Late Goryeo-early Joseon official and calligrapher, founder of the Eochon household; pen names Eochon and Suseon
| Life | 1416 |
| Era | 고려 말·조선 초 |
| Clan | 곡부 공씨 |
Gong Bu (孔俯, d. 1416) was an official active across late Goryeo and early Joseon; courtesy name Baekgong, pen names Suseon and Eochon. A grandson of Gong So and eldest son of Gong Yeo, he was the elder brother of Gong Eun (Gosan). He is said to have passed the civil examination in 1376 and, after serving as Jeonui Bu-ryeong and Yejo Chongnang, rose to Jiphyeonjeon grand scholar. He is said to have associated in youth with Jeong Mong-ju and Yi Saek.
He continued in office after the founding of Joseon, holding posts such as Munseo Eungbong-sa, Byeolgam Jejo, Ugun Dongji Chongje and Acting Hanseong Yun. He travelled to China six times as a secretary and, concurrently Sogyeok-jeon Jejo, is said to have learned Daoist rites there. Enjoying the favour of King Taejong, who liked Daoism, he was asked by the king in 1413 about longevity practices and is recorded presiding over rain rituals. He was praised for a generous, frank character and called 'the head of the Eight Pure'.
He was also a calligrapher skilled in cursive and clerical scripts; the stele of Master Muhak at Hoeamsa in Yangju and the spirit-way stele of Yi Saek in Hansan are attributed to his hand. In 1416 he went to Ming China as Cheonchu-sa envoy and died there. His descendants form the Eochon household, which split into the Saengwon-gong, Hoean-gun, Jubu-gong, Gamchal-gong and Jangseong branches. Wikipedia gives his seat as Changwon; the Encyclopedia text does not state it. Some entries class him as late Goryeo and some as early Joseon, reflecting a career across both dynasties.
Gong Bu is distinctive for combining statecraft with a knowledge of Daoist rites and calligraphy. His six trips to China as a secretary show he handled practical diplomacy with the Ming. He is honoured as founder of the Eochon household because his descendants took his pen name 'Eochon' as the name of their line.
Gong Bu passed the 1376 civil examination, served as Jeonui Bu-ryeong and Yejo Chongnang, and reached Jiphyeonjeon grand scholar. He is recorded as a friend of Yi Saek and Jeong Mong-ju in youth. His younger brother Gong Eun was exiled after presenting an anti-Buddhist memorial, so the brothers followed different paths.
After Joseon was founded he held posts such as Munseo Eungbong-sa and Acting Hanseong Yun and travelled to China six times as a secretary. Knowledgeable in Daoism, he doubled as Sogyeok-jeon Jejo and won King Taejong's trust.
He excelled in cursive and clerical script, and the writing on the Muhak stele at Hoeamsa and Yi Saek's spirit-way stele is attributed to him.
In 1416 he went to the Ming as Cheonchu-sa envoy and died there. A grandson of Gong So, he is honoured as the founder of the Eochon household.
He is said to have died abroad and not returned; the location of his tomb was not confirmed here.
The Eochon household founded by Gong Bu divides into the Saengwon-gong, Hoean-gun, Jubu-gong, Gamchal-gong and Jangseong branches.