Son of Seong Hyeon who became Left State Councillor; courtesy name Beonjung, pen name Donjae, posthumous title Munjang
| Life | 1481 ~ 1548 |
| Era | 조선 전기 |
| Clan | 창녕 성씨 |
Seong Se-chang (1481-1548) was an early-Joseon official whose seat was Changnyeong; his courtesy name was Beonjung (蕃仲), pen name Donjae (遯齋) and posthumous title Munjang (文莊). He was the son of Seong Hyeon, Minister of Rites, and nephew of Seong Im. He passed the licentiate examination under Yeonsangun and entered the Sungkyunkwan but was exiled in the Purge of 1504, was released after Jungjong's accession and became a keeper at the Altar of Soil and Grain, and passed the special civil examination in the third class in 1507.
After passing he served as lecturer, proofreader and assistant compiler of the Hongmungwan, remonstrator and submissions clerk, section chief of personnel, secretary of the State Council, deputy chief and chief of the Office of Remonstrances and academician, and became junior royal secretary, reaching senior rank. He was dismissed in the Purge of 1519 but reappointed, serving as vice minister of works and rites, governor of Gangwon Province and vice minister of punishments, and after an embassy to China as governor of Gyeongsang, Jeolla and Hamgyeong provinces, director of the Sungkyunkwan, vice minister of rites and personnel and inspector-general. He was dismissed for criticizing the powerful Gim An-ro, and recalled after Gim fell.
He then served as minister of works, punishments, rites, personnel and revenue, right assistant of the State Council, chief academician, and right and left assistant chief, winning respect from both the old meritorious faction and the Sarim for his learning and upright character, and finally became Right State Councillor. At that time he took part in impeaching and exiling Yun Won-ro. After King Myeongjong's accession he went to China as envoy and became Left State Councillor, but in the Eulsa Purge he was branded a partisan of Yun Im of the Greater Yun faction, exiled and died of illness in exile. He was cleared after King Seonjo's accession. He is also said to have overseen the publication of his father Seong Hyeon's Yongjae chonghwa.
His father Seong Hyeon was exhumed and desecrated in the 1504 purge after his death, and Se-chang, after reaching Left State Councillor, died in exile after the Eulsa Purge. Both father and son went through political storms and both were cleared later, so Hyeon and Se-chang are read as an example of both the learning and the suffering of the Changnyeong Seong house.
Seong Se-chang carried on the scholarly tradition of his father Seong Hyeon and himself served as chief academician. He is regarded as one of the few state councillors respected by both the old meritorious faction and the Sarim, and was cleared under Seonjo after suffering in the Eulsa Purge.
The location of his tomb could not be confirmed here. He is said to have died of illness in exile.
He continued the house of his father Seong Hyeon and uncle Seong Im. His descendants could not be confirmed here.