풍양 조씨(豊壤 趙氏) — A clan that produced Queen Sinjeong, consort of Crown Prince Hyomyeong, and Chief State Councillors Jo Hyeon-myeong and Jo In-yeong; its seat is the old Pungyang County in Namyangju, with Jo Maeng as founder, and it is known as a leading in-law house of late Joseon.
A clan that produced Queen Sinjeong, consort of Crown Prince Hyomyeong, and Chief State Councillors Jo Hyeon-myeong and Jo In-yeong; its seat is the old Pungyang County in Namyangju, with Jo Maeng as founder, and it is known as a leading in-law house of late Joseon. In the 2015 Census the 풍양 조씨 clan numbered about 124,262 people, one of Korea's major surnames and clans. Even among people surnamed 조, a different clan seat (bon-gwan, 풍양) means a different lineage. New to these terms? See the bon-gwan, pa & hangnyeol guide.
The Pungyang Jo clan (豊壤 趙氏) is a branch of the Jo (趙) surname whose seat is the old Pungyang County, around Songneung-ri, Jingeon-eup, Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province. Its founding ancestor is Jo Maeng, said to be a Goryeo founding merit subject, and the 2015 census counted 124,262 members. Famous in late Joseon as an "in-law regime" house for producing Queen Sinjeong, consort of Crown Prince Hyomyeong, and holding power under King Heonjong, it also has a longer history of scholars, state councillors, generals and independence activists.
Pungyang was Goruino County under Baekje and Goguryeo, Hwangyang from 757 under Silla, Pungyang from 940, attached to Yangju in 1427 and merged into Namyangju County in 1980. According to tradition, the founder Jo Maeng was originally called Bau, farmed in Pungyang and lived in a rock cave on Mt. Cheonmasan; when Wang Geon, defeated at Yeonghae, sought his strategy, he helped found Goryeo and received the name Maeng and the surname Jo. The clan genealogy sometimes writes his original name as Jo Am, so accounts differ. A cave on Cheonmasan is said to be where he met Wang Geon, with Gyeonseong Hermitage guarding it. These stories rest on genealogies and tradition rather than contemporary sources.
Records mention more than 200 Jo seats, but only about 20, including Hanyang, Pungyang, Yangju, Baecheon, Imcheon and Haman, have a known founder and line. Each has its own founder and origin and does not claim common descent; in 2015 the Pungyang were about 12.6% of Jo (趙) people. Where many Jo seats trace founders to China, the Pungyang describe a native figure who received his surname and name for services to the founding of Goryeo. The Pungyang and Hanyang sides reject the Yangju Jo genealogy that links the line to the Song imperial house.
The generations just after the founder are lost. The clan is therefore divided into the Jeonjik-gong lineage (Hogun-gong, Hoeyang-gong and Geumju-gong branches) from Jo Ji-rin (趙之藺), an attendant at Cheonhwa Temple; the Pyeongjangsa-gong branch from Jo Sin-hyeok (趙臣赫), chancellor; and the Sangjanggun-gong branch from Jo Bo (趙寶), senior general, each with its own generation names. The Digital Yangju Culture Encyclopedia describes seven branches including the Namwon-gong, and names such as Hansan-gun, Champan-gong and Geomgan-gong main line also appear (see the branch cards below).
The clan was not prominent in Goryeo or early Joseon; the Digital Yangju Culture Encyclopedia says it grew into a leading house from Sukjong's reign. In late Goryeo Jo Un-heul passed the examination under King Gongmin and compiled Samhan Sigwigam, and Jo Sin (趙愼), a magistrate of Hoeyang who withdrew to Imcheon in Buyeo, is said to have tutored Yi Bang-won. During the Imjin War Jo Gyeong assisted Gwon Yul at Haengju and became a third-class Seonmu merit subject, and at Sangju Jo Jeong (Geomgan) left Jinsa Illok recording volunteer-army activity. Under Injo and Hyojong the Neo-Confucian scholar Jo Ik, who worked to extend the Daedong law, became Left State Councillor, and the painter Jo Sok was known for bird-and-animal painting.
Under Yeongjo the brothers Jo Mun-myeong and Jo Hyeon-myeong supported the impartiality policy and became Left and Chief State Councillor respectively; Mun-myeong's daughter became Crown Princess Hyojang, Queen Hyosun. The Noron Jo Sang-gyeong was exiled in the Sinim purge and returned to serve as a minister. But Mun-myeong's son Jo Jae-ho was put to death in the 1762 Sado affair, a blow to the family, while his son Jo Eom left a lasting mark on livelihoods by bringing back sweet-potato seed from Japan in 1763. Jo Eom died in exile after Hong Guk-yeong's accusations at Jeongjo's accession but was cleared in 1794, and his son Jo Jin-gwan served as Minister of Revenue and magistrate of Suwon.
