Seo Gyeong-deok

Seo Gyeong-deok
Hangul	서경덕
Hanja	徐敬德
Revised Romanization	Seo Gyeongdeok
McCune–Reischauer	Sŏ Kyŏngdŏk
Art name
Hangul	화담
Hanja	花潭
Revised Romanization	Hwadam
McCune–Reischauer	Hwadam

In this Korean name, the family name is Seo.

Seo Gyeong-deok (Korean: 서경덕; Hanja: 徐敬德; 18 March 1489 – 13 August 1546) was a Korean Neo-Confucianist philosopher during the Joseon period. His philosophy studied materialism and phenomenology based on ancient taoist philosophy theories absorbed by neoconfucianism, like Yin and Yang and Ki.

Works

Seo 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.

Other works:

• Hwadamjip (화담집; 花潭集) - collection of his writings
• Woniki (원이기; 原理氣) - About origin of Qi
• Igiseol (이기설; 理氣說) - about processing of Qi
• Taeheoseol (태허설; 太虛說) - About Mu of Qi
• Gwisin sasaengnon (귀신사생론; 鬼神死生論) - about spirit of soul and life and death.

Disciples

• Hwang Jin-yi - Korean poet and artist
• Heo Gyun - Korean novelist, philosopher, and politician
• Yi Ji-ham (이지함) - Korean astrologer, diviner, and politician
• Heo Nanseolheon - Korean poet
• Han Baek-gyeom (한백겸) - Geographer and philosopher
• Park Sun (박순) - Philosopher and politician

Family

• Father - Seo Ho-beon (서호번; 徐好蕃)
• Mother - Lady Han of the Boan Han clan (보안 한씨; 保安 韓氏)
• Sibling(s)
  • Younger brother - Seo Sung-deok (서숭덕; 徐崇德)
• Wives and their issue
  • Lady Yi of the Taein Yi clan (태안 이씨; 泰安 李氏); daughter Yi Gye-jong (이계종; ? – 7 January 1561)
    • Son - Seo Eung-ga (서응가; 徐應暇)
    • Son - Seo Eung-gi (서응기; 徐應麒)
    • Daughter - Lady Seo of the Dangseong Seo clan (당성 서씨)
  • Unnamed concubine
    • Son - Seo Eung-bong (서응봉; 徐應鳳)
    • Son - Seo Eung-gu (서응구; 徐應龜)