General who died as vanguard commander against Yi Si-ae's rebellion and was named a Jeokgae merit subject; pen name Ssangcheongdang; founder of the Gangnyeol-gong branch
| Life | 1393 ~ 1467 |
| Era | 조선 초기 |
| Clan | 연안 차씨 |
Cha Un-hyeok (1393-1467) was an early-Joseon general of the Yeonan Cha clan with the pen name Ssangcheongdang. His posthumous name is given as Gangnyeol (剛烈), sometimes written Gangyeol, and the clan regards him as a nephew of Cha Won-bu, whose descendants form the Gangnyeol-gong branch. His courtesy name is Honggi, though the characters (洪器 or 弘器) vary by source.
When Yi Si-ae rebelled in Hamgyeong Province in 1467 (Sejo 13), the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture says he went out at age 75 as vanguard commander, performed great service and died in battle; a Suncheon City source says he fell at Danchon. After the rebellion was put down he was named a Jeokgae merit subject, in the Encyclopedia as second class in 1469 (Yejong 1), in another source as third class.
The printing blocks of the Ssangcheongdang Silgi, which collects accounts of him, number 98 and are kept by the Yeonan Cha family at Seongtae-ri, Cheongdeok-myeon, Hapcheon, designated a Gyeongsangnam-do tangible cultural heritage in 1985. His descendants formed clan villages at Daehoji in Dangjin, Hyeonpung in Dalseong, Daegu, and Yongam in Seongju.
Yi Si-ae's rebellion of 1467 was a large revolt by a Hamgyeong local magnate against central northern policy, which Sejo put down with a large army. That Cha Un-hyeok led the vanguard at 75 was unusual for the time. This account rests on the Encyclopedia and clan records, and the age and place of death are written slightly differently by source.
The Ssangcheongdang Silgi blocks, 98 in number, are kept by the Yeonan Cha family in Hapcheon. Descendants settled in Dangjin, Hyeonpung and Seongju, with the line at Jamo-ri said to descend from Cha Sun-ra, who fled there during the Imjin War, and that at Bonri-ri from Cha In, an eighth-generation descendant who settled there under Yeongjo.
He is enshrined at Deogwon Seowon with Cha Po-on and Cha Won-bu; his grave was not confirmed here.