Min Yeong-chan

Min Yeong-chan
	Min Yeong-chan, ca. 1900
Korean name
Hangul	민영찬
Hanja	閔泳瓚
Revised Romanization	Min Yeongchan
McCune–Reischauer	Min Yŏngch'an
Courtesy name
Hangul	국보
Hanja	國寶
Revised Romanization	Gukbo
McCune–Reischauer	Kukpo

Min Yeong-chan (3 December 1873 – 16 November 1950), was scion of the powerful Min clan of the late Joseon period in Korea. Along with his elder brother Min Yeong-hwan, Yeong-chan served in a number of official positions towards the end of the Joseon dynasty. In 1900, he served as a Korean commissioner to the Paris Universal Exposition.^[1]

Early life and education

Min Yeong-chan was born on 3 December 1873 into the Yeoheung Min clan to Min Gyeom-ho and Lady Seo. He was the younger brother of Min Yeong-hwan.^[2] The Min clan rose to great prominence and power with its royal alliance. As such, Min Yeong-chan received the best education studying alongside the future Emperor Sunjong.

For the Independence Club, Min was a favored politician. When he was appointed as the Vice Minister of Education, Tongnip Sinmun assessed him as a helpful official with valuable experiences abroad.^[3]

Career

In 1889, Min passed the national civil service exam and was then named to an official position in the Hongmungwan (홍문관, 弘文館), of Office of Special Advisors. In 1897, he was named vice-president of the Hanseong Bank Corporation. In 1900, Min served as royal commissioner to the Paris Universal Exposition.

He was promoted to Major General on 16 July 1904.^[4]

In April to May of 1910, Min visited Japan for 20 days.^[2]

Family

Father
- Min Gyeom-ho (민겸호, 閔謙鎬; 1838 - 10 June 1882)
  - Aunt - Grand Internal Princess Consort Sunmok of the Yeoheung Min clan (순목대원비) (3 February 1818 - 8 January 1898)
    - Uncle - Grand Internal Prince Heungseon (흥선대원군) (24 January 1820 - 22 February 1898)
      - Cousin - Yi Jae-myeon, Prince Imperial Heung (흥친왕 이재면, 興親王李載冕) (22 August 1845 - 9 September 1912)
      - Cousin - Emperor Gojong of Korea (대한제국 고종) (8 September 1852 - 21 January 1919)
Mother
- Lady Seo of the Dalseong Seo clan (정경부인 달성 서씨; 徐氏; 1837–1885)
Sibling(s)
- Older brother - Min Yeong-hwan (민영환, 閔泳煥; 7 August 1861 - 30 November 1905)
- Younger sister - Lady Min (민씨; 1876 - ?)
Wives and issue(s):
- Lady Kang of the Geumcheon Kang clan (금천 강씨, 衿川姜氏);^[5] from Korea
  - Son - Min Jun-sik (민준식; 1893–1933)
    - Daughter-in-law - Lady Yun (윤씨; 1892 - 1947)
      - Adoptive Grandson - Min Byeong-ik (민병익; 1917 - ?); son of Min Hong-sik
  - Son - Min Hong-sik (민홍식, 閔弘植; 1895–1956)
    - Daughter-in-law - Lady Hwang of the Changwon Hwang clan (창원 황씨, 昌原黃氏; 5 December 1894 – 22 May 1914); Min Hong-sik's first wife
    - Daughter-in-law - Lady Yi (이씨) (1897 - ?)
      - Grandson - Min Byeong-ik (민병익) (1917 - ?)
      - Granddaughter - Lady Min (민씨) (1920 - ?)
  - Daughter - Lady Min (민씨; 1901 - ?)^[6]^[7]
    - Son-in-law - Seo Jeong-ik (서정식; 1901–?)
      - Granddaughter - Lady Seo (서씨)
- Lady Meiri of the Hu clan (후메이리, 胡美梨); from China

