Hwang Hyŏk
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Prince Chagch'ŏn Hwang Hyŏk | |
|---|---|
| Born | 26th day, 9th month of 1551 |
| Died | 13th day, 4th month of 1612 Hansŏng, Joseon |
| Cause of death | Torture |
| Burial place | Paju, South Korea |
| Citizenship | Joseon |
| Occupation | Literati official |
| Political party | Westerners |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 황혁 |
| Hanja | 黃赫 |
| RR | Hwang Hyeok |
| MR | Hwang Hyŏk |
| Art name | |
| Hangul | 독석 |
| Hanja | 獨石 |
| RR | Dokseok |
| MR | Toksŏk |
| Courtesy name | |
| Hangul | 회지 |
| Hanja | 晦之 |
| RR | Hoeji |
| MR | Hoeji |
Hwang Hyŏk (Korean: 황혁; Hanja: 黃赫; 26th day, 9th month of 1551 – 13th day, 4th month of 1612) was a Korean scholar-official of the mid-Joseon period. A member of the Jangsu Hwang clan, he was born to Hwang Chŏnguk, a high-ranking official later ennobled as Great Lord of Changgye. Through marriage, Hwang Hyŏk’s family became connected to the royal house, most notably through the marriage of his daughter to Prince Sunhwa, a son of King Seonjo.
Hwang Hyŏk studied under Ki Taesŭng and achieved first rank in the irregular civil service examination with an essay addressing principles of governance grounded in the Great Learning. Afterward, he held a range of central and provincial posts, including positions in the Office of the Inspector-General, the Royal Secretariat, and local magistracies. He was politically aligned with the Westerners faction and supported Yi I and Chŏng Ch'ŏl.
During the Imjin War, Hwang Hyŏk accompanied Prince Sunhwa during the escort of the royal princes northward. In 1592, he was captured in Hamgyŏng Province by Japanese forces and remained in captivity for nearly a year. While imprisoned, he composed letters under coercive circumstances, which later became the subject of official investigation following his release.
In the following years, Hwang Hyŏk was exiled in connection with disputes arising from his conduct during the war. In 1612, he was arrested in connection with the Kim Chikchae prison case, accused of treason, and interrogated under torture. He died in prison later that year. After the Injo Restoration of 1623, his conviction was overturned, and he was posthumously rehabilitated, promoted to Left Associate State Councilor, and granted the noble title Prince Changch'ŏn.
Birth and family
Hwang Hyŏk was born on the 26th day, 9th month of 1551.[1] He belonged to the Jangsu Hwang clan; his father, Hwang Chŏnguk, served in ministerial posts and was ennobled as Great Lord of Changgye, and his mother was a daughter of Cho Chŏn (조전; 趙詮) of the Sunchang Cho Clan.[2]
Hwang Hyŏk's family established marital ties with the royal house on two occasions.[3] The first marriage was concluded between Hwang Hyŏk and the daughter of Yun Ŏm (윤엄; 尹儼[4]), a grandson of Princess Chŏngsuk.[5] Lady Yun died on the 23rd day, 2nd month of 1576.[1] Subsequently, Hwang Hyŏk remarried the daughter of Cho Chŏnggi (조정기; 趙廷機) of the Pungyang Cho clan.[6] A daughter born of this marriage later married Prince Sunhwa, a son of King Seonjo, establishing a second marital connection between Hwang Hyŏk's family and the royal house.[7][8]
Education
Hwang Hyŏk studied under Ki Taesŭng.[9] At the age of twenty, he passed the preliminary civil service examination (사마시; 司馬試[10]) in 1570, and in 1580 he sat for the irregular civil service examination (별시문과; 別試文科[11]).[12] In this examination, a question concerning contemporary governance was presented as the main topic. Hwang Hyŏk submitted an answer grounded in the Great Learning, in which he discussed principles for achieving order and good governance (치평지도; 治平之道), and was ranked first in the examination.[13]
According to the Yŏllyŏsilgisul, an anecdote states that Hwang Hyŏk had not completed his answer by the end of the allotted examination time, prompting an examiner to petition King Seonjo for an extension. After being granted additional time, Hwang submitted his completed answer and was ultimately ranked first in the examination.[14]
