Mid-Joseon civil official who served as Inspector-General and head of the National Academy under King Seonjo; pen name Modang; central ancestor of the Pungsan Hong Modang-gong line
| Life | 1549 ~ 1615 |
| Era | 조선 중기 |
| Clan | 풍산 홍씨 |
Hong I-sang (洪履祥, 1549-1615), pen name Modang (慕堂), was a mid-Joseon civil official of the Pungsan Hong clan and a descendant of Hong Gu, who had retired to the foot of Mount Gobong in Goyang at the end of Goryeo. His family was very poor in his youth, but he devoted himself to study. He passed the licentiate examination in 1573 yet, it is said, did not treat office as a way to make money, aiming instead at learning and the Way, and in 1579 he placed first in the regular civil examination. He then served as Jeongeon, Succhan and Byeongjo jeongnang and was granted study leave at the reading hall (sagadokseo).
When the Imjin War broke out, he accompanied King Seonjo as vice-minister of rites. According to the Annals of King Seonjo for 1594, when the king asked about the problem of Kato Kiyomasa, he made clear his firm opposition to peace with the Japanese. He later served as head of the National Academy and governor of Gaeseong, and as vice-director of the Office of Special Advisers he submitted a memorial worried about the court split into factions. He rose to Inspector-General and was reputed the best of the royal lecturers. He is said to have nursed his paralyzed father devotedly for years, never spoke harshly, and stayed gentle in word and manner even in a crisis.
With his wife of the Andong Kim clan he had six sons, who became founders of the Jigye-gong (Hong Bang), Gamsa-gong (Hong Rip), Jangnyeong-gong (Hong Jip), Chuman-gong (Hong Yeong), Pangwan-gong (Hong Bak) and Namwon-gong (Hong Tak) branches, forming the Modang-gong line. His grandson Hong Ju-won married Princess Jeongmyeong, daughter of King Seonjo, and later descendants such as Hong Bong-han and Lady Hyegyeong made the clan the leading family of late Joseon. He was posthumously made Chief State Councillor; his tomb and spirit-way stele are in Seongseok-dong, Goyang, with the inscription written by Wolsa Yi Jeong-gu. Honored as one of the eight worthies of Goyang, he was enshrined at Munbong Seowon (founded 1688, plaque 1709, torn down 1865), and a shrine with his tablet is also said to stand at Hagang Seowon in Hadam-ri, Chungju.
He enjoyed King Seonjo's trust as a royal lecturer, and the clan association calls him a great Confucian and renowned minister of his age. One study notes, however, that his collected works have not survived intact, so his life must be supplemented from paintings and calligraphy albums.
The Annals of King Seonjo record that, accompanying the king as vice-minister of rites, he declared his opposition to peace talks when asked about Kato Kiyomasa in 1594. In the postwar recovery he worked as Inspector-General.
His sons Hong Bang, Hong Rip, Hong Jip, Hong Yeong, Hong Bak and Hong Tak founded the branches. Jip, Bak and Tak are said to have settled in Chungju, and Yeong's son was Hong Ju-won, who married Princess Jeongmyeong.
His tomb and spirit-way stele are said to be in Seongseok-dong, Goyang (inscription by Wolsa Yi Jeong-gu).
His six sons founded the six branches of the Modang-gong line, leading to his grandson Hong Ju-won and later descendants Hong Bong-han and Lady Hyegyeong.