After Jeongjo's death, Sunjo took the throne at 11 and the New Andong Kim, centered on Kim Jo-sun, father of Queen Sunwon, held power as royal in-laws. The Pungyang Jo became in-laws when Jo Man-yeong's daughter was chosen in 1819 as consort of Sunjo's son Crown Prince Hyomyeong (Queen Sinjeong); when the crown prince began acting as regent in 1827, Pungyang Jo figures were appointed and rose as a force against the Andong Kim. His early death in 1830 checked them for a time, but they regained strength when his son Heonjong took the throne at eight in 1834. In Heonjong's early reign his grandmother Queen Sunwon (Andong Kim) ruled as regent and there was tension between her family and the king's maternal Pungyang Jo. After Heonjong began ruling in person around 1841 and Jo In-yeong became Chief State Councillor, Pungyang Jo power peaked, with Jo Man-yeong and Jo Byeong-hyeon said to be at its center. The Gihae persecution of Catholics in 1839 happened in this period, and Jo In-yeong and Jo Byeong-hyeon are described as its leaders.
Power waned after Jo Man-yeong's death in 1846. When Heonjong died without an heir in 1849, Queen Sunwon installed Cheoljong, whose queen was a daughter of Kim Mun-geun, and the Andong Kim returned to dominance; Jo Byeong-hyeon was put to death and Jo In-yeong soon died. The Pungyang Jo ascendancy is described as centered on Heonjong's reign, a relatively short period, and assessments are not uniform. In-law rule is criticized as a background to the breakdown of the three tax systems (land, military and grain loans) and to popular uprisings, while accounts of the clan also point to epigraphy (Jo In-yeong), the compilation of the Gukjo Bogam, fiscal proposals (Jo Jin-gwan) and Jo Man-yeong's record as a secret inspector. Some views read it less as a matter of one clan's good or evil than as part of an era in which royal in-laws controlled politics.
When Cheoljong died without an heir in 1863, Grand Queen Dowager Queen Sinjeong adopted Prince Heungseon's second son (Gojong) as Ikjong's heir, enthroned him and ruled as regent until 1866. Her nephews Jo Seong-ha and Jo Yeong-ha are said to have linked Heungseon and the dowager. Jo Yeong-ha later became a leader of the pro-Qing camp and was killed in the 1884 Gapsin Coup.
After annexation, Jo Jeong-gu, son-in-law of the Heungseon Daewongun, is said to have refused a baron's title from Japan, while other clan members became Joseon aristocrats, so choices differed. In the independence movement, Jo Dong-ho, State Council member of the Provisional Government, received the Independence Medal in 2005. In modern times the economist and first elected mayor of Seoul Jo Soon is listed among Pungyang Jo figures.
The 2015 census counted 124,262 people. The Digital Yangju Culture Encyclopedia gives 109,434 people in 25,894 households in 1985 and 113,798 in 35,009 households in 2000, with 297 people in 95 households in Yangju in 2000. Home areas include Namyangju (the seat), Yangju, Pocheon, Hwaseong and Gimpo in Gyeonggi; Yanggu (Dong-myeon) in Gangwon; Asan, Buyeo and Seocheon in South Chungcheong; Gunsan; Sangju in North Gyeongsang; Gangjin in South Jeolla; and Haeju and Anak in South Hwanghae.
The location of the founder's tomb and ritual hall, and any Pungyanggung site, were not confirmed.
Clan affairs are handled by the Pungyang Jo Daejonghoe, whose website is http://www.poongyangcho.com. Wikipedia's external links also list a Champan-gong branch site and a Hansan-gun branch clan group (archived 2011), but whether they are active was not confirmed. A news report says Sangju's Hogun-gong descendants are known as, for example, the "Ohyeon branch, Heonsin family".
