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1、EJ00029 Lee, Sung-gyeLee Sung-gyes father was born in Yong-heung, Hamgyong province in the 4th year of King Chung-sook of Goryo, and he was an officer of Won in China. He was originally from a very rich family in Jun-ju of Jeonra-Do. Lee Sung-gye had big ears, so he had the nickname ears of donkey.
2、He was very good at archery. One day, he caught three blackbirds at once.It was when Lee Sung-Gye was 17 years old. He met a group of Yeojin pirates. They were making their livings by robbing and hunting. One of them, Tung-du was impressed by Lee Sung-gyes archery skills and they swore to be brother
3、s. Tung-du was also a good archer. Lee Sung-gye gave him the name, Lee Ji-ran.One night, he had a strange dream. He asked about this dream to the Great Buddhist Priest Mu-hak, who was one of his best friends. Last night in my dream, as I walked into an old house with several steps, the house started
4、 to shake up and down, its floor made squeaking sounds and its pillars collapsed. I ran out of the house and the old house collapsed completely.I walked out of the house safely anyway, but three rafters were still on my back. What does this mean? Do not tell anyone about this dream, okay? If you tel
5、l anyone about your dream, youll be in danger soon. What do you mean?The old house in your dream symbolizes the collapse of Goryo. Also, the three rafters on your back means that you will be a new king of your country. You know that if you put three rafters on your back, it forms the Chinese charact
6、er for, King. At that time, King Gong-min was looking for the chance to take the territory of the North back from Mongolia.Finally, King Gong-min gave the orders to General Yu In-uh to attack the North. At that time, Lee Sung-gyes father, Lee Ja-chun, who was working for the chiefs office in Ssang S
7、ung. He received a letter from General Yu In-uh and helped Goryo open up the gate of the camp. The Goryo army took back the biggest camp of the North, Ssang sung. King Gong-min gave Lee Sung- gye and Lee Ja-chun high-ranking positions and prizes.At the age of 20, Lee Sung-gye went to Gae-gyong, the
8、capital of Goryo for the first time in his life. Three years later after his father died, Lee Sung-gye took over his fathers position. At that time in China, the Myong and Won dynasties were fighting to dominate China. The Myong ordered and threatened Goryo not to side with the Won. After the Myong
9、conquered most of the Manchrian region, they sent their envoy to Goryo.We can attack and destroy you right now. Before you are all killed, give us the Northern part of Chul-yong. That doesnt make any sense. We owned the region according to our Northern Region Policy. We cant let them take the region
10、 away from us. I think it is the best to have close relations with the Myong.The king had the same opinion as General Choi Young, and announced that he would invade the Yo-dong region. I will give 10,000 soldiers for Lee Sung- gye. Do your best to invade the egion. First of all, My Lord, according t
11、o military tactics, it doesnt make any sense that such a small country like Goryo? attack the Myong, who are bigger then us. Even though Myoung is big country, they may be busy fighting in other regions. They wont care much about the Yo-dong region. They wont fight hard for such small region. Second
12、, it will soon be summer. People will be busy farming. If we start war and bring all the young men of this country, who would do the farm work?Thirdly, we have to protect the forts in the south. Japan may attack us. Forth, in the summer when it rains a lot, the power of bows get relatively weaker th
13、an in the winter, and swords and spears rust easily. Also, we run the risk of various infectious diseases. Its just not the right time for us to attack Yo-dong. In spite of Lee Sung-gyes explanation, the King ordered his army to go into battle.It was May when Lee Sung-gye arrived at Wi-hwa Island. R
14、ight before the Goryo military arrived on Wi-hwa Island there was a big flood, so they couldnt cross there. Lee Sung-gyes army waited for the water to recede, but as expected, a lot of soldiers suffered from various infectious diseases. Even though he sent the message that he couldnt attack Yo-dong,
15、 the King said no.Lee Sung-gye, according to his generals and soldiers complaints, decided to go back to Gae-gyoung with his army. While coming back to Gae-gyoung, he gathered more and more soldiers from all over the country. His army got stronger. Even though General Choi Young fought with them, he
16、 could not beat such a big army. After he acquired power, Lee Sung-gye shared the land with the people of Chosun, and demolished the corrupted noble class. He gained credibility from people.As time went by, he grew stronger and more powerful, and people began to trust and follow him. But subjects li
17、ke Jung Mong-ju and Kim Jin-yang kept insisting to worship the King of Goryo and resist against Lee Sung-gye. When Lee Sung-gye was injured and had to stay at Hae-ju, Jung Mong-ju tried to drive Lee Sung-gye away. But Jung Mong-Jus plan never succeeded because Lee Sung-gye soon came back.On Lee Sung
18、-gyes birthday ceremony, his fifth son, Lee Bang- won invited Jung Mong-ju and tested him by making poems. I do not care how the world goes around. I do not care how the arrowroot vines twist around. We will twist around like those arrowroot and will live forever. This poem was Mt. Man-su of Lee Ban
19、g-won. He did not want to lose Jung Mong-ju.If I die and die a hundred times, if my soul detach from my bone, I will never change my mind for my lord. This poem Soul Praise was written by Jung Mong-ju. He expressed his firm will toward his lord. Short-tempered Lee Bang-won ordered to get rid of Jung
20、 Mong-ju right away.King Gong-yang gave the throne to Lee Sung-gye after he is losing such wonderful subjects like Jung Mong-ju. Lee Sung-gye changed the name of the country to Chosun for his new dynasty. With the help of Priest Mu-hak, he moved the capital of the country to Han yang. When Chosun wa
21、s stabilized inside, he had to decided which of his Princes was to be the next king. He already had 8 sons. The first son went to the remote mountains because he didnt like his father being the new conqueror of Chosun.Even though the best of them is my fifth son, Bang-won, he has such a short-temper
22、. His second son, Bang-gwa became Jung-jong, but soon, he took over his throne to Bang-won because he was too weak. Lee Sung-gye did not gave anyone the Royal Seal and wandered around outside Han Yang and settled in Ham-ju (Ham-heung).Bang-won, now King Tae-jong tried to persuade his father and sent messengers to Ham-heung, but Lee Sung-gye shot arrows killing all the messengers. Thats how the famous word, The Messenger to Ham Heung had been created. Later, by Priest Mu-hak, Lee Sung-gye came back to Han Yang and died after 16 years since he built Chosun.