거창 장씨(居昌 章氏) — A Jang (章) clan tracing its founder to Jang Jong-haeng, said to have been Grand Academician of the Yemun-gwan under King Chungnyeol of Goryeo; his son Jang Du-min was enfeoffed as Lord of Arim for defeating the Red Turbans, and the clan took Geochang as its seat.
A Jang (章) clan tracing its founder to Jang Jong-haeng, said to have been Grand Academician of the Yemun-gwan under King Chungnyeol of Goryeo; his son Jang Du-min was enfeoffed as Lord of Arim for defeating the Red Turbans, and the clan took Geochang as its seat. In the 2015 Census the 거창 장씨 clan numbered about 5,688 people, one of Korea's major surnames and clans. Even among people surnamed 장, a different clan seat (bon-gwan, 거창) means a different lineage. New to these terms? See the bon-gwan, pa & hangnyeol guide.
The Geochang Jang clan (居昌 章氏) has its seat in Geochang County, South Gyeongsang. It is written with 章, a different character from the common Jang (張), and is a separate line from the Andong Jang, Deoksu Jang and others. Wikipedia gives 5,688 people in the 2015 Statistics Korea census, while Namuwiki's Jang (章) entry gives 5,764, so the figures differ slightly; it is not clear on the Namuwiki side whether that figure covers only Geochang or all Jang (章).
The Digital Geochang Culture Encyclopedia names as founder Chungheon-gong Jang Jong-haeng, Grand Academician of the Yemun-gak under King Chungnyeol of Goryeo, and Jang Sam-jang as the settling ancestor. Namuwiki adds posts such as Minister of Dopan. Choe Ik-hyeon's 1903 preface says the family was a distinguished house of Jianzhou in China that crossed to Goryeo when the Song fell, and texts on Geonyejeong say he naturalized under Chungnyeol. Stories that he was An Hyang's son-in-law or that the Tang-era Jianzhou governor Jang Ja-jo was a distant ancestor also appear; all are family traditions to be checked against genealogies and contemporary records.
The founder's son Jang Du-min was enfeoffed as Lord of Arim for defeating the Red Turbans as a general under King Gongmin and received the Geochang area as his fief. Arim is an old name of Geochang. His descendants settled there and Geochang became the seat; Wikipedia calls him the mid-founding ancestor. His grandson Jang Sam-jang is said to have refused office out of loyalty to Goryeo and settled at Hangi-ri, Ungyang-myeon, after which descendants spread through Geochang and Anui.
In the Imjin War Jang Heon-hwi is said to have fallen at Noryang; Jang Heon-bu raised volunteers at Geochang and fell at Jinju Fortress, being named a Seonmu Wonjong merit subject; and Jang Heon-seo to have died at Hwangseoksan Fortress in 1597. Jang Man-ri is said to have carried King Seonjo on his back during the flight to Uiju and to have been named a Hoseong merit subject. In 1636 Jang Il-nam guarded the king at Namhansanseong and accompanied Crown Prince Sohyeon to Shenyang, and under King Yeongjo Jang Bong-ik is said to have raised volunteers against the Musin rebellion and died. In modern times the independence activist Jang Hwa-yun is introduced by Namuwiki. Some of these details rest on clan tradition and local sources, so please also read the 'unconfirmed points' on each person's page.
Chamui-gong-pa, Chudam-gong-pa, Cheosa-gong-pa, Seungji-gong-pa, Jubu-gong-pa, Dongho-gong-pa, Tongjeong-gong-pa
The Chamui-gong-pa branch is one of the seven branches of the Geochang Jang clan. The word 'chamui' in the branch name looks like a Joseon-era office title, but who the founder was could not be confirmed.
Its settlements and notable descendants could not be confirmed.
The Digital Geochang Culture Encyclopedia lists seven branches among the Geochang Jang of the Geochang area. The founder, genealogy and settlements of this branch could not be confirmed in this research, so please check a genealogy.
The Chudam-gong-pa branch is one of the seven branches of the Geochang Jang clan. The word 'Chudam' in the branch name looks like a Joseon-era office title, but who the founder was could not be confirmed.
'Chudam' looks like a pen name, but whose it is and its hanja could not be confirmed.
The Digital Geochang Culture Encyclopedia lists seven branches among the Geochang Jang of the Geochang area. The founder, genealogy and settlements of this branch could not be confirmed in this research, so please check a genealogy.
The Cheosa-gong-pa branch is one of the seven branches of the Geochang Jang clan. The word 'cheosa' in the branch name looks like a Joseon-era office title, but who the founder was could not be confirmed.
'Cheosa' means a scholar who did not take office. Its settlements could not be confirmed.
The Digital Geochang Culture Encyclopedia lists seven branches among the Geochang Jang of the Geochang area. The founder, genealogy and settlements of this branch could not be confirmed in this research, so please check a genealogy.
