Book I 161the National University examination and was promoted in rank to be chief
royal secretary, and in the Kisa year (1389), appointed concurrent examina-
tion administrator (chigonggŏ). Since at that time, Yi Saek was in charge of
state affairs, and his son Chonghak was selected to supervise the civil ser-
vice examination every year, prompting some to criticize them.
When King Kongyang ascended the throne, Yi Saek was impeached, and
his son Chonghak dismissed. In the Kyŏngo year (1390), the conspiracy of
Yun I and Yi Ch’o was discovered, and both father and son [Yi Saek and Yi
Chonghak] were arrested and imprisoned in Ch’ŏngju, but they were par-
doned and released together in the wake of severe floods. In the Imsin year
(1392), Chonghak was exiled to Hamch’ang^170 again.
This time, when Son Hŭngjong^171 came down to Kyerim^172 to harm
Chonghak by punishing him physically, his disciple Kim Yŏji, who passed
the civil service examination when Chonghak served as supervisor of the
examination and served then as local magistrate of the district concerned,
secretly ordered the official in charge not to administer any physical punish-
ment unauthorized by the law. As a result, Chonghak was able to save his
life and was transferred to the district of Changsa,^173 another place of exile
for him. However, Son Hŭngjong sent his man to follow Chonghak and
strangled him at night at Much’on Post Station.^174 His age was thirty-two at
the time of his death. He was survived by six sons: Sugya, Sukhyu, Suktang,
Sungmyo, Sukbok, and Sukch’i.
Hong Su is the eldest son of U Hyŏnbo, Earl of Tanyang. He passed the
licentiate examination in the Chŏngsa year (1377) and was appointed vice
commandant and concurrently erudite of the National University and finally
rose to inspector-general after serving in various posts, including chief royal
secretary, and in the Kisa year (1389), senior secretary of the Security Council.
In the summer of the Imsin year (1392), he was exiled to Sunch’ŏn but
died after being beaten with a heavy paddle on the back by Hwang Kŏjŏng
- Located near Sangju in North Kyŏngsang Province.
- A military official of late Koryŏ and early Chosŏn. Participating in the efforts to
enthrone T’aejo, he became a dynasty-founding merit subject third class. He was notorious for
drowning the members of the royal Wang clan in the sea near Kŏje Island. In 1409, he was
implicated in the treason led by his younger brother Hyojong and exiled to Sinŭn, Hwanghae
Province. At that time, he was also charged with unfairly executing Yi Chonghak and Yi
Sungin and was therefore made a commoner, with all his properties confiscated. - Modern Kyŏngju.
- Located in Kŏch’ang in North Chŏlla Province.
- Located in Kŏch’ang in South Kyŏngsang Province.