan Timur, submitting to Koryo this way, joined the staff of General Yi Seong-gye(李成桂), a powerful figure in Koryo, and continued to serve him, taking part in the general’s frequent expeditions against other Jürchens and Japanese pirates. His dignity and authority over all Jürchens were greatly enhanced by his military exploits achieved under Yi Seong-gye. To reward his meritorious service, Yi Seong-gye granted him use of his own family name Yi, and gave him a niece of one of his consorts [Queen Sin-deog(神德王后) after Yi Seong-gye acceded to the throne as King Tae-jo(太祖) of his own dynasty] to marry. Turan Timur was thenceforward called Yi Ji-ran, in Korean fashion. In many ways Yi Seong-gye treated jl-ran with especial favour, and the greater favour Seong-gye bestowed on him the greater Ji-ran’s prestige and authority grew among all Jürchens. Seong-gey’s intent was, from the beginning, to make the .best use of Ji-ran’s influence upon the Jürchens in subjecion and appeasement of the entire Jürchen populace. It was, therefore, not merely to oblige T’aitsu of Ming(明太祖) that Seong-gye saw to Ji-ran’s participation in the actions of the Chinese to subjugate the Jürchen of Chien-chow(建州女眞). In truth, Ji-ran’s fame had been great not merely among the Jürchens but also in Ming China. And King T’aitsu of Ming’s idea when he asked Seong-gye for despatch of Ji-ran at the time of his expedition against Chien-chow, had been more than anything else to gain him over, and yet Ji-ran returned in triumph to Seong-gye after the expedition. Seong-gye liked Ji-ran even better for this. Seong-gye rewarded with a title of the Earl of Cheong-hae(靑海伯) his absolute loyalty demonstrated by his coming back in despite of all the efforts of the emperor of Ming to win him over. Ming China, with a view to subjecting the Jürchens not merely of Manchuria but of the northeastern frontiers of Korea, repeatedly sent letters to Jürchen chieftains advising them to submit to Ming, until the reign of King Tae-jong(太宗) of the Yi dynasty. In consequence, some Jürchen chieftains moved into Ming to serve at the imperial court of the Chinese. Ming had even prepared a list of those influential chieftains of the Jürchens then serving in Korea also, occasionally making advances to them. For all the persistent efforts of Ming in this respect, Korea was quite ahead of the Chinese with regard to subjection of the Jürchens, thanks to the return to Korea of Ji-ran after his successful military actions in Chien-chow, which had earned him greater fame. The Jürchens keeping submissive to Yi Dynasty, the Koreans were able continuously to proceed with their Jürchen policies through Ji-ran. Since Ji-ran began serving Seong-gye quite early in his career after his submission to Koryo, he always accompanied Seong-gye on important occasions and was consulted with in most things. He accompanied him in the epochal return of Seong-gye from Wi-hwa(威化) to the then king’s capital to suppress his political antagonists once and for all. He also assisted Seong-gye with his founding of a new monarchy