The three lineages cannot reckon kinship and use separate generation names. For the Hogun-gong, Hoeyang-gong and Geumju-gong branches they run: generation 24 Dong (東), 25 Gu (九), 26 Nam (南), 27 Yeon (衍), 28 Seong (誠), 29 Hui (熙), 30 Yong (鏞), 31 Sin (新), 32 Jung (重), 33 Gyu (揆), 34 Yong (用), 35 Won (元), 36 Sang (商), 37 Hyeong (衡), 38 Mu (茂), 39 Beom (範), 40 Gang (康), 41 Jae (宰), 42 Jong (鍾), 43 Ju (湊). For the Pyeongjangsa-gong branch: 17 Man (萬), 18 Nyeon (年), 19 Hui (熙), 20 Jae (載), 21 Don (敦), 22 Muk (默), 23 Byeong (柄), 24 Gi (紀), 25 Gang (康), 26 Gyu (揆); for the Sangjanggun-gong branch: 24 Gap (岬), 25 Il (日), 26 Byeong (昺), 27 Jong (宗), 28 Seong (晟), 29 Gi (玘), 30 Gang (慷). They are applied to the first or last syllable of the name depending on the generation. Actual use varies by lineage, so always check against your own family genealogy.
Founder generations and lineages may differ by source; please confirm with your own family genealogy.
Jeonjik-gong-gye, Hogun-gong-pa, Hoeyang-gong-pa, Geumju-gong-pa, Pyeongjangsa-gong-pa, Sangjanggun-gong-pa, Namwon-gong-pa, Hansan-gun-pa, Champan-gong-pa, Geomgan-gong-jongpa
The Jeonjik-gong lineage traces itself to Jo Ji-rin (趙之藺), an attendant (jeonjik) at Cheonhwa Temple. Because the generations after the founder Jo Maeng are lost, the Pungyang Jo clan is divided into three lineages starting from Jo Ji-rin, Jo Sin-hyeok and Jo Bo, each using its own generation names.
Under it are the Hogun-gong (Jo Sa-chung), Hoeyang-gong (Jo Sin) and Geumju-gong (Jo Im) branches, founded by sons of Jo Yeom-hwi (趙炎暉). Wikipedia says these three use the same generation names, running from generation 24 Dong (東), 25 Gu (九), 26 Nam (南), 27 Yeon (衍), 28 Seong (誠), 29 Hui (熙) to 30 Yong (鏞). For instance the name sequence Jo Byeong-hyeon (秉) - Jo Gu-ha (龜夏) - Jo Dong-muk (東默) - Jo Seon-gu (善九) fits this lineage's pattern.
Known from this lineage are the Hanpyeong-gun line of the Hoeyang-gong branch, which led in-law government in Heonjong's time, the Hogun-gong descendants in Sangju, and the Hoeyang-gong descendants around Yangju, Buyeo and Nonsan. See the branch cards below.
The Hogun-gong branch, part of the Jeonjik-gong lineage, descends from Jo Sa-chung (趙思忠), a son of Jo Yeom-hwi and elder brother of Hoeyang-gong Jo Sin. Wikipedia's family entry for Jo Sin lists Jo Sa-chung and Jo Sa-gong as his elder brothers. The branch name seems to come from the post of hogun (guard commander), but details of Jo Sa-chung's dates and career were not confirmed.
Hogun-gong descendants are known around Sangju, North Gyeongsang. A descendant (a doctorate holder) who in 2023 donated 17 items (50 pieces) of old books and scriptures to the Sangju Museum introduced himself as a descendant of the "Ohyeon branch, Heonsin family" of the Pungyang Jo and of the Hogun-gong branch of a prominent Sangju family; the donation is linked to his tenth-generation ancestor Jo Dong-sang (1659-1723).
Nakdong-myeon in Sangju has Yangjindang (Treasure No. 1568), Ojakdang and Cheonggan Pavilion, said to have been built by or associated with the Imjin War volunteer-army leader Jo Jeong (Geomgan) and to have been a place of study for the Geomgan-gong main line, but whether that line belongs to the Hogun-gong or another branch was not confirmed. Please ask the clan association for branch websites and contacts.
The Hoeyang-gong branch descends from Jo Sin (趙愼), originally named Sa-ryeom (思廉). He served as magistrate of Hoeyang under King Gongmin, withdrew to Imcheon in Buyeo when Sin Don took power, changing his name to Sin, and is said to have tutored the young Yi Bang-won (later King Taejong) and trained scholars such as Bak Paeng-nyeon and Yu Seong-won. His wife was a daughter of Yi Am of the Goseong Yi clan and he is recorded with sons Jo An-pyeong and Jo Gae-pyeong. His descendants settled around Buyeo and Nonsan.
