No Kaebang
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No Kaebang | |
|---|---|
| Native name | 노개방 |
| Born | 1563 Miryang, Joseon |
| Died | 15th day, 4th month of 1592 (aged 28–29) Dongnae, Joseon |
| Cause of death | Killed in action |
| Allegiance | Joseon |
| Battles / wars | |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 노개방 |
| Hanja | 盧蓋邦 |
| RR | No Gaebang |
| MR | No Kaebang |
| Courtesy name | |
| Hangul | 유한 |
| Hanja | 維翰 |
| RR | Yuhan |
| MR | Yuhan |
No Kaebang (Korean: 노개방; Hanja: 盧蓋邦; 1563 – 15th day, 4th month of 1592) was a Korean scholar-official of the mid-Joseon period. He is remembered for his death in the siege of Dongnae in the early stages of the Imjin War. At the time, he was serving as First-tier instructor of Dongnae.
Born in Miryang, No was noted from a young age for his intellectual aptitude and devotion to classical learning. Though initially disinclined toward officialdom, he acceded to his parents' wishes and passed the civil service examination in 1588. Following his success in the examination, he was appointed to minor posts such as Probationary Staff and Third Proctor, before being assigned as First-tier Instructor in Dongnae, where he oversaw instruction in Confucian learning at the local hyanggyo.
In the 4th month of 1592, while on leave in Miryang, the Imjin War broke out. Upon hearing of the Japanese invasion, No Kaebang returned to Dongnae to protect the spirit tablets of the ancient sages. He entered the fortress and remained at the pavilion Chŏngwŏllu, where the tablets had been relocated. When the Japanese forces breached the walls and overran the fortress, No Kaebang was killed defending the tablets to the end.
Posthumously, he was granted the honorary title of Chief Royal Secretary and enshrined at Chunghyosa in Miryang. He was also commemorated at an auxiliary shrine of Chungnyeolsa, and in 1735, he was formally incorporated into the main shrine alongside Song Sanghyŏn and Chŏng Pal. In 1742, he and his wife were both enshrined at the Songgongdan altar constructed at Chŏngwŏllu. A stele honoring his martyrdom was also erected at the site.
Birth and education
No Kaebang was born in 1563 in Garye-ri (가례리; 佳禮里[1]), Miryang, in Gyeongsang Province.[2] His father, No Il (노일; 盧馹[3]), was a degreeless scholar (유학; 幼學[4]), and his mother, a member of the Yeoju Yi clan, was the daughter of Yi Kyŏngok (이경옥; 李慶沃[2]).[2] Despite growing up under modest circumstances, he was reportedly endowed with innate intelligence and literary aptitude.[5] Known for his intense dedication to study, he was said to have carried classical texts and poetry with him at all times[3] By the age of ten, he was already regarded as highly erudite and accomplished in literary composition.[6]
No Kaebang authored several works—including Paekiryangbu and Nuch'ŏnyŏŏn (백일양부 누천여언; 白一兩賦 累千餘言[5])—which earned him recognition for literary distinction.[5] Although he initially showed no desire for government service and refrained from taking the civil examinations, he eventually acquiesced to persistent encouragement from his parents.[3] In 1588, he sat for the triennial regular civil service examination and passed in 24th place in the third tier.[7]
Early career
After passing the civil service examination, No Kaebang received his initial appointment as a probationary official (권지; 權知[8]), and later as third proctor (학유; 學諭[9]) at the Royal Confucian Academy.[6] Due to both the advanced age of his parents and the economic hardships facing his family, he petitioned to be assigned closer to his hometown and was subsequently appointed as first-tier instructor (교수; 敎授[10]) of Dongnae, a post geographically near Miryang.[2][5] There, he diligently fulfilled his responsibilities at the Dongnae Hyanggyo, where he instructed local students in Confucian classics and proper ritual conduct.[5]
