Military officer who followed Yi Seong-gye through the Wihwado retreat; second-rank founding merit subject of Joseon, Lord Pyeonghae, posthumous title Yangmu
| Life | 1394 |
| Era | 고려 말~조선 초 |
| Clan | 평해 황씨 |
Hwang Hui-seok (?-1394) was a military officer of late Goryeo and early Joseon from the Pyeonghae Hwang clan, an eighth-generation member and son of Hwang Cheon-rok. Korean Wikipedia says he first entered the Buddhist order and later served under King U as an official of the Agricultural Office. His noble title was Lord Pyeonghae and his posthumous title Yangmu (襄武).
In 1383, when the Jurchen chieftain Hobaldo raided Danju (today's Danchon) in Hamgyeong, he fought under Yi Seong-gye as senior commander of Cheongju and won together with Yi Ji-ran, and he is also said to have fought Japanese raiders north of Daemun Pass in Hongwon. In 1388 he joined the Liaodong campaign and turned back with Yi Seong-gye, becoming a merit subject of the retreat; after Jeong Mong-ju was killed in 1392, he is said to have taken the lead in impeaching Jeong's supporters. After Joseon was founded he was appointed deputy chief of the Privy Council and chief of the Uiheung guard.
Because he was in mourning for his father, he is said not to have taken part directly in the founding, and on 9 October 1392 he was enrolled as a founding original-merit subject; on 19 November, by Taejo's special decision, he was raised to second-rank founding merit subject. The Korean Wikipedia clan entry counts him among the Pyeonghae Hwang ancestors made merit subjects several times and later posthumously honored as state councillors. When he fell ill in July 1394 Taejo is said to have prayed to the Buddha himself and sent a royal physician, but he died on 3 August. He had four sons, Sang, In, Ran and Gok; Sang married Princess Suksin (sources differ on whether she was a daughter of Taejong or Taejo) and became minister of war. The shrine Yangmu-gongsa, dedicated to him at Juk 2-ri, Jeungpyeong, North Chungcheong, is a designated local heritage site. He is described both as founder of the Yangmu-gong branch split from the Geomgyo-gong line and as an ancestor of the Chunggyeong-gong branch, so accounts differ.
Placed in order, the dates in the sources are: appointed deputy chief of the Privy Council on 28 July 1392, enrolled as founding original-merit subject on 9 October, chief of the Uiheung guard on 2 November, and second-rank founding merit subject on 19 November. Korean Wikipedia notes that raising him from original-merit to second-rank was Taejo's special decision.
His tomb could not be confirmed here. His shrine Yangmu-gongsa is at Juk 2-ri (Wonpyeong), Jeungpyeong-eup, Jeungpyeong, North Chungcheong.
He is recorded as having four sons: Hwang Sang (minister of war), In, Ran and Gok.