Joseon’s Interpreter who Merits Attention

The Joseon Dynasty had a rigid status-based system, with the upper social class, or yangban, governing the nation. Even in the strict, hierarchical Joseon era, some people demonstrated the utmost professionalism to be ahead of their time.

Interpreters with brilliant foreign language skills, among others, played prominent roles. Interpreters faced social limitations, as they belonged to the middle class between the yangban ruling class and the commoners. But they left their mark on such diverse areas in history as pioneering diplomats who took the initiative in embracing various cultures, and as merchants who frequently crossed the border to achieve commercial success. One of the interpreters truly deserving of our attention is Hong Sun-eon, who turned the tide of the Japanese invasion of Korea in the late 16th century.


Forming Special Relationship

Hong Sun-eon was born in 1530 as the first son of Hong Gyeom(홍겸), the official interpreter who had been with the Ming Dynasty of China twice. Although he was the child of a concubine, he cherished a great ambition from childhood.

Hong mastered the Chinese language when he was a little boy and became an official interpreter. When he went to Ming China as an envoy, he happened to meet a woman in a brothel in Beijing. It turned out she ended up there to pay for her parents’ funeral. Feeling pity for the girl, Hong readily gave her a large sum of state money.

Deeply moved, the woman asked his name but Hong didn’t answer. She said she couldn’t accept the money if he didn’t give her his name. After all, he only revealed his last name, Hong. His travel companions laughed at him, saying that he was totally ignorant of how the world worked.

Hong was imprisoned for years after he returned home as he couldn’t pay back the state money. At the time, a serious diplomatic conflict between the Joseon Dynasty of Korea and Ming China rose to the surface.


Resolving Joseon’s Thorny Diplomatic Dispute

In two Chinese books, Taejo, the first king of Joseon, was incorrectly recorded as the son of Yi In-im(이인임), an influential courtier of the Goryeo Kingdom. The Joseon court asked China to rectify the inaccurate record several times but China did not show any signs of correcting it.

The problem remained unsettled for over 200 years. King Seonjo, Joseon’s 14th ruler, was infuriated. The king said he would punish interpreters unless they resolved the problem. Hong was still in prison at the time. After careful discussion, interpreters paid off Hong’s debt and appointed him to the post of chief interpreter so he could handle the situation. It was a dangerous mission, which, if failed, could result in his death. In 1588, Hong arrived in Beijing with high-ranking scholar Hwang Jeong-wook(황정욱). There, he met an unexpected person, who was none other than the woman he had met in the brothel years ago.

Thanks to the money Hong gave to her, she held her parents’ funeral and later married a Chinese official named Shi Xing. To repay Hong’s kindness, she persuaded her husband to help him resolve the 200-year-old diplomatic row between Korea and China. As a token of her gratitude, she also presented Hong with silk embroidered with the letters indicating ‘return’ and ‘favor.’


Dispatching Chinese Troops to Korea during Japanese Invasion

Thanks to the woman’s help, Hong was able to correct Joseon’s royal family tree. In recognition of his service, Hong became the first interpreter to be given the honorable title of a meritorious retainer in 1590.

When Japan invaded Korea in April 1592, Hong was sent to China once again as an envoy entrusted with a mission to ask China to dispatch troops to Korea to fend off Japanese forces. This time as well, Hong received help from Shi Xing. Impressed by the generous Korean interpreter who was willing to help out people in need, never seeking a reward, Shi Xing actively persuaded Chinese officials who were opposed to supporting Korea to eventually dispatch 50-thousand Chinese troops to Korea.

As an interpreter of Li Rusong, a great general of China, Hong informed him of the Joseon situation and helped him assess the war precisely, contributing to retaking the Pyongyang Fortress from Japanese forces.

Hong’s activities played a crucial role in leading Korea to victory in the war, which claimed millions of lives and caused widespread property damage. Hong’s story is included in more than 30 books, including [The Annals of King Seonjo] and [The Diary of Yolha.]

Even after Hong died in 1598 at the age of 68, his name was on the lips of people for hundreds of years. With his touching story and excellent diplomatic capabilities, Hong moved China at a crucial time and changed Korean history.