Late Joseon official who placed first in the 1792 Chogye munsin examination under King Jeongjo; served as Jeongeon and Byeongjo Jwarang
| Life | 1769 |
| Era | 조선 후기 |
| Clan | 곡부 공씨 |
Gong Yun-hang (孔胤恒, b. 1769) was a late Joseon official under King Jeongjo, born in Yongin, Gyeonggi. The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture gives his seat as Gokbu. His great-grandfather was Gong Ik-seong, grandfather Gong Hak-su and father Gong Won-in; his mother was a daughter of Kim Su-yeong. His death year is unknown.
Though his family was very poor, his scholarship was such that he is said to have been admitted to the Sungkyunkwan by royal command. In 1792 (16th year of Jeongjo) he placed first in the Chogye munsin chinsi. The Chogye system selected promising young officials under Jeongjo, centred on the Gyujanggak, for separate study and examination, so topping it signified recognised scholarship. In 1794 he passed the Alseong civil examination in the third-tier category, the same year the clan changed its seat from Changwon to Gokbu.
He became Jeongeon (a censorate post) in 1796 and later served as Byeongjo Jwarang. His name also appears among the clan's civil examination graduates and its eumgwan list. The record rests on the Veritable Records of Jeongjo and the Gukjo Bangmok; little else of his life is transmitted, so only the verified facts are given here.
Gong Yun-hang's case shows a late Joseon scholar who rose by learning despite a failing family fortune. The clan is counted as producing eight civil-examination graduates in Joseon, and as a Jeongjo-era figure he represents the clan at the time its seat changed from Changwon to Gokbu. Any collected writings of his were not confirmed here.
Born into a line from great-grandfather Gong Ik-seong through Gong Hak-su and Gong Won-in, he was poor but learned enough to enter the Sungkyunkwan by royal command.
He placed first in the 1792 Chogye munsin chinsi; the Chogye officials were young scholars Jeongjo trained around the Gyujanggak.
He passed the 1794 Alseong civil examination, became Jeongeon in 1796 and later Byeongjo Jwarang.
1794 is the year the Changwon Gong changed their seat to Gokbu, a moment connected with the attention Jeongjo gave Gong Seo-rin and the Gwolli Shrine.
His tomb and death year were not confirmed here.