Second-class Hoseong merit subject who escorted King Seonjo in the Imjin War; Lord of Gwangyang
| Life | 1549 ~ 1593 |
| Era | 조선 중기 |
| Clan | 광주 안씨 |
An Hwang (1549-1593) was a mid-Joseon civil official from Gwangju, courtesy name Gyeongho. A descendant of the councillor An Seong, his great-grandfather was An Yun-deok and his father was the magistrate An Yeo-gyeong (安汝敬), brother-in-law of King Seonjo. He served as director of the Saodosi and the Royal Relations Office and was posthumously named minister of Justice.
He passed the preliminary civil examination in 1574 and was appointed to a rank-6 post in 1577 as a close royal relative, then directed the Saodosi in 1590 and the Dondeongbu in 1592.
When the Imjin War began he left his mother, wife and children and escorted Seonjo day and night through great hardship as an only son, and died on the road in 1593 returning from Uiju. In 1604 he was named a second-class Hoseong merit subject, posthumously enfeoffed as Lord of Gwangyang and made minister of Justice. His son An Eung-won was promoted to a rank-6 post.
Because An Hwang's father An Yeo-gyeong (安汝敬) was brother-in-law of Seonjo, An was employed at rank 6 as a close royal kinsman, showing his career owed something to royal marriage ties rather than only exams. The Encyclopedia says only that he passed the preliminary civil examination. An Yeo-gyeong (安餘慶, Okcheon) with the same Korean reading is a separate person of different hanja and lineage.
Hoseong merit status was granted to officials who escorted Seonjo to Uiju during the Imjin War. An served the king leaving his family and died on the return road, was named a second-class subject in 1604 and posthumously made Lord of Gwangyang. His great-grandson An Heon-jing was a royal secretary and Gangwon governor in the seventeenth century.
He died on the road home from Uiju; his grave was not confirmed.
His great-grandson An Heon-jing passed the civil examination.