Gijun’s political activities and status as the Eight Wise Men of Gimyosarim

This paper is a study that examines the political activities and posthumous reinstatement process of Gijun, who was one of the Gimyosarim. Gijun was an elite bureaucrat who spent most of his government career in Hongmungwan. In the sinssibogwiso case, appeal requesting the reinstatement of the deposed Queen Sin, Gijun raised the argument for press protection together with Jo Gwang-jo, contributing to the gathering of Gimyosarim as a political force. Also, after taking power, he dreamed of the realization of Jichiui(至治) and taught King Jungjong as a Gyeongyeongwan. He was named as one of the eight key figures in the Gimyosahwa, and was exiled, and then killed for additional crimes. After his death, he was revered as one of the ‘Gimyo-palhyeon.’ The Ginmyosarim were elite bureaucrats who gathered together in pursuit of the realization of the Jichiui(至治) in the wake of the sinssibogwiso case. Even though Gijun and Ginmyosarim were deposed, they were revered as exemplary men in the noble society and used as assets for the realization of moral political order.