Heo Gyun

Heo Gyun
Korean name
Hangul	허균
Hanja	許筠
Revised Romanization	Heo Gyun
McCune–Reischauer	Hŏ Kyun
Pen name
Hangul	교산 / 성소 / 백월거사
Hanja	蛟山 / 惺所 / 白月居士
Revised Romanization	Gyosan / Seongso / Baegwolgeosa
McCune–Reischauer	Kyosan / Sŏngso / Paegwŏlgŏsa

Heo Gyun (Hangul: 허균; Hanja: 許筠, 10 December 1569 – 12 October 1618) was a Korean novelist, poet, and politician during the Joseon period. He was also known by his pennames, Gyosan (교산 蛟山) and Seongso (성소 惺所).

Life[]

Heo Gyun was born into the Yangcheon Heo clan in the city of Gangneung to Heo Yeop and his second wife, Lady Kim of the Gangneung Kim clan. Heo Gyun's sister Heo Nanseolheon was a poet. Heo's family was of the noble (yangban) class (his father had been mayor of Gangneung) and as such Heo Gyun was afforded a solid education and in 1594 passed the nation's highest civil service exam. Under the strong influence of his tutor, Yi Dal 李達, Heo Gyun became a progressive and liberal thinker who dreamed of establishing a more progressive society by eliminating Confucian elements in the social, literary, and political realms.^[1] Heo went on to serve the government of Joseon in such positions as Minister of the Board of Punishment and State Councillor. In the course of his political career he was exiled several times for involvement in political feuds and was ultimately executed on charges of treason during the reign of Prince Gwanghae.^[2]

Heo is often credited as the author of the famous Korean story Tale of Hong Gildong, which in many ways reflects his progressive thinking, although his authorship has been disputed.^[3]^[4]^[5]

Family[]

Great-Great-Great-Grandfather
- Heo Chu (허추, 許樞)
Great-Great-Grandfather
- Heo Gal (허갈, 許葛)
Great-Grandfather
- Heo Dam (허담, 許聃)
Grandfather
- Heo Han (허한, 許澣) (? - 1532)
Grandmother
- Lady Seong of the Changnyeong Seong clan (창녕 성씨) (? - 1557)
Father
- Heo Yeob (허엽, 許曄) (19 December 1517 - 4 February 1580)
Mother
- Lady Kim of the Gangneung Kim clan (정부인 강릉 김씨)
  - Maternal Grandfather: Kim Gwang-cheol (김광철, 金光轍)
- Stepmother: Lady Han of the Cheongju Han clan (정부인 청주 한씨)^[6]
  - Maternal step-grandfather: Han Suk-chang (한숙창, 韓叔昌) (1478 - 1537)^[7]
  - Maternal step-grandmother: Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (전주 이씨)^[8]
Siblings
- Older half-brother: Heo Seong (허성, 許筬) (1548 - 1612)
  - Sister-in-law: Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (전주 이씨)
    - Half-niece: Lady Heo of the Yangcheon Heo clan (양천 허씨, 陽川許氏); died prematurely
  - Sister-in-law: Lady Nam of the Uiryeong Nam clan (의령 남씨)
    - Half-Nephew: Heo Sil (허실, 許實)
    - Half-Nephew: Heo Bo (허보, 許寶)
    - Half-Nephew: Heo Shin (허신)
    - Half-Niece: Lady Heo of the Yangcheon Heo clan (양천 허씨, 陽川許氏)
      - Nephew-in-law: Hong Yeong (홍영, 洪榮)
    - Half-Niece: Princess Consort Heo of the Yangcheon Heo clan (군부인 양천 허씨, 陽川郡夫人陽川許氏)
      - Nephew-in-law: Yi Gwang, Prince Uichang (의창군 이광, 義昌君李珖) (1589 - 1645)^[9]^[10]
        Adoptive half-grandnephew: Yi Il, Prince Changrim (창림군 이일, 昌臨君李佾) (1629 - 1690)
- Older half-sister: Lady Heo of the Yangcheon Heo clan (양천 허씨, 陽川許氏)
  - Brother-in-law: Park Sun-won (박순원, 朴舜元)
- Older half-sister: Lady Heo of the Yangcheon Heo clan (증정부인 양천 허씨)
  - Brother-in-law: Woo Seong-jeon (우성전, 禹性傳) (1542 - 1593)
- Older brother: Heo Bong (허봉, 許篈) (1551 - 1588)
  - Sister-in-law: Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (숙인 전주 이씨); daughter of Yi Woo-bin (이우빈, 李禹賓)
    - Nephew: Heo Chae (허채, 許寀)
    - Nephew: Heo Sang (허상)
    - Niece: Lady Heo of the Yangcheon Heo clan (양천 허씨, 陽川許氏)
      - Nephew-in-law: Kim Geuk-geon (김극건, 金克健)^[11]
        Grandnephew: Kim Se-ryeom (김세렴, 金世濂)
        
