Career
His given name was Ik-cheom (익첨 益瞻), his courtesy name was Ilshin(일신 日新), and his pennames were Saeun (사은 思隱) and Samudang(삼우당 三憂堂). Moon Ik-chom was born at Kang Sung Hyung(강성현) in 1329. His father was Moon Sook-sun (문숙선 文淑宣), who had passed the civil service examination but did not work for the government.
Ik-chom started working for the government as a historical recorder in 1360.
In 1363, he went to Yuan China as an ambassador for cultural exchange. On the way back to of Korea he put cottonseed in his writing brush cap to bring it secretly into of Korea.
In 1364, he went back to his home town Jin Ju to spread the seed and successfully grew one of the seeds he has brought back and the number of the spread has grown significantly. Within ten years, of Korea was able to produce cotton and was able to distribute it to the citizens.
He died in 1398.
