Sŏ Kyŏngdŏk

Sŏ Kyŏngdŏk (Korean: 서경덕; Hanja: 徐敬德; March 18, 1489 – August 13, 1546^[a]) was a Korean Neo-Confucianist philosopher during the Joseon period. His philosophy studied materialism and phenomenology based on ancient Taoist philosophy theories absorbed by neo-Confucianism, like Yin and Yang and Ki.^[1]

Sŏ Kyŏngdŏk
Hangul	서경덕
Hanja	徐敬德
RR	Seo Gyeongdeok
MR	Sŏ Kyŏngdŏk
Art name
Hangul	화담
Hanja	花潭
RR	Hwadam
MR	Hwadam

In this Korean name, the family name is Sŏ.

Works

Sŏ was a great scholar of the day. He counted among his students the famed gisaeng Hwang Jini, for whom he wrote this sijo:

마음이 어린 후이니 하는 일이 다 어리다 만중운산(萬重雲山)에 어느 님 오리마는 지는 잎 부는 바람에 행여 귄가 하노라

My heart is young   so I act young all the time.   Clouds hide this distant mountain:   who would ever visit me here? But old leaves rustle in the wind:   I hope it’s her.[2]

Other works:

• Hwadam chip (화담집; 花潭集) - collection of his writings
• Wŏn iki (원이기; 原理氣) - About origin of Qi
• Igi sŏl (이기설; 理氣說) - about processing of Qi
• T'aehŏ sŏl (태허설; 太虛說) - About Mu of Qi
• Kwisin sasaengnon (귀신사생론; 鬼神死生論) - about spirit of soul and life and death.

Disciples

• Hwang Jini - Korean poet and artist
• Hŏ Kyun - Korean novelist, philosopher, and politician
• Yi Ji-ham (이지함) - Korean astrologer, diviner, and politician
• Heo Nanseolheon - Korean poet
• Han Paekkyŏm (한백겸) - Geographer and philosopher
• Pak Sun (박순) - Philosopher and politician

Family

• Father - Sŏ Hobŏn (서호번; 徐好蕃)
• Mother - Lady Han of the Boan Han clan (보안 한씨; 保安 韓氏)
• Sibling(s)
  • Younger brother - Sŏ Sungdŏk (서숭덕; 徐崇德)
• Wives and their issue
  • Lady Yi of the Taein Yi clan (태안 이씨; 泰安 李氏); daughter Yi Kyejong (이계종; ? – January 7, 1561)
    • Son - Sŏ Ŭngga (서응가; 徐應暇)
    • Son - Sŏ Ŭnggi (서응기; 徐應麒)
    • Daughter - Lady Sŏ of the Dangseong Sŏ clan (당성 서씨)
  • Unnamed concubine
    • Son - Sŏ Ŭngbong (서응봉; 徐應鳳)
    • Son - Sŏ Ŭnggu (서응구; 徐應龜)

Notes

1. In the Korean calendar (lunisolar), Sŏ was born on February 17, 1489 and died on July 7, 1546