정곤수 鄭崑壽

First-class Hoseong merit subject who sought Ming troops in the Imjin War; Prince of Seocheon; posthumous chief state councillor

Life & career

Jeong Gon-su (1538-1602) was a mid-Joseon civil official from Cheongju, early name Gyu, courtesy name Yeoin, pen names Baekgok, Gyeongeum and Joeun. Gon-su was a name given by King Seonjo. He was adopted by his paternal uncle Jeong Seung-mun and was the second elder brother of Hangang Jeong Gu.

In 1565 he visited Yi Hwang at Dosan and studied the Simgyeong, and in 1566 sent Yi Hwang a collection of materials on Kim Goeng-pil from which Yi largely compiled Gyeonghyeonrok. He passed the licentiate exam in 1567 and the second civil examination in 1576, served as magistrate of Gongju, Sangju and Paju, and as Gangwon governor in 1583 built a shrine for King Danjong's tomb at Yeongwol.

Specially named Hwanghae governor in a famine year, he achieved great relief results. When the Imjin War began he escorted Seonjo to Uiju, proposed asking Ming for troops and was sent as the envoy. He negotiated with Ming commanders as reception officer and served as minister of Rites and left state councillor. In 1604 he was named a first-class Hoseong merit subject and Prince of Seocheon, made posthumous chief state councillor, with the title Chungik.

Ties with Yi Hwang and Gyeonghyeonrok

In 1565 Jeong Gon-su visited Yi Hwang at Dosan Jeongsa to study the Simgyeong and kept up the relationship. In 1566 he gathered materials about Kim Goeng-pil and writings of other scholars about him, and Yi Hwang is said to have compiled Gyeonghyeonrok mainly from them. His brother Jeong Gu also studied under Yi Hwang and Jo Sik, so the brothers carried on the Yeongnam Neo-Confucian line together.

The Imjin War and Diplomacy with Ming

As Grand Remonstrator he proposed asking Ming for troops and went to China himself as envoy. For bringing back troops in 1593 he rose to Sungjeong daebu, and as reception officer he handled negotiations with Ming commanders. In 1597 he again went to Ming as envoy of thanks and rebuttal. The Encyclopedia judges his role in diplomacy with Ming during the war to have been great.

First-Class Hoseong Merit

First-class Hoseong status was the highest rank among those who escorted Seonjo in the Imjin War. He was recorded with Yi Hang-bok in 1601 as a leading escort and posthumously made Prince of Seocheon in 1604. The 1604 memorial document, a copy of which survives and is on Wikimedia Commons, is the paper by which Seonjo had rites performed for him.

Grave

The location of his grave was not confirmed. He is enshrined at Yugye Seowon in Seongju.

Descendants

He and his brother Jeong Gu lived in Seongju.

Other 청주 정씨 figures