성현 成俔
Official and author of Yongjae chonghwa who compiled Akhak gwebeom; Minister of Rites and chief academician; courtesy name Gyeongsuk, pen name Yongjae, posthumous title Mundae
| Life | 1439 ~ 1504 |
| Era | 조선 전기 |
| Clan | 창녕 성씨 |
Life & career
Seong Hyeon (1439-1504) was a representative official and man of letters of early Joseon. His seat was Changnyeong; he was the third son of Seong Yeom-jo, a commissioner of the Privy Council, with courtesy name Gyeongsuk (磬叔), pen names Yongjae (慵齋), Heobaekdang, Buhyuja and Gugo, and posthumous title Mundae (文戴). His eldest brother was Seong Im and his son Seong Se-chang became Left State Councillor. Korean Wikipedia says Royal Consort Uibin Seong, concubine of King Jeongjo, was his descendant in the eleventh generation.
He passed the regular civil examination in 1462 (the eighth year of King Sejo) and the special Balyeong examination in 1466, was appointed doctor and in 1468 became compiler of the Office of Royal Decrees. He compiled the poems written on a trip to the Ming with his eldest brother Seong Im into Gwangwangnok, and after going to the Ming again in 1475 with Han Myeong-hoe he passed the civil re-examination the next year and served as chief censor and in other posts. After going to the Ming in 1485 as envoy for the crown prince's birthday, he served as vice minister of punishments and then governor of Pyongan Province, where he is said to have impressed the Ming envoys Dong Yue and Wang Chang by exchanging poems with them. He then served as governor of Gyeongsang Province, rose to Minister of Rites, and under Yeonsangun held the post of Minister of Works concurrently with chief academician.
Skilled in calligraphy and in music, he served concurrently as senior official of the Court of Music and with Yu Ja-gwang and others compiled Akhak gwebeom, a synthesis of Joseon court music, and by royal command revised the Goryeo songs Ssanghwajeom, Isangok and Bukjeon. His major work Yongjae chonghwa is an important source for the politics, society, culture, institutions and customs of early Joseon, and is described as holding 324 tales in groups such as factual accounts, humor, marvels and miscellaneous essays. He also left Heobaekdangjip, Pungaroku, Buhyuja damnon and Taepyeong tongjae. He died in 1504 and a few months later the Purge of 1504 broke out, and his coffin was exhumed and desecrated, but he was later cleared and listed among the honest officials.
Two Landmark Books
Yongjae chonghwa is a leading work of the miscellany genre, and its earliest printing is said to date from 1525. Akhak gwebeom is the music treatise compiled under King Seongjong, and the National Museum of Korea copy is available under an open KOGL licence. With his brother Seong Im he represented the house's literary achievement.
Grave
The exact location of his tomb could not be confirmed here. His coffin was exhumed and desecrated in the 1504 purge, and he was later cleared.
Descendants
His son Seong Se-chang became Left State Councillor, and Royal Consort Uibin Seong is introduced as his descendant in the eleventh generation.