Disciple of Yun Jeung who urged practical learning to King Yeongjo; pen name Deokchon
| Life | 1665 ~ 1742 |
| Era | 조선 |
| Clan | 제주 양씨 |
Yang Deuk-jung (1665-1742) was a late-Joseon scholar with the pen name Deokchon. After studying under Bak Tae-cho he became a disciple of Yun Jeung and in 1703 moved to Deokchon in Gongju to be near his teacher.
He served as Censor, Remonstrator and Chief Censor, and in 1734 under Yeongjo was appointed to the royal lectures. He stressed an emphasis on substance over show and is said to have petitioned for publication of Yu Hyeong-won's Banggye surok.
He studied at 17 under Bak Tae-cho and later became a disciple of Yun Jeung; one study says he formally took the pupil's oath around age 40. Yun is said to have valued him and guided him toward an emphasis on practical substance.
In 1703 he moved to Deokchon in Gongju to be close to Yun Jeung and devoted himself to study, and his pen name comes from the place.
He served as Censor, Remonstrator and Chief Censor. A record says that in 1729, as Remonstrator, he was dismissed after a dispute involving the scholar-official Bak Pil-ju.
In 1734 under Yeongjo he was appointed Eastern Royal Secretary and lecturer, where he is said to have stressed substance. He is known as a proponent of "seeking truth from facts", though the specifics of his remarks need checking.
He valued Yu Hyeong-won's Banggye surok and is said to have submitted a memorial seeking its publication, which links him to the early practical-learning tradition.
The Deokchonjip was edited by his son Yang Sun-hae and published in 1806 by his maternal great-grandson Yun In-gi. In ten volumes and five books in movable type, it contains many exchanges with teachers and friends on neo-Confucianism and the classics.
His tomb location was not confirmed.
Said to be a sixth-generation descendant of Yang Paeng-son; his son Yang Sun-hae edited his collected works.