Early-Joseon official who served as rector of the Seonggyungwan and head of the Insubu under Sejong; son of Hwang Yu-jeong
Same-name figures:
황현(黃玹) — Late Joseon poet and historian, author of the Maecheon Yarok, who took his life in 1910 in protest at annexation; pen name Maecheon
| Life | 1369 ~ 1434 |
| Era | 조선 초기 |
| Clan | 평해 황씨 |
Hwang Hyeon (黃鉉) was an early-Joseon official of the Pyeonghae Hwang clan and the son of Hwang Yu-jeong, Mayor of Hanseong. His dates differ by source: the Digital Yeongju Culture Encyclopedia gives 1369-1434, while the Korean Wikipedia clan entry gives 1372 as his birth year and no death year. His mother was a sister of Jeong Do-jeon and his grandmother a daughter of Ahn Chuk, so he came from a family of scholars on both sides. He is not the Hwang Hyeon of the Jangsu Hwang on this site.
According to the Digital Yeongju Culture Encyclopedia he passed the licentiate examination in 1389, the civil examination in 1393, and in 1407 placed second in the special re-examination, after which he was made junior head of the Gyeongseungbu. He served in the Hall of Literature, became rector of the Seonggyungwan in 1425, head of the Insubu in 1428 and rector again in 1430. Some clan material says he reached chief provost, but other sources do not confirm this, so he is described here as rector.
He is remembered for proposals on the Seonggyungwan. In 1415 he asked for a rule letting officials return home to visit ancestral graves at New Year, which was approved; in 1425 he proposed improving students' lodgings and managing their health, which was carried out. In 1430, with Byeon Gye-ryang, he proposed that only two essay topics be drawn in the classics segment of the preliminary civil examination, though complaints that students relied on crib books led to the restoration of classics recitation. He also proposed dividing students into nine halls to teach the Four Books and Five Classics. The Sinjeung dongguk yeoji seungnam is said to praise him as a model, versed in the classics and upright in conduct. His tomb is said to be at Seoritgol in Munjeong-dong, Yeongju.
Said to be at Seoritgol, Munjeong-dong, Yeongju, North Gyeongsang.
His father was Hwang Yu-jeong and his mother a Bonghwa Jeong, sister of Jeong Do-jeon.