Late Goryeo Superintendent of the Three Offices and Earl of Danyang in early Joseon; posthumous title Chungjeong
| Life | 1333 ~ 1400 |
| Era | 고려 말~조선 초 |
| Clan | 단양 우씨 |
U Hyeon-bo (1333-1400) was an official of late Goryeo and early Joseon from the Danyang clan, with courtesy name Wongong and posthumous title Chungjeong. His great-grandfather was U Cheon-seok, posthumously Munha Sijung, and his father the Prince of Jeokseong, U Gil-saeng; his mother was of the Gyeongju Kim and his wife of the Juksan Bak clan. He is the central figure in the rise of the Danyang U clan in late Goryeo, and when his eldest grandson U Seong-beom became son-in-law of King Gongyang, the family reached the status of royal kin.
He passed the civil examination in 1355 (King Gongmin 4) and became a Chunchugwan gyeomnyeol, later serving as Sahonbu Jibui and Left Sauidaebu. After King U took the throne in 1374 he rose from Mikjik Daeeon to Jehak and served as Associate Commissioner of the Privy Council and Inspector-General, then Jeongdang Munhak, Associate Chancellor, Jeongbang jejo and Left Commissioner of the Three Offices, receiving the title of Sunchung Iktae Jwari Merit Subject. When Yi Seong-gye turned back from Wihwado in 1388 he became Right Chancellor but was dismissed soon after. In 1389, under King Gongyang, he was made Prince Danyang because his grandson was the royal son-in-law; in 1390 he was Pansamsasa but was exiled in the Icho affair, released soon after and made Prince Dansan.
After the founding of Joseon his family suffered greatly. His sons U Hong-su, U Hong-deuk and U Hong-myeong were tried as Goryeo loyalists and beaten to death in exile, and his grandson U Seong-beom was beheaded in 1392. U Hyeon-bo himself was restored in 1398 after Jeong Do-jeon's faction was removed, made Earl of Danyang in 1399, and in 1400 received the title of Chuchung Bojo Merit Subject for passing on to Yi Bang-won the news of a rebellion he had heard from his disciple Yi Rae in the Second Strife of Princes. After Goryeo fell he lived in seclusion and renamed his residence Dongnakdang, reportedly saying that all that has passed is a dream, not truth, and who can vouch that what is to come will be true.
After passing the examination in 1355 he rose through Sahonbu Jibui, Inspector-General and Associate Chancellor to Pansamsasa, keeping key posts through the political shifts under Kings Gongmin and U.
In 1392 his sons U Hong-su, U Hong-deuk and U Hong-myeong died in exile and his grandson U Seong-beom was beheaded. See U Hong-su; another son, U Hong-gang, rose to Mayor of Hanseong under the new dynasty.
Restored in 1398 and made Earl of Danyang in 1399, he became a Chuchung Bojo Merit Subject in 1400 for warning Yi Bang-won of a rebellion. In seclusion he is said to have used the residence name Dongnakdang.
The location of his tomb was not confirmed in the sources used here.
His sons U Hong-su, U Hong-bu, U Hong-gang, U Hong-deuk and U Hong-myeong founded the Daejehak-gong, Yean-gun, Anjeong-gong, Jibui-gong and Panseo-gong branches respectively, and his eldest grandson U Seong-beom was son-in-law of King Gongyang.