Chief scholar and state councillor under King Sunjo; author of Yeoncheon jip and Hakgang sanpil; eldest of the three men of letters
| Life | 1774 ~ 1842 |
| Era | 조선 후기 |
| Clan | 풍산 홍씨 |
Hong Seok-ju (洪奭周, 1774-1842) was a late-Joseon official and scholar of the Pungsan Hong clan, with the courtesy name Seongbaek, pen name Yeoncheon (淵泉) and posthumous title Munan. He was a grandson of Chief State Councillor Hong Nak-seong, the son of Hong In-mo and of Lady Yeongsuhap of the Dalseong Seo clan. With his younger brothers Hong Gil-ju and Hong Hyeon-ju he was known as one of the "three men of letters." He passed the regular civil examination in 1795 (the 19th year of Jeongjo) in the Gap class and, after Geomnyeol, Succhan and Gyori, entered the senior ranks.
He went on to serve as royal secretary, Ijo uisam, vice-director of Hongmungwan, vice-minister of punishments, Daesagan, vice-minister of personnel, governor of Jeolla, mayor of Hanseong, minister of punishments, military affairs, revenue and rites, Inspector-General and chief scholar; after serving as chief envoy to Qing he became minister of personnel and, enjoying King Sunjo's deep trust, is said to have risen to state councillor. Since the Wikipedia article for him says Second State Councillor while that for Hong Hyeon-ju says Third State Councillor, the sources conflict, and this text says only "state councillor." When Sunjo died in 1834 he became chief compiler of the Veritable Records of King Sunjo and took part in compiling it.
Hong Seok-ju was versed in Neo-Confucianism and also renowned in politics, economics and science. Besides Yeoncheon jip, his works include Pungsan sego (6 vols.), Sangye hoesu (10 vols.), Hakgang sanpil (4 vols.) and Dongsa sega; the clan association says he left over twenty works. With his father Hong In-mo, his mother Lady Yeongsuhap and his sister Hong Won-ju all writers, the family was called a "house of letters." It shows how the Pungsan Hong scholarly tradition passed from Hong Yang-ho in the eighteenth century to the Hong Seok-ju brothers in the nineteenth. His tomb could not be confirmed here.
Raised on their mother Lady Yeongsuhap's teaching and the family's library, the brothers Hong Seok-ju, Hong Gil-ju and Hong Hyeon-ju were called the "three men of letters."
After passing the examination in 1795 he served as chief scholar and state councillor, and in 1834 took part in compiling the Veritable Records of King Sunjo as chief compiler.
His tomb could not be confirmed here.