Career during Seonjo reign
Official career
After passing the civil service examination in 1580, Hwang Hyŏk was appointed as Recorder (전적; 典籍[15]) at the Royal Confucian Academy. He was subsequently transferred to the post of Magistrate of Chiksan.[1] He subsequently served in both capital and provincial offices.[14] His capital posts included Assistant Section Chief (좌랑; 佐郎[16]) of the Ministry of Justice, Assistant Section Chief of the Ministry of Rites, Vice Director (첨정; 僉正[17]) of the Office for Royal Sacrifices (봉상시; 奉常寺[18]), Fourth Inspector (지평; 持平[19]) at the Office of the Inspector-General, and Drafter of Royal Edicts.[20] His provincial and local posts included Inspector (도사; 都事[21]) of Hamgyŏng Province, Inspector of P'yŏngan Province, and Magistrate of Goyang.[14]
In 1585, Hwang Hyŏk was dispatched as a Secret Royal Inspector to Chŏlla Right Province (전라우도; 全羅右道[22]), where he apprehended the bandit Kim Kukpo (김국보; 金國寶) in Naju.[23][24] In 1590, while serving as Chief Director (정; 正[25]) of the Bureau of Court Music (장악원; 掌樂院[26]), his father Hwang Chŏnguk was invested as a First-rank Kwangguk Merit Subject.[27] On this occasion, Hwang Hyŏk attended the oath ceremony and was promoted to the senior third-rank title of Grand Master for Comprehensive Governance (통정대부; 通政大夫[28]).[14] He later served as Associate Councillor (첨지사; 僉知事[29]) of the Privy Council (중추부; 中樞府[30]), Chief Judge (판결사; 判決事[31]) of the Bureau of Slaves (장례원; 掌禮院[32]), Third Minister (참의; 參議[33]) of Taxation, Sixth Royal Secretary (동부승지; 同副承旨[34]) of the Royal Secretariat, and Right Royal Secretary (우승지; 右承旨[35]).[1]
Factional activities
Politically, Hwang Hyŏk was classified as a member of the Westerners faction and supported Yi I and Chŏng Ch'ŏl.[1] In the 2nd month of 1584, while serving as Fourth Inspector at the Office of the Inspector-General, he submitted an impeachment against Yi Sunin, a close associate of Yi Pal, who was associated with the Easterners faction.[14]
On the 2nd day, 10th month of 1589, Han Chun (한준; 韓準[36]), then Governor of Hwanghae Province, together with others, submitted a secret memorial reporting that Chŏng Yŏrip was plotting treason, an action that marked the formal initiation of the Chŏng Yŏrip Affair.[37] Chŏng Yŏrip committed suicide while fleeing, and on the 27th day of the same month, executions were carried out against those directly implicated in the treason plot.[38][39] On the following day, however, Yang Chŏnhoe (양천회; 梁千會) submitted a memorial pointing out that members of the Easterners faction who had been closely associated with Chŏng Yŏrip had not been subjected to investigation.[40] In the 11th month, further interrogations were conducted under the leadership of officials associated with the Westerners faction.[41] In the course of this process, Hwang Hyŏk participated in the impeachment of Easterners figures including efforts to extend censure to Hong Yŏsun, who had previously recommended Chŏng Yŏrip. This attempt was blocked by King Seonjo, and Hwang was consequently dismissed from office.[23][42]
In 1591, Chŏng Ch'ŏl fell from power after incurring King Seonjo's displeasure by proposing the formal investiture of a crown prince.[43] This was followed by renewed discussions concerning responsibility for the 1589 treason case, resulting in the censure of Westerners faction officials.[44] During this period, members of the Easterners faction argued that the Westerners had acted as a factional bloc and were responsible for political instability and wrongful accusations of treason.[45] In the course of these events, Chŏng Ch'ŏl was placed under restricted residence within a fenced enclosure at Kanggye, and Hwang Hyŏk was stripped of his offices.[46] During this period, proposals were raised to annul the marriage between Hwang Hyŏk's daughter and Prince Sunhwa. King Seonjo, however, declined to accept these demands.[47]