Yi Chach'un


Yi Chach'un or known by his Mongolian name Ulus Bukha, was a minor military officer of the Yuan Empire who later transferred his allegiance to Goryeo and became the father of Yi Sŏnggye, founder of the Joseon Dynasty.

Biography

Yi Chach'un was a chiliarch of a Yuan Dynasty mingghan in Ssangseong Prefecture. After Ssangseong was reconquered by Goryeo under King Gongmin, he migrated to Hamju and got promoted to manho. He married a Goryeo-Korean lady from Anbyeon, who became Queen Uihye, the mother of Yi Sŏnggye. He died in Hamgyong in 1361.
Since he was glamorized by his descendants, descriptions of Yi Chach'un's life tend to be contradictory to each other. For example, he is said to have risen to the rank of scholar-official. However, when he died, the king at the time expressed condolences for Chach'un as if for scholar-officials, implying that Yi Chach'un was not a scholar-official.

Family

  1. Queen Ŭihye of the Yeongheung Ch'oe clan
  2. #Princess Chŏnghwa, First daughter
  3. #Yi Sŏnggye, King Taejo of Joseon, Third son
  4. Royal Noble Consort Yi of the Hansan Yi clan
  5. #Yi Wŏn'gye, Grand Prince Wanpung, first son
  6. #Yi Ch'ŏn'gye, Grand Prince Yeongseong, second son
  7. Royal Noble Consort Jeong, of the Gim clan
  8. #Yi Hwa, Grand Prince Ŭian, Fifth son
  9. Unknown woman
  10. #Yi Yŏng, ''Fourth son''

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