Husband of Princess Jeongui, second daughter of King Sejong, Lord Yeonchang; also a calligrapher; posthumous title Yanghyo
| Life | 1415 ~ 1462 |
| Era | 조선 전기 |
| Clan | 죽산 안씨 |
An Maeng-dam (安孟聃, 1415-1462) was an early-Joseon official and calligrapher of the Juksan An clan, with childhood name Oeulmi and posthumous title Yanghyo. His father An Mang-ji served as magistrate of Hamhung and his mother was Lady Jangsin of the Hayang Heo clan. His great-grandfather An Geuk-in was the father-in-law of King Gongmin of Goryeo and his grandfather was An Suk-ro; Consort Jeongbi An of King Gongmin was his father's paternal aunt and Consort Hyeonbi An of King U his own aunt. The family is presented as descended from the An Jun line of the Old Juksan An.
In 1428 (Sejong 10) he married Princess Jeongui, second daughter of Sejong and Queen Soheon, and was enfeoffed as Lord Jukseong, raised to Lord Yeonchang in 1432, and in 1450 the title for royal sons-in-law was changed to 'wi,' making him Yeonchang-wi. He was promoted to Sungnok-daebu in 1442 and Gwangdeok-daebu in 1444, and in 1453 received a further rank for supporting Sejo in the Gyeyu coup. Under Sejo he was treated as a close royal relative and often attended court gatherings, and in 1457 received the rank of Surok-daebu and a merit certificate, at which time his father was posthumously made Right State Councillor and his mother Lady Jeonggyeong.
He was fond of drink, which worsened his illness, and after falling ill he stopped paying court visits. He was also devoted to Buddhism, housing and feeding some ten monks, reading sutras and avoiding killing and sericulture. In March 1462 a plot by a maidservant, Yang Ui-jang, and her mother Samwol to harm him was discovered and both were interrogated and executed. He died on 25 December of that year at 46; Sejo suspended court for two days, sent 90 seok of rice and beans, 70 bolts of cloth and 200 reams of paper, and wrote a eulogy himself. He was buried in 1463 at Haechon-dong on Mt. Dobong in Yangju (now the Banghak-dong area of Dobong-gu, Seoul), with an epitaph by Jeong In-ji. The princess published the Jijang bosal bonwon gyeong for his repose, and that book is Treasure No. 966.
The family formed several layers of marriage ties with the houses of Jeong In-ji, Han Hwak and Grand Prince Hyoryeong. His elder daughter married Jeong In-ji's son Jeong Gwang-jo and the younger Han Hwak's son Han Chi-rye.
Jeojado island in the Han River and the pavilion Nakcheonjeong, granted by Sejo to Princess Jeongui, were passed to her youngest son An Bin-se; many composed poems when he built a pavilion there, and Jeong In-ji wrote the preface.
He was buried at Haechon-dong on Mt. Dobong in Yangju (now the Banghak-dong area of Dobong-gu, Seoul).
He and Princess Jeongui had four sons and two daughters. The third son An Sang-gye lived in seclusion on Jeojado, and the fourth son An Bin-se was appointed royal secretary by special order of Sejo when the princess fell ill. The second daughter married Han Chi-rye, son of Han Hwak, and became an aunt-by-marriage of Seongjong. His great-grandson An Jong-tan (1490-1538) served as naval commander of Right Gyeongsang, and the Juksan An Yeonchang-wi head house in Manseong-dong, Yangju is presented as the descendants' head house.