Hangul: | 문익점 |
Hanja: | 文益漸 |
Rr: | Mun Ikjeom |
Mr: | Mun Ikjŏm |
Hangulja: | 일신 or 익첨 |
Hanjaja: | 日新, 益瞻 |
Rrja: | Ilsin, Ikcheom |
Mrja: | Ilsin, Ikch'ŏm |
Hangulho: | 사은 or 삼우당 |
Hanjaho: | 思隱, 三憂堂 |
Rrho: | Saeun, Samudang |
Mrho: | Saŭn, Samudang |
Hangulph: | 충선 |
Hanjaph: | 忠宣 |
Rrph: | Chungseon |
Mrph: | Ch'ungsŏn |
Mun Ik-jeom (; 8 February 132913 June 1398[1]) was a politician of the Goryeo period and a Neo-Confucian scholar. His given name was Ikcheom, his courtesy name was Ilsin, and his art names were Saeun and Samudang .
Moon Ik-jeom was born in Gangseong-hyeon, Jinju-mok, Gyeongsang Province (modern day Danseong-myeon, Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang Province) in 1329. His father was Moon Suk-seon, who had passed the civil service examination but did not work for the government. Ik-jeom started working for the government as a historical recorder in 1360. In 1363, he went to Yuan China as a delegation member from Goryeo dynasty. On the way back to Korea he stole cottonseed in his writing brush cap to bring it secretly into Korea. In 1364, he went back to his home town Jinju to spread the seed and successfully grew one of the seeds he had brought back and continued to grow the number of plants significantly. Within ten years, Korea was able to produce cotton and was able to distribute it to the citizens. He died in 1398.