        Grandnephew: Kim Se-pil (김세필, 金世弼)
- Older sister: Heo Nanseolheon (난설헌 허씨, 蘭雪軒許氏) (1563 - 19 March 1589)
  - Brother-in-law: Kim Seong-rib (김성립, 金誠立) of the Andong Kim clan (안동 김씨) (1562 - 1592)
    - Nephew: Kim Hui-yun (김희윤); died prematurely
    - Niece: Lady Kim of the Andong Kim clan (안동 김씨): died prematurely
    - Adoptive nephew: Kim Jin (김진, 金振); son of Kim Jeong-rib (김정립, 金正立)
Wives and their children
- Lady Kim of the Andong Kim clan (정부인 안동 김씨) (1571 - 16 August 1592)
  - Father-in-law - Kim Dae-seob (김대섭)
  - Mother-in-law - Lady Sim of the Cheongseong Sim clan (청송 심씨)^[12]
    - Unnamed son (1592 - 1592); died prematurely
    - Unnamed son; died prematurely
    - Daughter - Lady Heo of the Yangcheon Heo clan (양천 허씨)
      - Son-in-law - Lee Sa-seong (이사성, 李士星)
        Grandson - Lee Pil-jin (이필진, 李必進) (1610 - 1671)
    - Daughter - Lady Heo of the Yangcheon Heo clan (양천 허씨)
- Lady Kim of the Seonsan Kim clan (정부인 선산 김씨)^[13]
  - Father-in-law - Kim Hyo-won (김효원, 金孝元) (1542 - 1590)
  - Mother-in-law - Lady Jeong of the Chogye Jeong clan (초계 정씨)
  - Brother-in-law - Kim Geuk-geon (김극건, 金克健)
  - Brother-in-law - Kim Geuk-seon (김극��, 金克銑)
  - Brother-in-law - Kim Geuk-ryeon (김극련, 金克鍊)
    - Daughter - Royal Consort Sohun of the Yangcheon Heo clan (소훈 허씨)
      - Son-in-law - Yi Jil, Deposed Crown Prince (폐세자 이질, 廢世子李祬) (31 December 1598 - 22 July 1623)^[14]
    - Son - Heo Gwing (허굉, 許宏)
      - Grandson - Heo Heum (허흠, 許嶔)
- Concubine - Lady Kim (김씨)
- Concubine - Lady Song Seong-ok (송성옥, 宋成玉)
- Concubine - Lady Yi Mae-chang (이매창)
- Concubine - Lady Chu-seom (추섬, 秋蟾) or Hyeon Eung-min (현응민, 玄應旻)
- Concubine - Lady Ok-mae (옥매, 玉梅)

Works[]

Honggildongjeon (홍길동전) (attributed)
Dongguk myeongsandong cheonjuhaegi (동국명산동천주해기 東國名山洞天註解記)
Domundaejak (도문대작 屠門大嚼)
Namgungdujeon (남궁두전 南宮斗傳)
Yujaeron (유재론 遺才論)
Seongsobu bugo (성소부부고 惺所覆?藁)
Haksan chodam (학산초담 鶴山樵談)
Gukjo sisan (국조시산 國朝詩刪)
Hanjeongnok (한정록 閑情錄)
Gyosansihwa (교산시화 蛟山詩話)
Gosiseon (고시선 古詩選)
Sachesungdang (사체성당 四體盛唐)
Dangsiseon (당시선 唐詩選)
Songohghasicho (송오가시초 宋五家詩抄)
Myungsagashiseon (명사가시선 明四家詩選)
Eomcheosajeon (엄처사전)
Songoksaninjeon (손곡산인전)
Jangsaninjeon (장산인전)
Jangsaengjeon (장생전)
Namgung seonsaengjeon (남궁선생전)

Gallery[]

The house of Heo Gyun's birth in Gangneung.

In popular culture[]

Portrayed by Kim Joo-young in the 1986 MBC TV series The Hoechun Gate.
Portrayed by Lee Dong-shin in the 1988 MBC TV series Queen Inhyeon.
Portrayed by Kim Dong-hyun in the 1993 MBC TV series Iljimae.
Portrayed by Kim Jong-kyul in the 1995 KBS TV series West Palace.
Portrayed by Choi Jae-sung in the 2000 KBS TV series Roll of Thunder.
Portrayed by Ryu Seung-ryong in the 2012 film Masquerade and in the 2014 SBS TV series My Love from the Star.

