Father of five sons who made the Yecheon Gwon known as the Obokmun; courtesy name Gilbo
| Life | 1427 ~ 1509 |
| Era | 조선 전기 |
| Clan | 예천 권씨 |
Gwon Seon (權善, 1427-1509) was a scholar of Yecheon in the early Joseon period, with courtesy name Gilbo. According to Wikipedia he came from Hageumgok-ri in Yongmun-myeon, was a son of Gwon Yu-son and a son-in-law of the Grand Academician Yi Gye-jeon. He passed the jinsa examination in 1453 and served as Sapoh-seo Byeoljae. He held no great office, but all five of his sons entered officialdom, which is why the Yecheon Gwon came to be called the Obokmun.
The sons were Gwon O-haeng, O-gi, O-bok, O-ryun (O-yun in some sources) and O-sang. A local report says they studied under Kim Jong-jik and all passed the higher or lower examinations. Gwon O-sang's grandson was Gwon Mun-hae, compiler of the Daedong unbu gunok.
The literati purge of 1498 (Muo sahwa) changed the family's fortune: his third son Gwon O-bok was executed together with Kim Il-son, and Seon himself was exiled to Gwangyang. Another source records Gwon O-gi exiled to Haenam. He was pardoned in 1506 at King Jungjong's accession and returned home.
He died in 1509 and his grave is said to lie at Jedong in Saengcheon-ri, Yecheon. A cultural commentary mentions a family maxim, "keep wealth under a hundred seok and office no higher than jinsa", but whether it was Seon's own saying could not be confirmed.
The word Obok (五福) echoes the name of his son Gwon O-bok, but Wikipedia explains that because all five brothers held office the Yecheon Gwon were called the Obokmun. All five names begin with the character O (五). The fifth son is written O-ryun or O-yun depending on the source, so both are given here.
In the 1498 purge his son Gwon O-bok was executed and Seon was exiled to Gwangyang; he was pardoned and returned in 1506 when King Jungjong took the throne. After this event many Yecheon Gwon descendants are said to have been absorbed into the Andong Gwon.
Wikipedia says his grave is at Jedong, Saengcheon-ri, Yecheon-eup.
Five sons: Gwon O-haeng, O-gi, O-bok, O-ryun (O-yun) and O-sang. O-sang's grandson was Gwon Mun-hae.