Heo Mok

Heo Mok was born at Changseonbang (창선방) in Hanseong (Seoul). His father, Heo Kyo, was a member of the lower bureaucracy, while his great-grandfather, Heo Ja, once served as the vice-prime minister of the Joseon Dynasty.

Heo Mok's maternal grandfather, Lim Je, was a student of Seo Gyeong-deok. His father, Heo Kyo, was a student of Park Ji-hwa. Seo Kyung-deok and Park Ji-hwa's more academic and ideologically-successful pupils were to join the political faction Easterners(동인;東人) of the Joseon Court. However, a schism divided court politics between the newly-formed political faction Southerners(남인;南人) and the political faction Northerners(북인;北人), with the political faction Easterners being assimilated into the political faction Northerners. Mok's family were thus members of the Northerners.

Heo Mok's early years were spent as a disciple to both Yi San-hae and Lee Won-ik's distinct private scholarly institutions.[3]

In 1613, he married Lady Lee of Jeonju, the granddaughter of Lee Won-ik (art name ohri).[4] The marriage initially met with opposition from his wife's family, but Lee Won-ik's support made it successful. In 1615, Heo Mok and his cousin Heo Hoo went to study at Hangang Jeong Gu's private educational institute, where they remained until 1620.

After the death of his master, Jeong Gu and Heo Mok went to Jeong Gu's best pupil, Yeo-hun Chang Hyon-kwang's private educational institute. In later years, Heo Mok went to the jabong mountains(紫峯山), which he used as the place devoted to the reading and study of Confucianism. Jeong Gu had studied under Cho Shik and Yi Hwang. Yi Hwang's more academically and ideologically successful pupils joined the political faction Easterners and later the political faction Southerners. Cho Shik's pupil and academic successor--Jeong Gu--was in the political faction Easterners(동인;東人), and later the political faction Northerners. Despite being a pupil of Cho Shik, Jeong Gu used relations with his other teacher Yi Hwang to join the political faction Southerners.

In 1626, heo mok, as the head of management of the dormitory of educational institutions, imposed personal sanctions on scholar Park Ji-gye accusing him of joining King Injo of Joseon's attempt to make a mess of the Li.[4] As a result,King Injo banned him from applying for Gwageo for a period of time. [4]

In 1651, he was commended for his philosophical learning skills, and appointed to the position of Naesikyokwan(내시교관;內侍敎官), but years later, he resigned. In 1656,after serving as Jojiseobyuljwa, and as Gongjojwarang after that month,he was appointed Yonggunghyungam(용궁현감;龍宮縣監), which he resigned.[5] In 1657, Gongjojwarang(공조좌랑;工曺佐郞), Saheonbu Jupyung(사헌부장령;司憲府掌令), Saboksi Jubu(사복시주부;司僕侍主簿). In 1658, he was reappointed to Saheonbu Jupyung, and he was to be the leader of the political faction Southerners, but he refused and chose to be the leader of the intra-parties clique, Blue Southern(청남파;淸南派), a group of aggressive hardliners of the political faction Westerners.

In 1659, Hyojong appointed him to Saheonbu Changryung(사헌부장령;司憲府掌令) and Buhogun(부호군;副護軍), and later that September, he became head of Jangakwon(장악원정;掌樂院正). In December, he was appointed leader of Sanguiwon (상의원정;尙衣院正), but, in 1659 King Hyojong died, and even during Hyojong's funeral period, he was in conflict with Song Si-yeol and Song Jun-kil regarding the funeral rite problem of King Injo's second wife Queen Jangryeol, also call Great Queen Jaui(자의대비), regarding the appropriate length of time for her to mourn based on Li (Confucianism)(which is known as yesong).

