Shin Saimdang (Korean: 신사임당; Hanja: 申師任堂; December 5, 1504 – June 20, 1551) was a Korean artist, writer, calligraphist, and poet, who lived during the Joseon period. She was born in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. Her birth home, Ojukheon, which is also her maternal family's home, is well-preserved to this day. She was the mother of the Korean Confucian scholar Yi I. Often held up as a model of Confucian ideals, her respectful nickname was Eojin ("Wise Mother"). Her real name was Shin In-seon (신인선; 申仁善). Her pen names were Saim (사임; 師任), Saimdang (사임당; 師任堂), Inimdang (인임당; 姻姙堂), and Imsajae (임사재; 姙師齊).

Shin Saimdang was born and raised in Gangneung at the home of her maternal grandparents. Her father, Shin Myeong-hwa, from the Pyongsan Shin clan, was a government official and a friend of the scholar Cho Kwangjo, but he was not politically active. Her mother was Lady Yi of the Yongin Yi clan. Lady Yi's mother, Lady Choi of the Gangneung Choi clan (강릉 최씨; 1459–?), was the third daughter of Choi Eung-hyeon (최응현; 1428–1507). Through his father, Choi Chi-on (최치온), he owned Ohjukheon (the birthplace of Saimdang and Yi I). So when his daughter, Lady Choi, married Yi Sa-on (이사온; 李思溫; 1462 – ?), it was passed down as an inheritance gift to him.

Through her paternal great-grandmother, Lady Shin was also the great-great-great-granddaughter of Queen Wongyeong and King Taejong through her great-great-grandmother, Princess Jeongseon. She was also a second cousins three removed of Shin Rip and a tenth cousin of Queen Inheon, the mother of King Injo.

Saimdang was the third of five daughters. Her father initially resided in Hanseong (modern-day Seoul), and lived largely apart from the family for 16 years. He continued his civil examination preparation with his wife's family's assistance, and visited home several times a year. Saimdang's mother assisted his studies. However, Shin Myeong-hwa did not go beyond the jinsa test (진사), an elementary test for yangban, and gave up the daegwa test (대과) due to the massacre of scholars in the year of Kimyo (기묘사화, 1519 CE). He later moved back to Gangneung.

Lady Yi had continued living with her parents after her marriage, which gave her greater autonomy in how she chose to educate Saimdang and her other daughters. Saimdang's grandfather's beliefs also greatly influenced Saimdang. Her maternal grandfather, Yi Sa-on, taught her as he would have taught a grandson.

Although she was a woman, Saimdang developed an abundant knowledge of Neo-Confucianism, history, and literature, which surprised her father's visitors. Saimdang and her sisters learned the Thousand Character Classic, Dongmongseonseup (동몽선습) and Mingxin baojian from Shin Myeong-hwa. Saimdang was especially talented, earning her father's favor. Having no brothers, she received an education that would have been bequeathed only to a son, and this background greatly influenced the way she later educated her own children.

Shin Saimdang received an education that was not common for women of that era. Besides literature and poetry, she was adept at calligraphy, embroidery, and painting. She was also gifted at writing and drawing, earning praise from Yi Suk-kwon (이숙권).

Shin Myeong-hwa chose Commander Yi Won-su (李元秀) to become Saimdang's husband. Many people felt that this showed poor judgement, because although Yi Won-su's ancestors included Yeonguijeong (Chief State Councillor) and Jwauijeong (Left State Councillor), the family was poor. At that time, Yi Won-su was also unemployed, and his father had died. However, Shin Myeong-hwa prioritised marrying Saimdang to a man who would allow her to continue with her artwork, and Won-su had no objections to this.