The Seungji-gong-pa branch is one of the seven branches of the Geochang Jang clan. The word 'seungji' in the branch name looks like a Joseon-era office title, but who the founder was could not be confirmed.
Clan sources say Jang Man-ri was posthumously made Seungji, but whether he belongs to this branch could not be confirmed.
The Digital Geochang Culture Encyclopedia lists seven branches among the Geochang Jang of the Geochang area. The founder, genealogy and settlements of this branch could not be confirmed in this research, so please check a genealogy.
The Jubu-gong-pa branch is one of the seven branches of the Geochang Jang clan. The word 'jubu' in the branch name looks like a Joseon-era office title, but who the founder was could not be confirmed.
Geonyejeong in Sangnim-ri (Gyeongnam Cultural Heritage Material) is registered as owned by the Jubu-gong branch family association. Any link to Jang Heon-bu, who held the Hunryeonwon-jubu post, could not be confirmed.
The Digital Geochang Culture Encyclopedia lists seven branches among the Geochang Jang of the Geochang area. The founder, genealogy and settlements of this branch could not be confirmed in this research, so please check a genealogy.
The Dongho-gong-pa branch is one of the seven branches of the Geochang Jang clan. The word 'Dongho' in the branch name looks like a Joseon-era office title, but who the founder was could not be confirmed.
Wikipedia's Geochang Jang category includes Donghojeong in Hamyang and names Hwangsan-ri, Seoha-myeon, Hamyang as a clan village, but a direct link to this branch could not be confirmed.
The Digital Geochang Culture Encyclopedia lists seven branches among the Geochang Jang of the Geochang area. The founder, genealogy and settlements of this branch could not be confirmed in this research, so please check a genealogy.
The Tongjeong-gong-pa branch is one of the seven branches of the Geochang Jang clan. The word 'Tongjeong' in the branch name looks like a Joseon-era office title, but who the founder was could not be confirmed.
'Tongjeong' appears to refer to the rank Tongjeong-daebu, but the founder could not be confirmed.
The Digital Geochang Culture Encyclopedia lists seven branches among the Geochang Jang of the Geochang area. The founder, genealogy and settlements of this branch could not be confirmed in this research, so please check a genealogy.
Branch divisions vary by lineage and jokbo; confirm your own branch in your family's records.
장종행(founder, Grand Academician), 장두민(Lord of Arim, defeated the Red Turbans), 장헌휘(fell at Noryang), 장헌부(fell at Jinju Fortress; Seonmu Wonjong merit subject), 장만리(Hoseong merit subject, said to have carried King Seonjo), 장일남(guarded the king at Namhansanseong), 장화윤(independence activist, Patriotic Medal)
Tap a name for the full profile (life, career, grave, descendants).
거창 장씨 figures recognized as independence patriots (National Independence Hall / Gonghun public data). Tap a name for the citation.
The Digital Geochang Culture Encyclopedia gives Hangi-ri, Ungyang-myeon as the settling place and Sangnim-ri, Jeongjang-ri and Jangpal-ri in Geochang-eup as clan villages. A 1934 Government-General survey is quoted as recording 61 Geochang Jang households at Sangdong (now Sangnim-ri), and around liberation it was a typical clan village in which, of roughly a hundred households, all but three belonged to the clan. Wikipedia also names Hwangsan-ri, Seoha-myeon, Hamyang. By a 2003 count, 179 households and 507 people lived in Geochang.
Geonyejeong (建溪亭) in Sangnim-ri, Geochang-eup, was built by the clan in 1905 to honor the founder Jang Jong-haeng and Jang Du-min. Per the Korea Heritage Service it is a Gyeongnam Cultural Heritage Material designated on 19 February 2009, owned by the Jubu-gong branch family association. Beside it are Boweonjae, honoring Jang Jong-haeng, and the Arim-gun Sejeokbi stele with text said to be by Gwak Jong-seok. Please check opening status before visiting.
The encyclopedia lists the Chamui-gong, Chudam-gong, Cheosa-gong, Seungji-gong, Jubu-gong, Dongho-gong and Tongjeong-gong branches in Geochang. The founders and genealogies of each branch could not be confirmed here, so please check a genealogy.
The 2015 census figure is 5,688 per Wikipedia, while Namuwiki's Jang (章) entry gives 5,764. Earlier census figures such as 1985 and 2000 could not be confirmed.
No sourced generation-name characters or clan association contact were found. The 'Finding Roots' link on Wikipedia was broken, so please consult the clan or the Geochang Jang genealogy (2000).
Sources: Digital Geochang Culture Encyclopedia 'Geochang Jang' (by Jo Ik-hyeon), Korea Heritage Service on Geonyejeong, Wikipedia 'Geochang Jang clan', and Namuwiki on the Jang (章) clan. The external link cited by Wikipedia is broken, so branch and generation-name details could not be filled in.
The 거창 장씨 clan association can be found in the Korean E-Jokbo Library clan-association directory.
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