Censor under Seongjong, named an incorruptible official
| Life | 1447 ~ 1492 |
| Era | 조선 전기 |
| Clan | 광주 안씨 |
An Paeng-myeong (1447-1492) was an early-Joseon civil official from Gwangju, courtesy name Deokbo. A great-grandson of An Gi, he was the grandson of An Seong, governor of Gaeseong, and son of the censor An Jong-saeng, who founded the Gamchal-gong branch; An Paeng-myeong belongs to that line.
He passed the licentiate exam in 1468 and the civil examination in 1472, and after serving as a Hall of Literature secretary in 1475, became a censor in 1488, an executive of the censorate in 1490 and a remonstrator in 1491, winning fame in the censorial offices.
He died at Gangneung in August 1492 on the way back from a royal errand to Pyeonghae. He is said to have reached the post of Grand Remonstrator and was named an incorruptible official for his upright and clean character.
Censors, officials of the Office of the Inspector-General and Office of the Censor-General, pointed out faults of the king and officials. That An held posts such as remonstrator, executive and censor means he was seen as a plain-spoken official during Seongjong's reign, when scholars of the rising Sarim faction entered the court and the censorial voice was strongly emphasized.
The Encyclopedia says An reached Grand Remonstrator, but some lists of incorruptible officials show a different title in the Seonggyungwan line, so the final post differs between sources. What is certain is that he was chosen as an incorruptible official and continued the clan's tradition of integrity after his grandfather An Seong.
Wikipedia's Gwangju An entry also calls him a grandson of An Seong, matching the Encyclopedia's line An Seong - An Jong-saeng - An Paeng-myeong.
He died at Gangneung; the location of his grave was not confirmed.