In early 1660, Jung Taehwa initially set the mourning period for Great Queen Jaui as one year based on the rules of Gyeongguk daejeon, but the southerners disagreed and this led to the start of the ideological dispute, also known as the First of Yesong Ronjaeng (제1차 예송 논쟁;第一次禮訟論爭).[6]On one hand, Song Si-yeol and Song Jun-kil, two header of the political faction westerners(서인;西人) argued that Great Queen Jaui should mourn for King Hyojong for just a year, since King Hyojong was only Injo's second son despite being the legitimate heir to the throne, and thus was not fit to be mourned for three years, which was the normal period to be mourned for eldest sons.[6] On the other hand, Heo Mok and Yun Hyu argued as Hyojong was successor to Injo, Hyojong should be practically treated as if he was Injo's eldest son. Based on this interpretation Great Queen Jaui should mourn for three years for his son.While Song Si-yeol asserted the status of Joseon Dynasty as "small china" to justify his arguments based on chinese neo-confucian rule books, Heo Mok asserted the status of the Kingdom of Joseon as a "different country that is beyond rule of china"(방외별국;方外別國), thus different rules should be applied. Regarding the dispute Yun Seon-do said, "Song Si-yeol and Song Jun-kil was denying King Hyojongs right of King succession legitimacy", to accuse the . However,shortly after the comment, Yun Seon-do was imprisoned and Heo being seen as complicit to demotion, was appointed to Mayor of Samcheok(삼척부사;三陟府使). In 1663 he refused the post of Mayor of Samcheok. Later years he was more into China and Japan, Korean classical books reading and Confucianism teaching.

During that period, he wrote Ki eun(기언;記言) and Eastern history(동사;東史). Eastern history was a Korean history book. Eastern history considered the Korean national ancestor as Dangun, which was against the idea that Korean national ancestor was Gija.

In 1674, Hyojong's wife Queen Inseon's death. that time was growth to revive disputation, Queen Inseon of King Injo's first daughter-in-low or Second daughter-in-low. that time living to King Injos second wife Queen Jangryeol. but Queen Inseon's funeral time Queen Jangryeol's rite problem. Song Si-yeol was Queen Inseon's husband King Hyojong's for Injo's second son, So funeral mourning to 9 month. but Heo Mok and Yun Hyu was King Hyojong was successor to King Injo, then Queen Inseon for Injo's practically first daughter-in-law and also Funeral mourning for one year.[4]

But King Hyunjong felt unpleasant to 'King Hyojong's Second' title. That time, King Hyunjong was ruling party Western Man Party and that header to Song Si-yeol. King Hyunjong was cabinet reshuffle for seize power for political faction Southerners and also victory to Heo Mok and Yun Hyu. But King Hyunjong's drop death.

Heo Mok was still trusted, despite King Hyunjong's death. In November 1674 he was appointed to Yijochamui(이조참의;吏曺參議) and continuously served as Saheonbu Daesaheon(사헌부대사헌;司憲府大司憲). In 1675 he was successively appointed for posts such as Yijochampan(이조참판;吏曺參判), Bibyungukdangsang(비변국당상;備邊局堂上), JwaChamchan(좌참찬;左參讚), Yijopanseo(이조판서;吏曺判書), Wuchamchan(우참찬;右參讚). In 1676, Heo Mok was specially promoted to right vice-prime minister of Joseon dynastys[7]

In 1679, a Party member and Prime minister Heo Juk's illegitimate son Heo Gyeon abused his power and Heo Mok attacked Heo Juk for it but King Sukjong and Southerners members took sides of Heo Gyeon. Heo Mok was disappointed, recuse and went to Wangjing in Majeon. That year, he was appointed to judge of Privy Council(중추부판사;中樞府判事).

In 1680, amidst party members bad and arrogation, King Sukjong was purge and cabinet reshuffle to Southern Man Party. He was take the expulsion to duties and title also he went to Wangjing in Majeon. In 1682, he died in a thatched house in Wangjing town, Majeon county in Gyeonggi Province, aged 87 or 89.

But the political faction westerners attacked Heo Mok and Yun Hyu, the members of political faction westerner's politicians called them Samunanjeok(사문난적;斯文亂賊). also sarcastic to Heo Mok names to Hyung Mok(흉목;凶穆) and the "poisonous". In 1689, he was rehabilitation to rehabilitate. that years, In 1692 he was posthumous conferment of honors to Prime minister. also award to a peerage, duke of Munjeong(문정공;文正公).[4]