Late-Goryeo official who became Chief Councillor and Lord of Guseong, posthumous title Munje
| Life | 1259 ~ 1336 |
| Era | 고려 후기 |
| Clan | 동복 오씨 |
O Jam (1259-1336) was a late-Goryeo official from Dongbok, son of Chief Councillor O Seon. His original name was O Gi, courtesy name Heung-u, pen name Donghun, and posthumous title Munje. Wikipedia records him as a first cousin of the mother of Kings Chunghye and Gongmin and of Queen Myeongdeok, but this should be checked against the Goryeosa.
Passing the examination under King Chungnyeol, he rose through royal secretary and other posts to the Council of State, became Director of the Academy under Chungseon, and under Chungsuk held several senior posts before becoming Chief Councillor in 1320 and Lord of Guseong.
His biography is in the Goryeosa's volume 125, and later assessment of him is harsh, so he is not presented here as simple family pride. Encyclopedia-based sources describe him as the sixth-generation descendant of the founder.
O Jam was active from the late thirteenth to the early fourteenth century, when Yuan influence was strong and kings Chungnyeol, Chungseon and Chungsuk alternated on the throne amid political turmoil. Officials differed in how they navigated between the king and the Yuan court, and the Goryeosa biographies judge some of them harshly. O Jam is one such figure, so it is best to read the encyclopedia summary beside the Goryeosa itself.
After passing the examination under Chungnyeol he held royal secretary and related posts, became Director of the Academy under Chungseon, and under Chungsuk served in several senior posts up to Chief Councillor.
O Jam is a figure recorded in the Goryeosa biographies and is judged harshly, so he cannot simply be taken as the family's glory. Consult the original text and scholarship. See Dongbok Oh for the clan overview.
Sources: Wikipedia and Encyclopedia of Korean Culture-based material; genealogies may differ.
His tomb location was not confirmed here.