His tomb is said to be South Chungcheong Cultural Property Material No. 119, and Deoklim Byeongsa, where he is honored, No. 305. A Hoeyang-gong burial ground lies in Yangju; in November 2018 epitaph stones, clothing, stone objects and family-held old documents and books, 499 pieces in all, excavated from or kept with it were donated to the Gyeonggi Museum, with 87 more pieces deposited in April 2022 and a report published in January 2023. The material covers five generations of a scholar-official family in the 17th-19th centuries, including a portrait of Jo Byeong-hyeon with a title written by King Heonjong and items relating to Jo Deuk-yeong and Jo Hwan (an official of the Ministry of Rites under Jeongjo who kept a diary of an embassy to Beijing).
It is counted as a Pungyang Jo branch that produced many high officials. The Hanpyeong-gun line that grew out of it led in-law government under Heonjong: his maternal grandfather Jo Man-yeong (趙萬永) and the latter's younger brother, Chief State Councillor Jo In-yeong (趙寅永), belonged to this line, as did their father Jo Jin-gwan, grandfather Jo Eom (who introduced the sweet potato) and great-grandfather Jo Sang-gyeong. Jo Man-yeong's daughter was Queen Sinjeong (Queen Dowager Jo). Since most Pungyang Jo figures are introduced under this line, first check from your genealogy whether your family belongs to it.
The Geumju-gong branch, part of the Jeonjik-gong lineage, descends from Jo Im (趙𥙛, originally named Deok-rin), a son of Jo Yeom-hwi and younger brother of Hoeyang-gong Jo Sin. The origin of the branch name, Jo Im's career, the descendants' home areas and branch contacts were not confirmed.
It is described as using the same generation names as the Hoeyang-gong and Hogun-gong branches (generation 24 Dong, 25 Gu, 26 Nam and so on). Ask the Pungyang Jo Daejonghoe for notable descendants and branch websites.
The Pyeongjangsa-gong branch traces itself to Jo Sin-hyeok (趙臣赫), who served as chancellor (munha sijung pyeongjangsa) under Goryeo. Its kinship with the Jeonjik-gong lineage cannot be reckoned, so it uses separate generation names, running from generation 17 Man (萬), 18 Nyeon (年), 19 Hui (熙), 20 Jae (載), 21 Don (敦), 22 Muk (默), 23 Byeong (柄), 24 Gi (紀), 25 Gang (康) to 26 Gyu (揆).
The Pungyang Jo of Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, belong to this branch; the Neo-Confucian scholar Pojeo Jo Ik (趙翼, 1579-1655), his son Jo Bok-yang and grandson Jo Ji-gyeom (趙持謙) were enshrined together at Myeonggo Seowon in Hwaseong (the location of the seowon is given differently in different sources). Jo Ik was a Left State Councillor who worked to extend the Daedong law, and Jo Gyeong, who distinguished himself at Haengju in the Imjin War, was Jo Ik's grandfather's brother. From the time of Jo Ji-gyeom's fifth-generation descendant Jo Man-won, the Hwaseong family was also called the "Deulmok Jo".
Jo Ik's tomb is said to be below Donghwasan in Daeheung, South Chungcheong, and the printing blocks of his Pojeo Yuseo and his son Jo Bok-yang's Songgok Munjip are kept in Yesan. Some sources also introduce a line with Jo Jeong-gi as progenitor, but its relation to this branch was not confirmed.
The Sangjanggun-gong branch traces itself to Jo Bo (趙寶), a senior general (sangjanggun) under Goryeo. For a time this line used Gangjin as its ancestral seat and honored Jo Ju (趙注), Jo Bo's eighth-generation descendant and an official under King Sejong, as its founder.
Under King Jeongjo, Jo Hong-jin (趙弘鎭) of the Hoeyang-gong branch, while serving as magistrate of Gangjin, examined the household registers and confirmed that Jo Bo descended from Jo Maeng; with royal approval obtained through the Ministry of Rites, the line's seat was restored to Pungyang. Its generation names run from generation 24 Gap (岬), 25 Il (日), 26 Byeong (昺), 27 Jong (宗), 28 Seong (晟), 29 Gi (玘) to 30 Gang (慷), kept distinct from the other lineages.
Descendants of this branch are introduced as settled around Gangjin, South Jeolla, but notable descendants and branch contacts were not confirmed.
The Namwon-gong branch is named, along with the Hogun-gong, in the Digital Yangju Culture Encyclopedia's explanation of the clan's seven branches under the Jeonjik-gong and Pyeongjang-gong lineages. Its progenitor, dates and home areas were not confirmed.
If your family belongs to it, first confirm from the Daejonghoe or your genealogy which lineage it falls under, then compare generation names.
