Early Joseon official and calligrapher, first Deputy Director of the Hall of Worthies (founder of the Amheon-gong branch)
| Life | 1382 ~ 1433 |
| Era | 조선 전기 |
| Clan | 고령 신씨 |
Sin Jang (申檣, 1382-1433) was an early Joseon official and calligrapher and the founder of the Amheon-gong branch of the Goryeong Sin clan. His courtesy name was Jebu and his pen name Amheon. His grandfather was Sin Deok-rin, a late-Goryeo Minister of Rites and noted calligrapher; his father was Sin Po-si, who served King Sejong as Second Censor and Third Minister of Works; and his mother was a daughter of Kim Chung-han of the Gyeongju Kim clan. He was born in the second intercalary month of 1382 at Hochon, in what is now Dusin-ri, Songdong-myeon, Namwon.
He passed the civil examination in 1402 at the age of twenty and served as a section chief in the Ministries of Rites, War and Personnel. When King Sejong founded the Hall of Worthies (Jiphyeonjeon) in 1420 he was first appointed its Director of Studies and was promoted the following year to Deputy Director, becoming the institution's first holder of that post, which reflects the high regard for his scholarship. In 1431 he rose to Second Minister of Works. He tutored the crown prince (later King Munjong) in the Sohak, handled diplomatic correspondence with Ming China, and took part in compiling the annals of Kings Taejo, Jeongjong and Taejong and the Paldo jiriji gazetteer. With Jeong Cho, Jeong In-ji and Yun Hoe he composed and presented the song Heon namsan jigok, and he edited the Dongin mun and the Ikjae jip. Later records sometimes call him chief scholar or Royal Secretary.
Like his grandfather he was famous for his calligraphy, especially cursive and clerical script. His obituary in the annals describes him as gentle and courteous, never quarrelsome, and gifted in literary composition, but so fond of wine that he could not stop drinking even when the king, valuing his talent, personally told him to abstain. He married a daughter of Jeong Yu of the Naju Jeong clan and had five sons, Sin Maeng-ju, Sin Jung-ju, Sin Suk-ju, Sin Song-ju and Sin Mal-ju, and two daughters. All five sons passed the state examinations and became the founders of the Seoyun-gong, Sunchang-gong, Munchung-gong, Andong-gong and Gwiraejeong-gong branches. He died in 1433.
His five sons, Sin Maeng-ju, Sin Jung-ju, Sin Suk-ju, Sin Song-ju and Sin Mal-ju, all passed the state examinations and founded the Seoyun-gong, Sunchang-gong, Munchung-gong, Andong-gong and Gwiraejeong-gong branches.