정옥형 丁玉亨
Civil official under Jungjong and Myeongjong who served as Minister of War and Left Consultant; pen name Wolbong, posthumous title Gongan
| Life | 1486 ~ 1549 |
| Era | 조선 전기 |
| Clan | 나주 정씨 |
Life & career
Jeong Ok-hyeong (丁玉亨, 1486-1549) was an early Joseon civil official from Naju, with courtesy name Gajung, pen name Wolbong and posthumous title Gongan. He was a son of Wolheon Jeong Su-gang and father of Jeong Eung-du, and a 13th-generation member of the Naju Jeong clan. Wikipedia says he served as Left Consultant under Myeongjong.
He passed the civil examination in 1513 (8th year of Jungjong) in the third class and began as a probationary official of the Diplomatic Office. He then served in the Office of Royal Decrees, as a Hongmungwan compiler and proofreader, as a remonstrator and as an Inspector. The clan association says that when the king chose talented men to lecture before him, he was selected with Proofreader Sin Gwang-han and lectured on the Book of Changes. He later became Vice-Director of the Hongmungwan, head of the Seonggyungwan and Chief Royal Secretary, and entered the rank of ministers as Vice-Minister of Taxation.
In 1533 he became Inspector-General but was soon dismissed; as Grand Remonstrator he refused to flatter the powerful minister Kim An-ro and was sent out as governor of Chungcheong and Jeolla, according to the association. In 1536 he went to Ming China as congratulatory envoy, and in 1539 became Minister of Works. After serving as Right and Left Consultant and as Minister of Punishments and Rites, he became Minister of War in 1544. The association adds that as Minister of Punishments he compiled the Daejeon Husongnok, reconciling contradictions among statutes.
In the 1545 Eulsa purge he sided with the Soyun faction and helped remove the Daeyun faction, for which he was named a third-class Boik merit subject and enfeoffed as Lord of Geumcheon. His part in the purge is judged differently by later readers. He became Right Consultant in 1546 and then Left Consultant, retired for illness and died in 1549, receiving the posthumous title Gongan.
Examination and Hongmungwan Years
After passing in 1513 he became a court historian in 1516 and Hongmungwan proofreader in 1518. Wikipedia lists his years in remonstrance and royal-lecture posts, then Jikjehak in 1525 and Vice-Director, reaching the senior (danggwan) ranks.
The Kim An-ro Years and Provincial Posts
In 1533, while serving as Chief Royal Secretary, Vice-Minister of Taxation and Inspector-General, he faced the dominance of the powerful minister Kim An-ro and then served as governor of Chungcheong and Jeolla. Wikipedia's article on the steles says he left court and toured the provinces to observe public feeling as Kim's power grew.
The 1545 Eulsa Purge and Lord of Geumcheon
In the 1545 Eulsa purge, after Myeongjong's accession, he sided with the Soyun faction in removing the Daeyun faction, and was rewarded as a third-class Boik merit subject and Lord of Geumcheon. Clan materials say the honours were briefly stripped before he returned as Right and then Left Consultant. It should be remembered that Yun Im and others were victims of this purge.
The Stele and the Clan Graveyard
The steles of father and son stand side by side in a pavilion at the entrance of the Jeil-ri clan graveyard in Yongin. They share the same style, though Ok-hyeong's has roof-tile ridges carved on its cap, and they were designated Gyeonggi Provincial Cultural Heritage Material No. 91 in December 1996.
Grave
His spirit-way stele stands at the clan graveyard in Jeil-ri, Yangji-myeon, Cheoin-gu, Yongin. His stele was erected in 1584 and that of his son Jeong Eung-du in 1728; together they are Gyeonggi Provincial Cultural Heritage Material No. 91 (moved from Goyang to Yongin).
Descendants
His son Jeong Eung-du rose to Left Consultant and Panjungchubusa, followed by grandsons Jeong Yun-jo, Jeong Yun-hui, Jeong Yun-u and Jeong Yun-bok. His father was Jeong Su-gang.