Mok Cheom (睦詹, 1515 – 21 May 1593) was a Joseon civil official of the mid-Joseon period. During the reign of King Myeongjong, he passed the civil service examination and served as Vice Minister of Public Works (工曹參議) and Governor of Chungcheong Province (忠淸道觀察使). He was dismissed from office on the grounds that he refused the private requests of the powerful minister Yun Won-hyeong (尹元衡), but he was reinstated and then served as Grand Remonstrator, Vice Minister of Personnel, Honorary Guard Commander, again as Vice Minister of Personnel, and Left Vice Magistrate of Hanseong Prefecture. In 1591 he entered the Gisoso (Council of Elder Statesmen) (耆老所). When the Imjin War broke out, he organized a righteous army, but he died suddenly while on King Seonjo's order to look after the tombs of Seolleung and Jeongneung.
Posthumously, in 1607 he was registered as a Wonjong meritorious subject and conferred the posthumous rank of Minister of Personnel with the title Jahyeon Daebu. In 1613, through the merit of his son Mok Dae-heum, he was posthumously granted the rank of Sungjeong daebu and the post of Left State Councilor of the State Council as a Sunchung Bojo meritorious subject, and was enfeoffed as Sacheon-gun. Later, when his third son Mok Jang-heum again received the commendation of Iksa Wonjong meritorious subject First Class, he was promoted by one rank, given the title Daegwang Boguk Sungnok Daebu, and posthumously appointed as Chief State Councilor of the State Council concurrently serving as Yeonggyeongyeon, Hongmungwan, Yemungwan, Chunchugwan, Gwansang-gamsa, and Tutor to the Crown Prince, as a Sunchung Bojo meritorious subject, and was posthumously enfeoffed as Sacheon Buwon-gun.
He passed the civil service examination twice, in 1546 and 1556. His family seat was Sacheon (泗川), his courtesy name was Sagan (思可), and his pen names were Duilldang (逗日堂) and Sium-dang (時雨堂). He was a grand-nephew by his maternal side of Kim Sik, a Gimyo martyr and scholar known as Dongcheon, and was the son of Mok Se-cheong, a posthumously appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel who was also a disciple of Kim Sik. He was related by marriage to Kim Yuk, known as Jamgok.
Life
His father was Mok Se-cheong (睦世秤), a Vice Minister of Personnel and a scholar of the Sarim school, and his mother was of the Jo clan, the daughter of Jo Gyeok (趙激), who had served as Gyeongnyeok of the Uigeumbu (義禁府經歷). His father, Mok Se-cheong, was a scholar of the Sarim school who devoted himself to scholarship after the Gimyo purge.
In 1546 (1st year of Myeongjong), he passed the Jeunggwang civil examination (增廣文科) with second-class honors, and he served as Jipyeong (持平), Sidokgwan (侍讀官), Bodeok (輔德), Gyori, and Buungyo, among other posts. During this time he argued for establishing discipline among officials, whose conduct had grown lax, and in years of famine he advocated a prohibition on alcohol to conserve grain.
In 1556 (11th year of Myeongjong), he passed the Jungsi civil examination (重試) with third-class honors and was promoted to senior official rank. In 1558 he became Saganwon (司諫), and in 1565 he passed through the post of Vice Minister of Public Works, then served as Governor of Cheonghong Province (淸洪道觀察使). At that time, he refused the private solicitations of the powerful minister Yun Won-hyeong, was disliked for this, and was dismissed from office.
In 1565, after Queen Munjeong died and Yun Won-hyeong fell from power, he was reinstated to office. After King Seonjo ascended the throne in 1567, he was selected as Daesagan of the Saganwon, and afterwards served as Vice Minister of Personnel and Honorary Guard Commander, and was sent to the Ming dynasty as a Cheonchu sa (千秋使, envoy for the emperor's birthday). He later served as Vice Minister of Personnel, Chief Secretary, and Left and Right Vice Magistrate of Hanseong Prefecture, and in 1591 he entered the Gisoso. Originally he was of senior 2nd rank, but by special order of King Seonjo he was admitted to the Gisoso. Afterwards, his son Mok Seo-heum and grandson Mok Nae-seon also entered the Gisoso, so that three generations became Dangsang of the Gisoso.
