Jeong Je-du Tomb

This is the tomb of Jeong Je-du (1649-1736), a late Joseon scholar and the founding figure of Ganghwa Learning. His ancestral seat was Yeongil, his courtesy name was Sa-ang, his pen name was Hagok, and his posthumous title was Mun-gang. A descendant of Jeong Mong-ju, he was the grandson of State Councillor Yu-seong, the son of Sangjing, who held the jinsa degree, and the son of a mother of the Hansan Yi clan, daughter of Gijo, who served as Minister of Taxation. He was born in Hanyang in 1649, the first year of King Hyojong. In 1668, the ninth year of King Hyeonjong, he passed the preliminary examination of the special civil service examination (byeolsi mungwa). In 1680, the sixth year of King Sukjong, he was appointed Byeolje of the Saposeo (Office of Orchards and Gardens) on the recommendation of Chief State Councillor Kim Su-hang, but resigned; in 1684 he briefly served as Jwarang of the Ministry of Works before resigning again. Renowned for his scholarship and virtuous conduct, he was recommended for key posts by senior officials more than thirty times. Under King Sukjong he briefly held office as Jubu, Deputy Minister of Taxation, Magistrate of Hoeyang, and Mayor of Hanseongbu; under King Gyeongjong as Inspector-General and Deputy Minister of Personnel; and under King Yeongjo as Right State Councillor and Tutor-Protector of the Crown Prince. He declined almost all other appointments, however, and devoted himself chiefly to scholarly research. At the age of sixty-one he moved to live in Hagok Village, Hail-ri, Yangdo-myeon, Ganghwa County, where the graves of his ancestors lay. His son Hu-il, together with disciples including Yi Gwang-myeong, Sin Dae-u, Sim Yuk, Yun Sun and Yi Gwang-sa, carried on his scholarship as his students. As a family tradition of learning within the Soron faction to which he belonged, it developed into a school of thought carried on centred on Ganghwado Island, which came to be called the Ganghwa School. Centred on Yangming studies, the Ganghwa School's line of scholarship began with Jeong Je-du and passed, via Yi Geon-chang and Yi Geon-seung at the end of the Joseon period, down to Bak Eun-sik and Jeong In-bo. The tomb site lies in Hail-ri, Yangdo-myeon, Ganghwa County, immediately beside the road at 62-5-gil. It occupies a gently sloping area with no saseong (side ridges flanking the mound), only a long yongmi ("dragon's tail" ridge) running down the slope, in front of which stands a round burial mound. Before the mound are a spirit-repose stone, an offering table and an incense-burner stone. On the lower terrace to left and right stand a pair of plain stone guide-posts (mangjuseok) banded twice near the top, and stone civil-official figures (munin-seok) wearing ceremonial court robes and horsehair caps (yanggwan). The tombstone bears text composed by Sin Dae-u and calligraphy written by Seo Yeong-bo.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Ganghwa, Incheon

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물