U T'ak

U T'ak (Korean: 우탁; Hanja: 禹倬; 1262–1342), also known as Woo Tak, was a Korean Neo-Confucian scholar and philosopher during Korea’s Goryeo dynasty. He was also commonly known as Yŏkdong Sŏnsaeng (역동선생; 易東先生). His art names were Paekun and Tanam, his courtesy names were Ch'ŏnchang and T'akpo, and his posthumous name was Moonhee.^[1] U T'ak helped spread Neo-Confucianism, which had come from the Yuan dynasty, in Korea.^[2][3] He was a disciple of the Neo-Confucian scholar, An Hyang.^[4]

U T'ak belonged to the Danyang Woo clan. He was the 7th generation descendant of the Danyang Woo clan's founding ancestor, U Hyŏn. U had two sons, U Wŏn-gwang (우원광; 禹元光) and U Wŏn-myŏng (우원명; 禹元明).^[5] U T'ak is considered as the ancestor of the Moonheegong branch (문희공파; 文僖公派) of the Danyang Woo clan. By 1308, U held the Censorate office of royal inspector (감찰규정; 監察糾正; lamch'al kyujŏng), however he protested newly reigning King Chungseon's relationship with late king's former concubine, Lady Sukchang by bringing an axe to court and appealed to the king to reconsider his ways. U would retire early from the court after this incident.^[2][6]

U T'ak was a respected scholar and centuries after his death, a Joseon Confucian scholar, Yi Hwang, helped to establish the Yeokdong Seowon [ko] in honor of U T'ak in 1570.^[3][7]