Yi Sung-hun
Encyclopedia
Yi Sung-Hun is an early Roman Catholic martyr in Korea
. He was born in 1756 in Seoul
to a high Korean official. He came into contact with Catholicism via Yi Byuk in 1779. He accompanied his father on a diplomatic mission to Beijing
, China
, and was baptised in spring, 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.
As there were yet no formally ordained priests in Korea, Yi baptised other early Korean Catholics, and various leading Korean laymen, including Jeong Yak-yong
, Choi Chang-Hyon, Yi Tan-won, began acting as "temporary clerics" (임시준성직자단; 臨時神職人員). In 1789, however, the Korean Catholics were informed by the bishop
in Beijing that such practices were contrary to Church teachings and that they should cease such practices. Thus, there would be no ordained priest in Korea until 1795, when Chinese priest Zhu Wenmiao arrived, at which time the Church had grown to over 4000 members.
In 1801, the Korean Catholic Church was subject to the first major repression by the government (신유박해) in which more than 300 were killed. Yi was martyred by beheading on the 26th of the 2nd lunar month (April 8), 1801. This date has been come to known as the Catholic Persecution of 1801
.
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. He was born in 1756 in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
to a high Korean official. He came into contact with Catholicism via Yi Byuk in 1779. He accompanied his father on a diplomatic mission to Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and was baptised in spring, 1784. This was the first time that a member of the Korean yangban
Yangban
The yangban were part of the traditional ruling class or nobles of dynastic Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The yangban were either landed or unlanded aristocracy who comprised the Korean Confucian idea of a "scholarly official." In reality, they were basically administrators and bureaucrats who...
class was formally baptised as a Christian and he returned to Korea with books, crucifixes, and other Catholic artifacts.
As there were yet no formally ordained priests in Korea, Yi baptised other early Korean Catholics, and various leading Korean laymen, including Jeong Yak-yong
Jeong Yak-yong
Jeong Yak-yong was a leading Korean philosopher in the late Joseon Dynasty. He has usually been regarded as one of the greatest thinkers of the so-called "Practical Learning" movement...
, Choi Chang-Hyon, Yi Tan-won, began acting as "temporary clerics" (임시준성직자단; 臨時神職人員). In 1789, however, the Korean Catholics were informed by the bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
in Beijing that such practices were contrary to Church teachings and that they should cease such practices. Thus, there would be no ordained priest in Korea until 1795, when Chinese priest Zhu Wenmiao arrived, at which time the Church had grown to over 4000 members.
In 1801, the Korean Catholic Church was subject to the first major repression by the government (신유박해) in which more than 300 were killed. Yi was martyred by beheading on the 26th of the 2nd lunar month (April 8), 1801. This date has been come to known as the Catholic Persecution of 1801
Catholic Persecution of 1801
The Catholic Persecution of 1801, also known as the Sinyu Persecution , was a mass persecution of Korean Catholics ordered by regent Dowager Queen Jeongsun during King Sunjo of Joseon's reign on April 8, 1801 ....
.