고경명 高敬命
Righteous-army leader of the Imjin War who raised volunteers in Honam and fell at Geumsan; pen name Jebong, posthumous title Chungryeol
| Life | 1533 ~ 1592 |
| Era | 조선 중기 |
| Clan | 장흥 고씨 |
Life & career
Ko Gyeong-myeong (1533-1592) was a mid-Joseon civil official and righteous-army leader of the Jangheung Ko clan, with courtesy name Isun, pen names Jebong, Taeheon and Taesa, and posthumous title Chungryeol. He was a son of Ko Maeng-yeong, Inspector-General, and his mother was of the Nampyeong Seo. He passed the civil examination in first place in 1558, served as Seonggyungwan Jeonjeok, section chief in the Ministries of Taxation, Works and Justice and Sagan-won Jeongeon, and was sent as a secret royal inspector to Pyeongan in 1561.
After being demoted to magistrate of Ulsan in 1562 and dismissed, he was reinstated in 1581 and served as magistrate of Yeongam, secretary on a mission to Ming, magistrate of Seosan, Hansan and Sunchang, Seungmunwon Pangyo and Governor of Dongnae. In 1591 he was named a Gwanggug Wonjong merit subject for the Jonggye correction affair but resigned amid political dispute and returned home.
When the Imjin War began in the fourth month of 1592 he raised a volunteer army at Damyang, said to have gathered over six thousand men. He left Damyang on the first of the sixth month, passed Jeonju, Yeosan, Eunjin and Yeonsan, and on the tenth day of the seventh month fell from his horse and died fighting the Japanese around Woeunpyeong in Geumsan. His second son Ko In-hu died with him, and An Yeong and Yu Paeng-no are said to have died supporting him.
Civil Examination and Career
Ko Gyeong-myeong is said to have passed the 1558 civil examination in first place. He served as Seonggyungwan Jeonjeok, section chief in the ministries of Taxation, Works and Justice, and Sagan-won Jeongeon, and in 1561 was sent as a secret royal inspector to Pyeongan. After being demoted to Ulsan and dismissed in 1562 he is said to have returned to Gwangju to study and teach.
Some sources link this period to the political downfall of his father Ko Maeng-yeong. After reinstatement in 1581 he served as magistrate of Yeongam, Seosan, Hansan and Sunchang and as Governor of Dongnae.
Battle of Geumsan and Afterward
The volunteer army suffered heavy losses at Geumsan but is credited with checking the Japanese advance toward the Jeolla granary. The series on the Jebong head house says he was chosen commander of the Jeolla volunteers at a meeting at Chuseonggwan in Damyang and appointed Gongjo Chamui and Chosa.
His eldest son Ko Jong-hu gathered the bodies and returned to Gwangju, and died at Jinju in 1593. Ko Gyeong-myeong was posthumously made Minister of Rites and Daejehak, then Left Second Minister; a memorial gate was erected in 1595 and he was named a first-class Seonmu Wonjong merit subject in 1605.
Grave
He was first buried on a hillside at Heukto-pyeong, Hwasun, in the tenth month of 1592 and moved in 1609 to Odong-ri in Jangseong (now Yeongcheon-ri, Jangseong-eup). He is honored at Pochungsa in Gwangju, Seonggok Seowon and Jongyongsa at Geumsan, and Hwasan Seowon at Sunchang.
Descendants
His sons include Ko Jong-hu, Ko In-hu, Ko Sun-hu and Ko Yong-hu, and grandsons such as Ko Bu-cheon are recorded. Descendants lived at Apchon in Gwangju and Changpyeong in Damyang.