Yi I
Master Yi I was born in Gangneung, Gangwon Province in 1537. His father was a Fourth State Councillor ("jwachanseong" 좌찬성) and his mother, Shin Saimdang, the accomplished artist and calligrapher. He was the grand nephew of Yi Gi, prime minister 1549 to 1551. In his early years he was a student of Baik In-geol, the successor of Jo Gwang-jo. It is said that by the age of seven he had finished his lessons in the Confucian classics, and passed the Civil Service literary examination at the age of 13. Yi I secluded himself in Kumgang-san following his mother's death when he was 16 and stayed for 3 years, studying Buddhism. He left the mountains at 20 and devoted himself to the study of Confucianism.