The
Priest Wonho's Memories of Admiral Yi
tells the tale of the
greatest warrior of his day. In fact, he is one of the most astounding in all of world military history. Admiral Yi's
sstory is seen through the eyes of an always humble but ever-surprising Buddhist priest. Through the Memories of
the Priest Wonho we see the whole Imjin War occur. In 1592 Japan invades
Korea on its way to China. The ruler of Japan is Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the Taiko.
Most of the Confucianist kingdom of Choson Korea collapses. China comes to help Korea, but
slowly, arrogantly, almost as dangerous to have as an ally as it is to have Japan as a foe.
Yet one man remains
unconquered. Admiral Yi, himself a Confucianist has prepared. He is ready to spring at the earliest
opportunity, a dragon coiled. From the forgotten southwest corner of Korea this naval commander's ports have emerged
unconquered. The Japanese samurai have focused on taking the major cities of Korea, hoping to
capture the king. They were already preparing for battle with the forces of China. They could
not have known the deadly mistake they had made. With bands of Buddhist monks providing valuable help, this
Confucianist commander molds sailors and farmers into a naval and marine force which never lost. Using his fabulous warship,
the kobukson, he stops the samurai of Hideyoshi, the Taiko, quite literally dead in their
tracks--except that a sunken ship or a drowned warrior leaves no footprints.
Hideyoshi Toyotomi and his samurai find out that it was not
the king who was really important. In fact, the armies and naval forces of the Taiko, who was the predecessor of Tokugawa
Ieyasu, the first Shogun in a line that would rule for 250 years, had encountered a hero they could not defeat. Admiral Yi,
with his kobukson, unsurpassable courage, and impeccable leadership, won
a series of victories that stand out to the ages. He had one very basic goal. This was to slay every Japanese invader
he could, and that the few survivors who made it back to the Land of the Rising Sun were resolved never to return. After
him, the Japanese did not return for 300 years. The Priest Wonho's
Memories of Admiral Yi
is available
here.
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| The Back Cover of "The Priest Wonho's Memories of Admiral Yi |
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Admiral Yi Sun-sin was never to be defeated. The samurai could not have known, but those who survived the "Imjin War"
to fight in the wars of the Shogun would never forget him or his fearsome kobukson. The "Turtle Ship" was armor
plated, armed with cannon personally designed by Admiral Yi, and was covered with huge spikes for any samurai who tried to
board her. The kobukson was the greatest warship of its ear, and Admiral Yi the supreme master of its use. In all of military
history, it could be argued there was never a more effective combination of commander and weapon.
The Priest
Wonho's Memories of Admiral Yi tells of the greatest feats of this magnificent hero, and much more. These writings of the Priest Wonho show why.that following the Imjin War, the leaders of what would soon be the
Japan of the Shogun did not choose to return to Korea for over 300 years. The fact they did not return for so long might be
the highest compliment Admiral Yi ever received.
There are other pages about Admiral Yi, of
his place in military history, about the
Imjin War, the Priest Wonho, and more on
this M. F. Sawyer website. . .to find out about M. F. Sawyer's
other books,
Married To Islam
(co-written with Dalia Shah), The Real Man's Sex Book,
and
(upcoming)
The Shiva Paradox
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