Jeong Gwang-pil (鄭光弼, 1462 – 1538) was a mid-Joseon civil official.1 His courtesy name was Sahun (士勛), his pen name was Subu (守夫), his family seat was Dongnae, and his posthumous name was Munik (文翼).
Life
Under Seongjong and Yeonsan
In 1492 (Seongjong 23), he passed the jinsa examination and, in the same year, passed the regular civil service examination, and began his official career. In the process, at the recommendation of Yi Geuk-gyun, he took part in compiling the Veritable Records of Seongjong. He later served as jeongeon, subchan, geomtogwan, and jipui, and in 1504 (Yeonsan 10), while serving as vice minister of personnel, he remonstrated with King Yeonsan about his hunting, and was exiled to Asan.
After the Jungjong Restoration
After the Jungjong Restoration of 1506, he was appointed vice minister of personnel, and then served as vice minister of war, grand censor, and magistrate of Hanseong. After serving as minister of personnel and minister of rites, in 1510 he was appointed right assistant state councillor and governor-general of Jeolla for military inspection. During the Samp'o Disturbance, he mobilized all available troops and thoroughly suppressed the Japanese pirates and Japanese forces. For this achievement, he served as minister of war and right assistant state councillor, and also served as left assistant state councillor. In 1512, as governor of Hamgyong Province, he contributed to famine relief. Afterward, on the recommendation of Sung Hi-an, he was appointed right state councillor in 1513 (Jungjong 8). He remained in the post of state councillor for 14 years, and served as chief state councillor for 11 years. He later became right state councillor and left state councillor, and then chief state councillor.
Opposition to and Defense of Jo Gwang-jo
When Jo Gwang-jo proposed enshrining Jeong Mong-ju and Kim Goeng-pil in the Confucian shrine, Jeong Gwang-pil argued that Kim Goeng-pil, Jo's teacher, had shortcomings. Later, he strongly opposed the Hyeonryang examination proposed by Jo's faction, saying that it was "inferior to observing the examination system of the ancestral kings."
Jeong Gwang-pil argued for caution, stating that although his own son was a disciple of Kim Goeng-pil, and that Kim was a man of utmost correct aspiration and sincere practice, enshrinement in the Confucian shrine should be approached with prudence.2
Afterward, he tended to offer conservative opinions on the various reform proposals of Jo's faction. However, he did not oppose everything Jo proposed unconditionally. He agreed with Jo on matters such as the abolition of the Sogyeokseo and the revision of the Jeonggukgongsin (the merit subjects of the Jungjong Restoration), as a Confucian scholar of his time.
Moreover, when Jo was punished in the Gimyo Purge, Jeong Gwang-pil pleaded tearfully and asked for leniency. There is a record in the Veritable Records that Nam Gon, who led the Gimyo Purge, tried to draw Jeong Gwang-pil to his side; however, since Jeong glared fiercely at Nam during the purge, there is a possibility that Nam did not draw him in.3 After Jo's execution was decided, Jeong is said to have grieved the most.4
After the Gimyo Purge
Because his defense of Jo Gwang-pil during the Gimyo Purge became a problem, he was demoted to Yeongjungchubusa, but was soon reappointed as left state councillor. After Nam Gon died, he was again appointed chief state councillor in 1527.
Afterward, the censors who sided with Kim An-no alone opposed the execution of Park Un, the illegitimate son of Park Won-jong, and of Prince Bokseong, which led to him falling out of favor with Kim An-no. Kim An-no then raised an issue regarding the Hui Tomb of Queen Jangkyeong. He claimed that "bedrock was found during the construction of the royal tomb, and burying the queen mother in a place where the bedrock had been excavated cuts off the geomantic flow." In fact, bedrock had been found, but after divination on auspiciousness, it was judged acceptable to move the site a few feet lower, so the site had been moved a few feet below where the bedrock was found. However, Kim An-no personally intervened and strongly demanded that the tomb be relocated, and it was relocated as he wished.
Afterward, Kim An-no's faction petitioned for the punishment of Jeong Gwang-pil, as a person involved, and Jeong was ultimately sentenced to exile. He was exiled to Gimhae, and after being released, he became Jungchubuyeongsa. He died the year after his release from exile, at the age of 77.
Family
- Grandfather: Jeong Sa (鄭賜)
- Father: Jeong Nan-jong (鄭蘭宗)
- Mother: daughter of Yi Ji-ji
- Wife: daughter of Song Sun-nyeon
- Eldest son: Jeong No-gyeom (鄭勞謙)
- Daughter-in-law: daughter of Kim Mul
- Grandson: Jeong Yu-in (鄭惟仁)
- Granddaughter: married into the family of Sin Yeo-ryang
- Second son: Jeong Hwi-gyeom (鄭撝謙)
- Daughter-in-law: daughter of Gwon Jo
- Third son: Jeong Ik-gyeom (鄭益謙)
- Daughter-in-law: daughter of Choe Ja-sik
- Grandson: Jeong Yu-ui (鄭惟義)
- Daughter-in-law: daughter of Yi Seung-hyeong
- Grandson: Jeong Yu-sin (鄭惟愼)
- Grandson: Jeong Yu-seo (鄭惟恕)
- Grandson: Jeong Yu-cheong (鄭惟淸)
- Grandson: Jeong Yu-sun (鄭惟醇)
- Granddaughter: married into the family of Yi Yeon
- Granddaughter: married into the family of Jang Jin
- Fourth son: Jeong Bok-gyeom (鄭福謙)
- Daughter-in-law: daughter of Yi Su-yeong
- Grandson: Jeong Yu-gil (鄭惟吉), father-in-law of Ryu Ja-sin of the Munhwa Ryu clan
- Grandson: Jeong Yu-gyeong (鄭惟慶)
- Granddaughter: married into the family of Yi Mun-eun
- Granddaughter: married into the family of Kim Bal
- Granddaughter: married into the family of Hong Deok-su
- Granddaughter: married into the family of Sin Mun-bin
- Granddaughter: married into the family of Yi Eung-saeng
- Concubine: name unknown
Evaluation
In Park Si-baek's Joseon Dynasty Veritable Records – Jungjong Sillok, Park Si-baek evaluated Jeong Gwang-pil as a Confucian scholar who nevertheless possessed flexibility in realistic politics. However, he did not hold real power, and King Jungjong merely took his words into consideration. Yet Jeong did not give up, and acted according to his own judgment regardless of the times, which was clearly revealed when Jo Gwang-jo and Kim An-no were in power. Although he was the most strongly opposed to Jo Gwang-jo's reform politics, the fact that he strongly opposed Jo's execution during the Gimyo Purge shows that he was a conservative who was able to appropriately restrain Jo's reform politics.5
Appearances in Works
Footnotes