The Hansan-gun branch is listed as the "Pungyang Jo Hansan-gun branch clan group" in the external links of Wikipedia's Pungyang Jo article. Its progenitor, era and home areas were not confirmed; please ask your genealogy or branch group.
The Champan-gong branch is listed as the "Pungyang Jo Champan-gong branch website" (archived 2011) in the external links of Wikipedia's Pungyang Jo article. Its progenitor, lineage and home areas were not confirmed, nor whether the site is still active.
The Geomgan-gong main line centers on Jo Jeong (趙靖, 1555-1636), art name Geomgan, who led volunteer-army activity in Sangju during the Imjin War. Heritage-agency material describes Cheonggan Pavilion in Nakdong-myeon, Sangju, as a "place of study for descendants of the Pungyang Jo Geomgan-gong main line".
Yangjindang (Treasure No. 1568), said to have been built by Jo Jeong, Ojakdang and the printing blocks of Geomgan Seonsaeng Munjip (a North Gyeongsang cultural property) are linked to this line. Which of the three lineages and five branches it belongs to was not confirmed.
Branch divisions vary by lineage and jokbo; confirm your own branch in your family's records.
조맹(founder, Goryeo founding merit subject (tradition)), 조운흘(late Goryeo official, Samhan Sigwigam), 조정(volunteer-army leader at Sangju in the Imjin War, Geomgan), 조경(Haengju battle, third-class Seonmu merit subject), 조익(Daedong law, Left State Councillor), 조속(bird-and-animal painter), 조문명(tangpyeong leader, Left State Councillor), 조현명(Chief State Councillor of Joseon), 조상경(Noron minister, Minister of War), 조재호(Left State Councillor, executed in the Sado affair), 조엄(envoy to Japan, brought the sweet potato), 조진관(Minister of Revenue, magistrate of Suwon), 조득영(Minister of War and Inspector General, impeached Kim Dal-sun), 조만영(Lord Pungeun, Heonjong's maternal grandfather), 조인영(Chief State Councillor of Joseon), 조병현(minister, Pungyang Jo in-law power), 신정왕후(Queen Dowager Jo, regent at Gojong's accession), 효순왕후(consort of Crown Prince Hyojang, Jeongjo's adoptive mother), 조영하(pro-Qing royal in-law, killed in the Gapsin Coup), 조성하(nephew of Queen Dowager Jo, Left Consultant), 조정구(Daewongun's son-in-law, refused baron title), 조동호(Provisional Government State Council member, independence activist), 조순(economist, first elected mayor of Seoul)
Tap a name for the full profile (life, career, grave, descendants).
풍양 조씨 figures recognized as independence patriots (National Independence Hall / Gonghun public data). Tap a name for the citation.
Jo Maeng (founder tradition), Jo Un-heul (late Goryeo official), Jo Gyeong (Haengju merit subject), Jo Jeong (Sangju volunteer-army leader), Jo Ik (Daedong law, Left State Councillor), Jo Sok (painter).
Jo Mun-myeong, Jo Hyeon-myeong, Jo Sang-gyeong, Jo Jae-ho, Jo Eom, Jo Jin-gwan, and royal relative Queen Hyosun.
Jo Deuk-yeong, Jo Man-yeong, Jo In-yeong, Jo Byeong-hyeon, Queen Sinjeong, Jo Seong-ha, Jo Yeong-ha.
Jo Jeong-gu, Jo Dong-ho, Jo Soon. Wikipedia's Pungyang Jo article also lists others such as Jo Byeong-geon, Jo Dong-yun, Jo Gyeong-ha, Jo Dae-yeon, Jo Nam-su, Jo Gwang-hui, Jo Nam-pung, Jo Jung-yeon and Jo Nam-jo, who do not yet have separate pages here.
Jo Gwang-jo was of the Hanyang Jo and Jo Sik of the Changnyeong Jo, not the Pungyang Jo. Even among people surnamed Jo (趙), each seat has its own founder and origin, and marriage within the same surname was restricted until Hyeonjong's time (and is still avoided by custom), so it matters to confirm your seat from your genealogy.
Pungyang Jo Daejonghoe: www.poongyangcho.com. Generation names differ by branch, so confirm your branch first, then compare with the generation table. If your branch is unclear, ask the Daejonghoe or branch clan group. This page summarizes public sources such as the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, the Digital Yangju Culture Encyclopedia and Wikipedia, and does not assert what could not be confirmed.
For other branch associations, see the Korean E-Jokbo Library clan-association directory.
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