Yi Sŭnghun
Yi Sŭnghun, also Ni-Seoung-Houn and baptized as Peter, was a Korean Catholic missionary known as one of the first Christians, missionaries and martyrs in Korea.
Biography
He was born in 1756 in Hanseong, modern day Seoul. His father was Yi Tonguk, art name Soam, from the Pyeongchang clan, who rose to the rank of champan and, after possible initial interest, fiercely opposed the spread of Catholic teachings. His mother was a sister of Yi Kahwan, one of the Catholics executed with him in 1801.Yi Sŭnghun first came into contact with Catholicism via Yi Pyŏk in 1779. In 1783–4, he accompanied his father on a diplomatic mission to Beijing, China, and on the suggestion of Yi Pyŏk contacted the Catholic priests there. He was baptised in Beijing in the spring of 1784. This was the first time that a member of the Korean yangban class was formally baptised as a Christian and he returned to Korea with books, crucifixes, and other Catholic artifacts. Yi Pyŏk then seems to have taken some time to study the books before declaring himself convinced. He then set about evangelizing those around him, including Kwŏn Ch'ŏlsin and his younger brother Kwŏn Ilsin. This was also the moment when he spoke of the Catholic faith to the brothers Chŏng Yakjong, Chŏng Yakchŏn, and Chŏng Yagyŏng in which more than 300 people were killed. Yi was martyred by beheading on the 26th of the 2nd lunar month, 1801. This incident has come to be known as the Catholic Persecution of 1801. Little written material remains from this period but a collection of texts by several of the first believers, known as Manch'ŏn yugo, was discovered in about 1970. Manch'ŏn was the art name of Yi Sŭnghun, whose writings occupy a major part of the book, together with texts written by Yi Pyŏk etc. It is not known when or by whom the collection was made, and although it is sometimes claimed to be in the handwriting of Chŏng Yagyong, this does not seem to be the case.