Official from Sejong's to Seongjong's reign who became Right State Councillor; Prince Changseong; brother-in-law of Queen Jeonghui; courtesy names Hyobu and Yuhaeng; posthumous title Yangjeong
| Life | 1401 ~ 1474 |
| Era | 조선 전기 |
| Clan | 창녕 성씨 |
Seong Bong-jo (1401-1474) was an early-Joseon official whose seat was Changnyeong; his courtesy names were Hyobu (孝夫) and Yuhaeng (攸行) and his posthumous title Yangjeong (襄靖). A grandson of Seong Seok-in and son of Seong Eom, a deputy commissioner of the Privy Council, he had brothers Seong Yeom-jo and Seong Sun-jo. His wife of the Papyeong Yun clan was the elder sister of Queen Jeonghui, consort of King Sejo, and his son Seong Yul rose to the rank of vice minister.
Entering office by hereditary privilege, he moved up through a succession of posts to deputy mayor of Hanseong and in 1430 (the twelfth year of King Sejong) served as acting magistrate of Pungdeok. In 1438 he was a censor and acting head of the Office of Remonstrances, and in 1441 he was picked as junior royal secretary and rose to right royal secretary. He then served as vice minister of punishments, revenue and works, governor of Gyeongsang and Chungcheong provinces, military commander of Gyeongsang in 1447 and governor of Jeolla in 1449. He became inspector-general in 1452 and vice minister of punishments and governor of Hamgil Province in 1453.
When King Sejo took the throne, Bong-jo was specially promoted to head of the Royal Kin Office because his wife was the queen's elder sister, and he went on to serve as Minister of Works, Punishments and Personnel, right deputy and right assistant of the State Council, and in 1468 head of the Privy Council. For helping King Seongjong's accession he was named a third-class Jwari merit subject in 1471, became Right State Councillor and was enfeoffed as Prince Changseong. He declined, saying he was too small a vessel for the highest ministry and was old, but the king refused and granted him a bench and cane. He was judged calm, generous and expert in precedent, with a good name wherever he served, and died in 1474.
The posthumous title Yangjeong (襄靖) is explained, as quoted in Korean Wikipedia, as 'Yang' for having merit through service and 'Jeong' for being gentle, upright and dying in peace. His son Seong Yul reached the rank of vice minister. His nephew Seong Jun became Chief State Councillor and Seong Im and Seong Hyeon became ministers, so the Sanggok-gong line stayed at the centre of the court after Bong-jo.
His wife was the elder sister of Queen Jeonghui, and Yun Seung-rye, son-in-law of his great-grandfather Seong Yeo-wan, is recorded as the queen's grandfather, so marriage ties between the clan and the royal house overlap. The relationship is described as having influenced his special promotion after Sejo's accession and his merit-subject title in the early years of Seongjong.
The location of his tomb could not be confirmed here.
His son Seong Yul (vice minister) is recorded; the house continued through the sons of his brothers, Seong Jun (son of Sun-jo) and Seong Im and Seong Hyeon (sons of Yeom-jo).