Official under Seongjong and Yeonsangun who became Chief State Councillor; deputy commander in the northern campaign; courtesy name Sijwa, posthumous title Myeongsuk
| Life | 1436 ~ 1504 |
| Era | 조선 전기 |
| Clan | 창녕 성씨 |
Seong Jun (成俊, 1436-1504) was an early-Joseon official whose seat was Changnyeong; his courtesy name was Sijwa (時佐) and his posthumous title Myeongsuk (明肅). His great-grandfather was Seong Seok-in, his grandfather Seong Eom and his father Seong Sun-jo, and his mother was a daughter of Yi Ran of the Jeonju Yi clan. His elder brother was Seong Suk, and his wife, a daughter of Yi Gye-gi, bore him sons Seong Jung-on and Seong Gyeong-on. He is close kin to Seong Im and Seong Hyeon of the same Seok-in line. He should not be confused with Seong Jun (成遵), founder of the Sirang-gong branch in the branch chart.
He passed the licentiate examination in 1456 (the second year of King Sejo) and the regular civil examination in 1459, placing first in the third class. In 1469 under King Yejong he served as tutor in the Crown Prince's academy and assistant at the Office of Textile Supply, then became chief censor, and in 1479 (the tenth year of Seongjong) governor of Jeolla Province. In 1481 he was vice minister of personnel and right and left royal secretary, in 1482 vice minister of punishments and commissioner of the Privy Council, in 1484 mayor of Hanseong and governor of Gyeonggi, and in 1485 Minister of Punishments. In 1488 he served as Minister of Personnel and right assistant of the State Council, and in 1490 he went to the Ming as envoy for the emperor's birthday.
In 1491 he went out as military commander of Yeongan Province and as deputy commander of the northern campaign put down Jurchen raiders who had entered it; in 1494 he was Minister of War, in 1495 right assistant of the State Council and in 1498 Right State Councillor. In 1499, when Jurchen raided Samsu county, he became commander of the western expedition. In 1500, as Left State Councillor with Chief State Councillor Han Chi-hyeong and Right State Councillor Yi Geuk-gyun, he submitted ten articles on the evils of the time to try to correct Yeonsangun's misrule, but failed. He became Chief State Councillor in 1503 and concurrently tutor of the crown prince, but in the Purge of 1504 he was exiled to Jiksan for his part in the deposition and execution of Seongjong's consort Lady Yun, then seized again and strangled. He was restored to rank under Jungjong.
In 1500 Seong Jun, as Left State Councillor, submitted ten articles on the evils of the time to Yeonsangun with Chief State Councillor Han Chi-hyeong and Right State Councillor Yi Geuk-gyun. The attempt to correct the king's misrule failed and is described as part of the background to the disaster that followed in the Purge of 1504.
The location of his tomb could not be confirmed here.
Korean Wikipedia records his sons Seong Jung-on and Seong Gyeong-on and grandsons including Seong Geon and Seong Cho-hyeong.