Upright early-Joseon official after the Gimyo purge; pen name Chungjae; figure of the Dakshil village lineage in Bonghwa
| Life | 1478 ~ 1548 |
| Era | 조선 전기 |
| Clan | 안동 권씨 |
Gwon Beol (1478-1548) was an early-Joseon official from Andong, with courtesy name Jungheo, pen names Chungjae, Hwonjeong and Songjeong, and posthumous title Chungjeong. Born in Dochon-ri, Bukhu-myeon, Andong, he later lived in the Dakshil village (Yugok-ri) of Bonghwa.
He passed the civil examination in 1507 and was known as an upright official; after being driven out in the 1519 Gimyo purge he lived in seclusion at home. He defended victims of the 1545 Eulsa purge, was implicated in the 1547 Yangjae-yeok placard incident and died in exile, and was later rehabilitated. His Chungjae-jip and Chungjae diary survive.
He passed the licentiate examinations in 1496 and a special examination in 1504, which was annulled because it offended King Yeonsangun. After passing the civil examination in 1507 he gained a reputation for integrity as Inspector (Jipyeong) by petitioning to strip Jeong Mak-gae of rank.
Driven from office in the 1519 Gimyo purge, he returned home and lived in seclusion for about fifteen years. He settled at Yugok in Bonghwa, and Cheongamjeong pavilion is introduced as built by him in 1526.
In 1539 he went to Ming as envoy on the lineage-correction (Jonggye byeonmu) mission and was promoted to Jeongheon Daebu. In the 1545 Eulsa purge he defended Yun Im, Yu In-suk and Yu Gwan, was briefly named a Wisa merit subject and then stripped and dismissed; implicated in the 1547 Yangjae-yeok placard incident, he was exiled from Gurye to Taecheon and Sakju, where he died in 1548.
He was rehabilitated in 1567, posthumously made Left State Councillor in 1568 and given his posthumous title in 1571. He was enshrined at Samgye Seowon in Bonghwa in 1588, and in 1591 the lineage-correction success brought first-class Gwanguk Wonjong merit and a posthumous Chief State Councillor rank. His rites are held as a bulcheonwi (never-removed tablet).
Dakshil village in Bonghwa is a settlement where descendants have lived around the Gwon Beol head house for centuries; the Cheongamjeong and Seokcheon valley area is described as a designated scenic site (the designation number differs by source and should be checked). The village museum is said to hold items such as the Chungjae diary.
His tomb is said to lie in Yugok-ri (Dakshil village), Bonghwa-eup, below that of his father Gwon Sa-bin.
His sons include Gwon Dong-bo and Gwon Dong-mi; the eldest, Gwon Dong-bo, is said to have built Seokcheon Jeongsa.