References

^ "민영찬" [Min Yeong-chan]. terms.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-05-24.
^ ^a ^b "민영찬(閔泳瓚)". Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
^ Seo, Jaepil (26 December 1896). "새로  학부 협판 민영찬씨 이왕에 미국 가셔 공부도,새로 한 학부 협판 민영찬씨는 이왕에 미국 가서 공부도".
^ "한국고전종합DB". db.itkc.or.kr. Retrieved 2022-04-23.
^ In the jokbo records, it states that Lady Yi (이씨; 1872-1951) is the wife instead of Lady Kang.
^ A painting known as Min Yeong-chan's daughter, whose name is unknown, was done by Elizabeth Keith, a Scottish artist. It survived the turbulent eras of Korea in which the family now preserves it and is known as 〈The Min Family's Sister〉 (1938) (〈민씨가의 규수〉 (1938))
^ Yi, Chung-ryeol (2006-10-14). "신부 행렬 쫓다가 물에 빠진 화가 '기덕'". OhmyNews (오마이뉴스) (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-07-19. Keith wrote in <Old Korea> that the woman's father was "a relative of Empress Myeongseong, who was assassinated by Japan, and was the first and last person to be dispatched as a diplomat to France."…Therefore, the main muse in the painting is the niece of Empress Myeongseong and the niece of Min Chung-Jeong. Keith later recalled that she met this woman again when she was married and had one daughter, and she was glad that she had found a good husband. The Yeoheung Min clan's genealogy also states that Min Yeong-chan had a daughter and her husband was Seo Jeong-sik. However, the woman's name was not recorded in the genealogy, so the real name of the woman in the painting could not be confirmed." (Korean: "키스는 <옛 한국>에서 이 여인의 아버지가 "일본에 의해 시해된 명성황후의 친척으로, 프랑스에 외교관으로 파견되었던 최초이자 마지막 인물"이라고 기록했습니다... 따라서 그림 속의 주인공은 명성황후의 조카딸이자 민충정공의 조카입니다. 키스는 훗날 이 여인이 결혼해서 딸이 한 명 있을 때 다시 만났는데, 좋은 남편을 만난 것 같아 기뻤다고 회상했습니다. 여흥 민씨 족보에도 민영찬에게 딸이 한 명 있었고, 남편이 서정식이라고 나와있습니다. 그런데 여자의 이름은 족보에 기록되지 않아 그림 속 여인의 본명은 확인이 안 되었습니다.")

External links

Min Yeong-chan on Encykorea (in Korean).

[1] "민영찬" [Min Yeong-chan]. terms.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-05-24.

[:0-2] "민영찬(閔泳瓚)". Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. Retrieved 2023-01-23.

[3] Seo, Jaepil (26 December 1896). "새로  학부 협판 민영찬씨 이왕에 미국 가셔 공부도,새로 한 학부 협판 민영찬씨는 이왕에 미국 가서 공부도".

[4] "한국고전종합DB". db.itkc.or.kr. Retrieved 2022-04-23.

[5] In the jokbo records, it states that Lady Yi (이씨; 1872-1951) is the wife instead of Lady Kang.

[6] A painting known as Min Yeong-chan's daughter, whose name is unknown, was done by Elizabeth Keith, a Scottish artist. It survived the turbulent eras of Korea in which the family now preserves it and is known as 〈The Min Family's Sister〉 (1938) (〈민씨가의 규수〉 (1938))

[7] Yi, Chung-ryeol (2006-10-14). "신부 행렬 쫓다가 물에 빠진 화가 '기덕'". OhmyNews (오마이뉴스) (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-07-19. Keith wrote in <Old Korea> that the woman's father was "a relative of Empress Myeongseong, who was assassinated by Japan, and was the first and last person to be dispatched as a diplomat to France."…Therefore, the main muse in the painting is the niece of Empress Myeongseong and the niece of Min Chung-Jeong. Keith later recalled that she met this woman again when she was married and had one daughter, and she was glad that she had found a good husband. The Yeoheung Min clan's genealogy also states that Min Yeong-chan had a daughter and her husband was Seo Jeong-sik. However, the woman's name was not recorded in the genealogy, so the real name of the woman in the painting could not be confirmed." (Korean: "키스는 <옛 한국>에서 이 여인의 아버지가 "일본에 의해 시해된 명성황후의 친척으로, 프랑스에 외교관으로 파견되었던 최초이자 마지막 인물"이라고 기록했습니다... 따라서 그림 속의 주인공은 명성황후의 조카딸이자 민충정공의 조카입니다. 키스는 훗날 이 여인이 결혼해서 딸이 한 명 있을 때 다시 만났는데, 좋은 남편을 만난 것 같아 기뻤다고 회상했습니다. 여흥 민씨 족보에도 민영찬에게 딸이 한 명 있었고, 남편이 서정식이라고 나와있습니다. 그런데 여자의 이름은 족보에 기록되지 않아 그림 속 여인의 본명은 확인이 안 되었습니다.")

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