Site web[]

Heo Gyun (in Korean)
Heo Gyun:Navercast (in Korean)
Heo Gyun (in Korean)

References[]

^ Tai-jin Kim. 1976. A Bibliographic Guide to Traditional Korean Sources. Seoul: Asiatic Research Center, 291.
^ Tai-jin Kim. 1976. A Bibliographic Guide to Traditional Korean Sources. Seoul: Asiatic Research Center, 290.
^ Heo Kyun 허균, Hong Gildong jeon 홍길동전 [Tale of Hong Gildong], edited by Gu Inhwan 구인환 (Seoul: Sinwon Munhwasa, 2003), 54.
^ Jeon Yeongjin 전영진, ed., Hong Gildong jeon, Bak ssi buin jeon 홍길동전(洪吉童傳)·박씨부인전(朴氏夫人傳) [Tale of Hong Gildong, Tale of Lady Pak] (Seoul: Hongsin Munhwasa, 2001), 11.
^ Heo Gyeongjin 허경진, trans., "Hong Gildong jeon," Heo Gyun sanmunjip 홍길동전·허균 산문집 [Tale of Hong Gildong, Collection of Heo Gyun's prose] (Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea: Hanyang Chulpan, 1995), 7.
^ Her paternal grandmother, Lady Park of the Suncheon Park clan (순천 박씨), is the maternal aunt of Queen Janggyeong
^ He is the maternal cousin of Queen Janggyeong and Yun Im
^ Lady Yi is a daughter of Yi Jing, Prince Hwanseong (환성군 징, 歡城君澄) and is the great-granddaughter of King Sejong and Queen Soheon through her grandfather, Yi Gu, Grand Prince Imyeong (7 January 1420 – 21 January 1469) (이구 임영대군)
^ He is the 4th son of King Seonjo and Royal Noble Consort In of the Suwon Kim clan (인빈 김씨, 仁嬪金氏) (1555 - 1613)
^ He is the younger brother of Prince Jeongwon
^ His younger sister became Heo Gyun’s second wife, thus becoming his aunt-in-law
^ Lady Sim is the third daughter of Sim Jeon (심전, 沈銓) (who is the 5th great-grandson of Sim On), and a first cousin twice removed of Sim Ui-gyeom and Queen Insun
^ Her older brother, Kim Geuk-geon (김극건, 金克健), became her nephew-in-law to Heo Gyun’s niece through marriage
^ King Gwanghaegun’s and Deposed Queen Yu’s son

[1] Tai-jin Kim. 1976. A Bibliographic Guide to Traditional Korean Sources. Seoul: Asiatic Research Center, 291.

[2] Tai-jin Kim. 1976. A Bibliographic Guide to Traditional Korean Sources. Seoul: Asiatic Research Center, 290.

[3] Heo Kyun 허균, Hong Gildong jeon 홍길동전 [Tale of Hong Gildong], edited by Gu Inhwan 구인환 (Seoul: Sinwon Munhwasa, 2003), 54.

[4] Jeon Yeongjin 전영진, ed., Hong Gildong jeon, Bak ssi buin jeon 홍길동전(洪吉童傳)·박씨부인전(朴氏夫人傳) [Tale of Hong Gildong, Tale of Lady Pak] (Seoul: Hongsin Munhwasa, 2001), 11.

[5] Heo Gyeongjin 허경진, trans., "Hong Gildong jeon," Heo Gyun sanmunjip 홍길동전·허균 산문집 [Tale of Hong Gildong, Collection of Heo Gyun's prose] (Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea: Hanyang Chulpan, 1995), 7.

[6] Her paternal grandmother, Lady Park of the Suncheon Park clan (순천 박씨), is the maternal aunt of Queen Janggyeong

[7] He is the maternal cousin of Queen Janggyeong and Yun Im

[8] Lady Yi is a daughter of Yi Jing, Prince Hwanseong (환성군 징, 歡城君澄) and is the great-granddaughter of King Sejong and Queen Soheon through her grandfather, Yi Gu, Grand Prince Imyeong (7 January 1420 – 21 January 1469) (이구 임영대군)

[9] He is the 4th son of King Seonjo and Royal Noble Consort In of the Suwon Kim clan (인빈 김씨, 仁嬪金氏) (1555 - 1613)

[10] He is the younger brother of Prince Jeongwon

[11] His younger sister became Heo Gyun’s second wife, thus becoming his aunt-in-law

[12] Lady Sim is the third daughter of Sim Jeon (심전, 沈銓) (who is the 5th great-grandson of Sim On), and a first cousin twice removed of Sim Ui-gyeom and Queen Insun

[13] Her older brother, Kim Geuk-geon (김극건, 金克健), became her nephew-in-law to Heo Gyun’s niece through marriage

[14] King Gwanghaegun’s and Deposed Queen Yu’s son

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