Rose from the ranks to pandopanseo and became a second-class founding merit subject, enfeoffed as Lord Euncheon
| Life | 미상 ~ 1395 |
| Era | 고려 말·조선 초 |
| Clan | 배천 조씨 |
Jo Gi (d. 1395) was an official of late Goryeo and early Joseon of the Baecheon Jo clan. His birth year is not recorded; he began as a common soldier, served under Choe Yeong and rose to pandopanseo, head of the Bureau of Census and Land that handled households, land and taxes, an example of a man of modest origin reaching a ministerial post through military service. Only one son, Jo Sun-hwa, is recorded, and other family details could not be confirmed.
When Joseon was founded on 17 July 1392 with Yi Seong-gye enthroned, he was enrolled as a second-class founding merit subject and appointed dongji jungchuwonsa. The merit title was given to those who helped found the dynasty, and Jo Ban of the same clan was also made a second-class subject, so two Baecheon Jo men stand together on the founding list. His title was Lord Euncheon (銀川君); Euncheon is also the name of the county in Baekju said to be the home of the clan founder Jo Ji-rin, and it is linked with the later Euncheon-gun branch name.
He fell ill with a carbuncle in 1395 and is said to have died after about twenty-five days. His posthumous name is given as Chungwi (忠魏), though the spelling is written differently in some sources and should be checked. Surviving records are few, so his pre-founding career is hard to trace in detail, but he shows that the clan produced a founding merit subject of military background.
Jo Gi began as a common soldier, served under Choe Yeong and rose to pandopanseo, head of the office for households, land and taxes, a high post that he reached through military service, an example of the rising soldiers of the time.
He joined the founding of Joseon in July 1392, became a second-class merit subject and was appointed dongji jungchuwonsa. His title Euncheon-gun, together with Jo Ban's Bokheung-gun, overlaps with the names of the clan's two great divisions, the Euncheon-gun and Bokheung Buwongun lines.
He is said to have died in 1395 after about twenty-five days of illness from a carbuncle, with the posthumous name Chungwi. Records are thin, so his family and tomb could not be confirmed beyond a recorded son, Jo Sun-hwa.
The location of his tomb could not be confirmed.
One son, Jo Sun-hwa, is recorded.