Seong Sam-mun

Seong Sam-mun
Hangul	성삼문
Hanja	成三問
Revised Romanization	Seong Sammun
McCune–Reischauer	Sŏng Sammun
Art name
Hangul	매죽헌
Hanja	梅竹軒
Revised Romanization	Maejukheon
McCune–Reischauer	Maejukhŏn
Courtesy name
Hangul	근보, 눌옹
Hanja	謹甫, 訥翁
Revised Romanization	Geunbo, Nurong
McCune–Reischauer	Kŭnbo, Nurong

Seong Sam-mun (Korean: 성삼문; Hanja: 成三問; 1418 – 8 June 1456) was a scholar-official of the early Joseon period who rose to prominence in the court of King Sejong the Great (r. 1418–1450). He was executed after being implicated in a plot to dethrone King Sejo (r. 1455–1468) and restore his predecessor King Danjong (r. 1452–1455), and is known as one of the sayuksin (사육신, the six martyred ministers) with reference to this plot.

Biography

A calligraphic work written by Seong Sammun

Sam-mun was born in Hongseong (then Hongju), South Chungcheong Province to a yangban family of the Changnyeong Seong clan (창녕 성씨; 昌寧成氏). He passed the lower examination at the regular triennial administration in 1438. He soon gained the favor of King Sejong, and was appointed to the Hall of Worthies. From 1442 to 1446, he cooperated with other members of that body to compose the Hunmin Jeongeum, in which the hangul alphabet was first presented to the world. The level of his involvement in the creation of the Korean alphabet Hangul (and that of other Hall of Worthies scholars) is disputed, although he and other scholars were sent on trips to consult with a Ming Chinese phoneticist several times, presumably because one of the first uses the new alphabet was put to was to transcribe the sounds of hanja, or Sino-Korean characters. In 1447, Sam-mun achieved the highest score on the higher literary examination.

In 1455, Prince Suyang (one of Sejong's sons) forced the young King Danjong, his nephew, to abdicate, taking the throne instead as King Sejo. Following secret orders from his father Seong Seung, Sam-mun along with Bak Jungrim, Bak Paengnyeon and others plotted to assassinate the new king and restore King Danjong to the throne. The plot was exposed and the plotters all arrested. Sam-mun and his father were executed along with other plotters. Before his execution, Sam-mun condemned the king as a pretender. The sayuksin and the saengyuksin (생육신, the six retainers who lived), who refused to accept King Sejo as the legitimate king, were praised by later generations for holding fast to the Confucian value of staying loyal to the true king.

Poems for his loyalty

He made several poems during imprisonment and before his execution. The following is his death poem.

擊鼓催人命 (격고최인명) -둥둥 북소리는 내 생명을 재촉하고,

回頭日欲斜 (회두일욕사) -머리를 돌여 보니 해는 서산으로 넘어 가려고 하는구나

黃泉無一店 (황천무일점) -황천으로 가는 길에는 주막조차 없다는데,

今夜宿誰家 (금야숙수가) -오늘밤은 뉘 집에서 잠을 자고 갈거나

As the sound of drum calls for my life,

I turn my head where the sun is about to set.

In the afterlife, there is not a single inn

This night, at whose house shall I rest ?

Another poem in prison written in sijo format^[1]

Old Korean	Translation
이 몸이 주거 가서 무어시 될고 하니,	What shall I become after death?
봉래산(蓬萊山) 제일봉(第一峯)에 낙락장송(落落長松) 되야 이셔,	A tall, thick pine tree on the highest peak of Bongraesan,
백설(白雪)이 만건곤(滿乾坤)할 제 독야청청(獨也靑靑) 하리라.	Evergreen alone when white snow covers the whole world.

Another poem (using 7 words in each line)^[2]

Hanja	Eumdok	Modern Korean	Translation
食人之食衣人衣	식인지식의인의	임의 밥 임의 옷을 먹고 입으며	I've eaten food and worn clothes my lord has given,
素志平生莫有違	소지평생막유위	일평생 먹은 마음 변할 줄이 있으랴	How could there be change in the steadfast heart?
一死固知忠義在	일사고지충의재	이 죽음이 충과 의를 위함이기에	My death is for loyalty and righteousness.
顯陵松栢夢依依	현릉송백몽의의	현릉 푸른 송백꿈 속에서도 못잊져라	How could I forget even in a dream with the green pine tree by Heonreung

Family

Father
- Seong Seung (성승; 成勝; ? – 8 June 1456)
Mother
- Biological – Lady Park of the Juksan Park clan (죽산 박씨); Seong Seung's first wife
- Step – Lady Mi-chi (미치; 未致)
- Unnamed stepmother of commoner status
Siblings
- Younger brother – Seong Sam-bing (성삼빙; 成三聘; ?–1456)
- Younger brother – Seong Sam-go (성삼고(成三顧; ?–1456)
- Younger brother – Seong Sam-seong (성삼성; 成三省; ?–1456)
- Younger half-sister – Seong Seong-geum (성성금; 成性今), Lady Seong
- Younger half-sister – Seong Ok-dong (성옥동; 成玉童), Lady Seong
Wives and their children
- Lady Shin of the Ahju Shin clan (아주 신씨; 鵝洲申氏) — no issue.
- Kim Cha-san (김차산; 金次山), Lady Kim of the Yeonan Kim clan (연안 김씨; 延安金氏)
  - Son – Seong Maeng-cheom (성맹첨; 成孟瞻; ?–1456)
  - Son – Seong Maeng-nyeon (성맹년; ?–1456)
  - Daughter – Seong Hyo-ok (성효옥), Lady Seong
  - Daughter – Lady Seong (성씨; 成氏; 1439–1489)
  - Daughter – Lady Seong (성씨; 成氏)
  - Son – Seong Heon (성헌)
  - Son – Seong Taek (성택)

In popular culture

Portrayed by Hyun Woo in the 2011 SBS TV series Deep Rooted Tree.

References

^ (in Korean)Analysis on a sijo by Seong Sammun
^ (in Korean)Of Sayuksin, "Seong Sam-mun" Archived 2006-06-01 at the Wayback Machine from 생육신, 사육신 홈페이지

External links

Shrine of Seong Sam-mun in Hongseong County
(in Korean) Biography
(in Korean) 신숙주가 본 '죽마고우' 성삼문 from The Dong-A Ilbo

[1] (in Korean)Analysis on a sijo by Seong Sammun

[2] (in Korean)Of Sayuksin, "Seong Sam-mun" Archived 2006-06-01 at the Wayback Machine from 생육신, 사육신 홈페이지

[1]

[2]