In April 1592 (25th year of Seonjo), when the Imjin War broke out, he raised troops on Ganghwa Island and organized a righteous army, but he received King Seonjo's order to look after Seolleung (宣陵) and Jeongneung (靖陵). He handed over command of the righteous army to Woo Seong-jeon (禹性傳) and set out, but he died of illness on 21 May of that year before arriving. In October that year, he was buried in Namyangju. Posthumously, he was conferred the post of Minister of Personnel.
He had four sons. Among them, three brothers, Mok Seo-heum, Mok Jang-heum (睦長欽), and Mok Dae-heum (睦大欽), all passed the civil examinations and rose to high office, and Mok Su-heum (睦守欽), famous for filial piety, was also well known as a paragon of incorruptibility.
In 1607 he was registered as a Wonjong meritorious subject and posthumously conferred the rank of Minister of Personnel with the title Jahyeon Daebu. In 1613, his son Mok Dae-heum achieved merit through the Iksa merit subject achievement, and he was posthumously granted the rank of Sungjeong daebu and the post of Left State Councilor of the State Council as a Sunchung Bojo meritorious subject, and was enfeoffed as Sacheon-gun. Afterwards, when his third son Mok Jang-heum again received the commendation of Iksa Wonjong meritorious subject First Class, he was promoted by one rank, given the title Daegwang Boguk Sungnok Daebu, and posthumously appointed as Chief State Councilor of the State Council concurrently serving as Yeonggyeongyeon, Hongmungwan, Yemungwan, Chunchugwan, Gwansang-gamsa, and Tutor to the Crown Prince, and was posthumously enfeoffed as Sacheon Buwon-gun (posthumous enfeoffment).
However, even after the Injo Restoration, because his son Mok Seo-heum had achieved merit, his noble titles were not revoked. He was buried in Geumchon-ri, Namyangju-gun (present-day Pyeongnae-dong, Namyangju).
Family
- Grandfather: Mok Hui-an (睦希顔)
- Grandmother: daughter of Kwon An (權晏)
- Father: Mok Se-cheong (睦世秤)
- Mother: daughter of Jo Gyeok (趙激)
- Wife: Lee clan, daughter of Lee Bo (李寶), sister of Yi Mun-hyeong
- Eldest son: Mok Su-heum (睦守欽)
- Grandson: Mok Chwi-seon (睦取善)
- Grandson: Mok Rak-seon (睦樂善)
- Granddaughter: wife of Lee Gwang (李茪), Saengwon
- Wife: Jeong clan, daughter of Jeong Geon (鄭謇), posthumously titled Minister
- Second son: Mok Seo-heum (睦叙欽)
- Grandson: Mok Nae-seon (睦來善)
- Grandson: Mok Cheo-seon (睦處善)
- Grandson: Mok Gi-seon (睦嗜善)
- Grandson: Mok Gyeom-seon (睦兼善)
- Grandson: Mok Don-seon (睦敦善)
- Granddaughter: married into Hwang Do-seong (黃道亨)'s family
- Third son: Mok Jang-heum (睦長欽), adopted out as heir
- Grandson: Mok Seong-seon (睦性善)
- Grandson: Mok Haeng-seon (睦行善), adopted out as heir
- Granddaughter: married into Lee Jeok (李?)'s family
- Granddaughter: married into Jo Hyeong (趙珩)'s family
- Fourth son: Mok Dae-heum (睦大欽)
- Eldest daughter: Mok clan, wife of Kim Gwang-seo (金宏緖), Jongsarang
- Second daughter: Mok clan, wife of Jeong Gi-nam (鄭基男), Gyogwan
- Third daughter: Mok clan, wife of Yun Jeon (尹㙉), Magistrate
- Fourth daughter: Mok clan, wife of Kim Chi (金致), Vice Minister
- Fifth daughter: Mok clan