Left State Councillor of late Joseon, Seoin then Noron, uncle of Queen Inhyeon; pen name Nobong, posthumous title Munchung
| Life | 1628 ~ 1692 |
| Era | 조선 후기 |
| Clan | 여흥 민씨 |
Min Jeong-jung (1628-1692) was a civil official from Yeoheung with courtesy name Daesu, pen name Nobong and posthumous title Munchung. He was a son of Min Gwang-hun of the Sambang branch, brother of the scholar Min Si-jung and of Min Yu-jung, father of Queen Inhyeon. He studied under his father and then Song Si-yeol, and chose the Noron when the Seoin split in 1689.
He took first place in the 1649 regular civil examination, began as Seonggyungwan Jeonjeok and held the prestigious posts of the Three Offices and the Royal Secretariat. In 1652 he served as secret royal inspector and also submitted a memorial pleading for the vindication of Crown Princess Min (Gang), who was restored under Sukjong. He also urged giving office to scholars such as Yun Hyu and Yun Seon-geo regardless of faction, and as Head of the Seonggyungwan and later as Governor of Hamgyeong Province worked to improve learning and the literary climate.
After the ritual disputes he grew hostile to the Namin; made Minister of Personnel in 1675, he was stripped of office and in 1679 exiled to Jangheung when the Namin took power. Released in the 1680 Gyeongsin Hwanguk, he became Right and then Left State Councillor and tried a household-cloth tax reform but was blocked by Chief State Councillor Kim Su-hang and others. That year he was named a first-class original merit subject. His writings include the Nobong-jip, Nobong Yeonjung Seolhwa and Yeonhaeng Ilgi, and the woodblocks of his collected works are Jeonnam Tangible Cultural Heritage No. 218. Min Gyeong-hyeok, maternal grandfather of the Heungseon Daewongun, is said to be his fourth-generation descendant.
His father Min Gwang-hun was Governor of Gangwon Province and his mother was of the Yeonan Yi clan. Through her he was related to the moderate Namin leader Heo Jeok, so at first he was open toward the Namin, but this turned into hostility after the ritual disputes. His elder brother was the scholar Min Si-jung, and Min Yeong-hwi is reckoned a seventh-generation descendant of Min Si-jung.
Soon after returning from his inspector duty under Hyojong, he petitioned to clear the name of Crown Princess Min (Gang), consort of Crown Prince Sohyeon, which is said to have started a series of later appeals.
The daughter of his brother Min Yu-jung became Queen Inhyeon and his son Min Jin-jang became Right State Councillor. His collected works preserve the epitaph he wrote for his illegitimate daughter, in which he called himself her father.
His tomb is in Sanggeo-dong, Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, designated Local Heritage No. 4 of Yeoju in April 1986.
Son Min Jin-jang (Right State Councillor). His grandson Min An-su is said to be a maternal great-great-grandfather of the Heungseon Daewongun.