Hwang Su-sin (黃守身, 1407 – 1467) was a civil official and politician of the early Joseon period. His courtesy names were Suhyo (秀孝) or Gyehyo (季孝), his pen names were Nabu (懦夫) and Chebu (侁夫), and his posthumous name was Yeolseong (烈成). He was the son of the minister Hwang Hui and the younger brother of Minister of Justice Hwang Chi-sin. He supported the Gyeyu Incident, was registered as a Left Meritorious Subject, and under the order of King Sejo supervised the vernacular translations of the Lotus Sutra and the Myobeop Yeonhwa Gyeong, and oversaw the compilation of the Daebang Gwang Wonggak Sudara Youi Gyeong. His family seat was Jangsu.
He rose through the posts of Right State Councillor and Left State Councillor to become Chief State Councillor, and across two generations he and his father both served as Chief State Councillor. He was enfeoffed as Lord Namwon. He was also one of the few figures who served as a chancellor without having passed the civil service examinations.
Life
Early life
He was a great-grandson of Hwang Gyunbi (黃均庇). His grandfather was Hwang Gunseo (黃君瑞), Grand Prince-Protector of Gangneung, his father was the eminent minister Hwang Hui, Chief State Councillor during the reign of King Sejong, and his mother was a daughter of Yang Jin (楊震).
Hwang Hui repeatedly and sternly rebuked his son Hwang Su-sin to stop frequenting the entertainment quarters, but his son did not listen. One day, when his son returned from outside, Minister Hwang dressed in formal court robes and came out to the gate, receiving him as though welcoming an honored guest. Startled, the son knelt and asked the reason. Minister Hwang said, "Until now I have treated you as my son, but since you will not listen to what I say, this means you do not regard me as your father. Therefore I am treating you with the courtesy due to a guest." Repentant, the son reflected deeply and vowed to stop visiting the entertainment quarters.
Official career
In 1423 (5th year of King Sejong), he sat the Saengwon examination but failed. At that time, one of the examiners pointed out that his scholarship was weak, which he took as an insult and, resolving to improve himself, devoted himself to study. He never again sat the civil service examinations afterward. He then entered office through the Eumseo system, and served as Deputy Director of the Ancestral Shrine, Junior Secretary of the Jongbusi, Gamchal of the Saheonbu, Junior Magistrate and Chief of the Saheonbu, and Director of the Dogwanseo (䆃官署). In July 1429, he passed through the posts of Junior Magistrate and Junior Secretary of the Board of Revenue, and then served as Deputy Director of the Sajaegam. In 1432, at the request of Gwon Je, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, he served as Gyeongnyeok (經歷). While serving as Chief Magistrate, he claimed that shamans could control human fortune and misfortune within the capital, and expelled a shaman who was confusing people's minds outside the city walls as a witch.
In 1440, after serving as Vice Director of the Saseomsi, he became an inspector of Jeolla Province that year, and was involved in relocating households from Chungcheong, Jeolla, and Gyeongsang provinces in order to strengthen the Five Garrisons of Hamgil Province. He then returned to a central post and served as Chief Secretary of the Jigansawon. Moving to the Hyeongjo, he spent several years resolving difficult criminal cases. In 1441 he rose to Chajiji Jungchwiwonsa, in 1442 to Gyeom Jibyeongjosa, and in 1443 to Right Vice Secretary. He also passed through the posts of Left Vice Secretary and Left Chief Secretary, and in 1446 he was promoted to Chief Secretary of the Royal Secretariat, a post that since the early dynasty had not been conferred on anyone who was not a civil examination graduate.
In 1447 (29th year of King Sejong), while serving as Chief Secretary, he was falsely accused of forming factions and was temporarily dismissed, but was later reinstated. However, it was discovered that he had improperly appointed his acquaintance Im Won-jun as a compiler for the medical book compilation, and he was stripped of his official certificate (告身). Afterward, in 1448 he had his certificate returned, and in May 1450 (the accession year of King Munjong) he was reinstated as Junior Magistrate of the Jungchwiwonsa. He later served as Vice Chief Secretary of the Jungchubu, Magistrate of Hanseong, and Vice Minister of Justice. In 1450, by special order of King Munjong, he took part in deliberations on military drills and military inspections in the Board of War. The following year he became Vice Minister of War, and when Grand Prince Suyang was determining the battle formations, he assisted and succeeded in having the formations formally established.
In 1452 (2nd year of King Munjong), he was in mourning for his father and resigned, but when King Danjong ascended the throne, he returned to office in the same year (accession year of King Danjong) and became Vice Chief Secretary of the Jungchubu. He then served as Magistrate of Hanseong and was dispatched as Governor of Gyeongsang Province, and in 1455 (1st year of King Sejo) he was recalled as Right Assistant Councillor. At that time, while presenting a map of Ungcheon-hyeon in Gyeongsang Province, which he had prepared during his time as governor, he proposed defensive measures.
