Ch'ae Chegong

In this Korean name, the family name is Ch'ae.

Ch'ae Chegong 채제공
Portrait of Ch'ae Chegong who served as Yŏngŭijŏng during the reign of King Jeongjo.
Chief State Councillor
In office July 2, 1793 – July 11, 1793
Preceded by	Kim Ik [ko]
Succeeded by	Hong Naksŏng [ko]
Left State Councillor
In office January 25, 1796 – July 14, 1798
Preceded by	Yu Ŏnho [ko]
Succeeded by	Yi Pyŏngmo [ko]
In office November 14, 1789 – July 2, 1793
Preceded by	Yi Chaehyŏp [ko]
Succeeded by	Kim Chongsu
Right State Councillor
In office February 15, 1795 – January 25, 1796
Preceded by	Yi Pyŏngmo
Succeeded by	Yun Sidong [ko]
In office March 18, 1788 – November 14, 1789
Preceded by	Yi Sŏngwŏn
Succeeded by	Kim Chongsu
Personal details
Born	(1720-05-12)May 12, 1720 Hongju-mok, Chungcheong Province, Joseon
Died	February 22, 1799(1799-02-22) (aged 78) Hanseong-bu, Joseon
Spouse(s)	Lady O of the Dongbok O clan Lady Kwŏn of the Andong Kwŏn clan Unnamed woman
Children	Chae Hongwŏn (adopted son) Chae Honggŭn (son) Chae Hongsin (son)
Parents	Ch'ae Ŭng'il (father) Lady Yi of the Yonan Yi clan (mother)
Korean name
Hangul	채제공
Hanja	蔡濟恭
RR	Chae Jegong
MR	Ch'ae Chegong
Art name
Hangul	번암, 번옹
Hanja	樊巖, 樊翁
RR	Beonam, Beonong
MR	Pŏnam, Pŏnong
Courtesy name
Hangul	백규
Hanja	伯規
RR	Baekgyu
MR	Paekkyu
Posthumous name
Hangul	문숙
Hanja	文肅
RR	Munsuk
MR	Munsuk

Ch'ae Chegong (May 12, 1720 – February 22, 1799^[1]) was a scholar, writer, and politician of the Joseon period of Korea. Ch'ae was the leader of the Southerners (or Namin faction) during the reign of King Jeongjo. He passed the regional civil examination (향시) at the age of 15, the munkwa exam at age 23 in 1743, and held high government offices throughout his life, the Yŏngŭijŏng position (i.e. Chief State Councilor) among them.^[2] He came from the Pyeonggang Ch'ae clan.

Family

• Grandfather
  • Ch'ae Sŏng'yun (채성윤; 蔡成胤; 1659–1733)
• Father
  • Ch'ae Ŭng'il (채응일; 蔡應一; 1686–1765)=
• Mother
  • Lady Yi of the Yonan Yi clan (연안 이씨)
    • Grandfather - Yi Mansŏng (이만성; 李萬成)
• Siblings
  • Older sister - Lady Ch'ae (채씨)
    • Brother-in-law - Sim Chiyŏn (심지연; 沈祉衍)
  • Older sister - Lady Ch'ae (채씨)
    • Brother-in-law - Yi T'aeun (이태운; 李台運)
• Wive(s) and children
  • Lady O of the Dongbok O clan (동복 오씨)
  • Lady Kwŏn of the Andong Kwŏn clan (안동 권씨)
    • Adoptive son - Ch'ae Hongwŏn (채홍원, 蔡弘遠; 1762–1832) – his biological father was one of Ch'ae Chegong's relatives, Chae Mingong (채민공; 蔡敏恭)
  • Unnamed concubine
    • Son - Ch'ae Hong-gŭn (채홍근; 蔡弘謹)
      • Daughter-in-law - Lady Chŏng of the Naju Chŏng clan (나주 정씨; 羅州 丁氏)
    • Son - Ch'ae Hong-sin (채홍신; 蔡弘愼)

Gallery

• 
  Portrait of Ch'ae Chegong in Geumgwanjobok” painted by Yi Myŏnggi in 1792.
• 
  Portrait of Ch'ae Chegong in black danryeongpo” painted by Yi Myŏnggi in 1792.
• 
  Portrait of Ch'ae Chegong painted by Myŏnggi in 1789.

In popular culture

• Portrayed by Park Woong in the 2007 CGV TV series Eight Days, Assassination Attempts against King Jeongjo.
• Portrayed by Han In-soo in the 2007–2008 MBC TV series Lee San, Wind of the Palace.
• Portrayed by Kim Ik-tae in the 2010 KBS2 TV series Sungkyunkwan Scandal

References

1. In the Korean calendar (lunar), he was born on the sixth day of the fourth lunar month (1720) and died on the 18th day of the first lunar month (1799).
2. Jae-eun Kang 2006, p. 387.

Sources

• The National Folk Museum of Korea (2014). Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Literature: Encyclopedia of Korean Folklore and Traditional Culture. Vol. III. 길잡이미디어. ISBN 978-89-289-0084-8.
• Lee E Wha (2006). Korea's Pastimes and Customs: A Social History. Homa & Sekey Books. ISBN 978-1-931907-38-5.
• Jae-eun Kang (2006). The Land of Scholars: Two Thousand Years of Korean Confucianism. Homa & Sekey Books. ISBN 978-1-931907-37-8.