Sejo's coup and merit subject
In 1455, when Han Myeong-hoe, Shin Sukju, Kwon Nam and others installed Grand Prince Suyang, he supported the coup. For his contribution in supporting Sejo's accession, he was registered as a Third-Class Left Meritorious Subject in 1455 (1st year of King Sejo) and enfeoffed as Lord Namwon. In 1456 he became Left Assistant Councillor of the State Council, and in 1457 he served as envoy of gratitude (謝恩使) and visited the Ming dynasty. After rising to Right Chancellor, he concurrently served as Director of the Board of Rites and directed that ministry. In 1458 he became Left Chancellor, and in January and December 1459 he was dispatched twice as Commissioner for Relief of Chungcheong Province and as Commissioner for Recruitment and Inspection of Gyeongsang Province. He then returned and was promoted to Boguk Sungnok Daebu (輔國崇祿大夫) and enfeoffed as Lord Namwon Buwon-gun. In 1462, he was impeached several times for illegally occupying fields in Asan, but was pardoned and retained in his post.
Afterward, under the order of King Sejo, he supervised the vernacular translations (諺解) of the Lotus Sutra (法華經) and the Myobeop Yeonhwa Gyeong (妙法蓮華經). In 1464, as Right State Councillor, he served as the envoy congratulating the enthronement of Emperor Chenghua of the Ming dynasty, and visited the Ming. After returning home, in 1465 he compiled the Daebang Gwang Wonggak Sudara Youi Gyeong (大方廣圓覺修多羅了義經). In 1462, as Left Chancellor, he took part in the second draft of the Gyeongguk daejeon, and as Right State Councillor he was sent to congratulate the enthronement of Emperor Chenghua of the Ming. By special favor of King Sejo, in 1466, together with Chief State Councillor Han Myeong-hoe and Left State Councillor Sim Hoe, he concurrently held posts in the Yemun Chunchugwan even though he was not a civil examination graduate.1 In 1467 he rose to Chief State Councillor.
Death
He had an outstanding appearance and a dignified character, yet was amiable in temperament and had great capacity, and he made a major contribution to pacifying public sentiment and to the achievements of the reign of King Sejo. However, he is said to have lamented that he never passed the civil service examinations throughout his life. He was enshrined at Changgye Seowon in Jangsu, Jeolla Province, and his posthumous name is Yeolseong (烈成). His tomb is located in Geumseung-ri, Tanhyeon-myeon, Paju City, and it was designated as Gyeonggi Province Monument No. 34.
Family
- Father: Hwang Hui (黃喜)
- Mother: Lady Jeongkyeong of the Cheongju Yang clan
- Elder brother: Hwang Chi-sin (黃致身)
- Sister-in-law: ?
- Nephew: Hwang Sa-chin (黃事親)
- Nephew: Hwang Sa-jang (黃事長)
- Nephew: Hwang Sa-hyeon (黃事賢)
- Nephew: Hwang Sa-hyeong (黃事兄)
- Nephew: Hwang Sa-chung (黃事忠)
- Nephew: Hwang Sa-hyo (黃事孝), Vice Chief Secretary of the Jungchubu
- Nephew: Hwang Sa-gong (黃事恭)
- Nephew: Hwang Sa-ui (黃事義)
- Nephew: Hwang Sa-gyeong (黃事敬)
- Elder brother: Hwang Bo-sin (黃保身)
- Sister-in-law: ?
- Nephew: Hwang Woo-hyeong (黃友兄)
- Nephew: Hwang Jong-hyeong (黃從兄)
- Nephew: Hwang Gyeong-hyeong (黃敬兄)
- Nephew: Hwang Gong-hyeong (黃恭兄)
- Wife: Lady Jeongkyeong of the Ilseon Kim clan
- Eldest son: Hwang Shin (黃 )
- Second son: Hwang Chal (黃察)
- Third son: Hwang Seong (黃省)
- Fourth son: Hwang Uk (黃旭)
- Daughters: 1st daughter, 3rd daughter
- Younger brother: Hwang Jik-sin (黃直身)
- Sister-in-law: ?
- Nephew: Hwang Sam-oe (黃三畏)
- Nephew: Hwang Ssi (黃氏)
Sister: wife of Gi Jil of the Haengju Gi clan (grandson of Gi Hyeon, who was executed together with Shin Don during the reign of King Gongmin). Nephew: Gi Si-gyeong.
Related works
Television drama
Related cultural heritage
Works
- Nabu-jip (懦夫集)
- Beopa-gyeong Eonhae (法華經諺解)
- Myobeop Yeonhwa-gyeong Eonhae (妙法蓮華經諺解)
References
- Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty (Sejo Sillok)
- Daedong Yaseung
Footnotes