Paul Chong Hasang

Paul Chong Hasang (1794 or 1795–September 22, 1839) was one of the Korean Martyrs. His feast day is September 22, and he is also venerated along with the rest of the 103 Korean martyrs on September 20.

Life and career

He was the son of the martyr Augustine Jeong Yak-Jong and a nephew of noted philosopher John Jeong Yak-Yong, who were among the first converts of Korea, who wrote the first catechism for the Catholic Church in Korea (entitled "Jugyo Yoji").

When Yakjong was martyred with Hasang's older brother, Yakjong's wife and the remaining children were spared and went into a rural place. Hasang was seven years old then.

When he grew up, Hasang chose to become a servant of a government interpreter; this enabled him to travel to Beijing multiple times, where he entreated the bishop of Beijing to send priests to Korea, and wrote to Pope Gregory XVI via the bishop of Beijing requesting the establishment of a diocese in Korea. This happened in 1825.

Some years later, Bishop Laurent-Marie-Joseph Imbert and two priests were sent. The bishop found Hasang to be talented, zealous, and virtuous; he taught him Latin and theology, and was about to ordain him when a persecution broke out. Hasang was captured and gave the judge a written statement defending Catholicism. The judge, after reading it, said, "You are right in what you have written; but the king forbids this religion, it is your duty to renounce it." Hasang replied, "I have told you that I am a Christian, and will be one until my death."

After this, Hasang went through a series of tortures in which his countenance remained tranquil. Finally, he was bound to a cross on a cart and cheerfully met his death, at the age of 45.

The Korean Martyrs are commemorated by the Roman Catholic Church with a memorial on 20 September. 103 of them, including Hasang, were canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1984.

Family

*Father: Jeong Jae-won (정재원, 丁載遠; 1730–1792)
**Grandfather: Jeong Ji-hae (정지해, 丁志諧; 1712–1756)
**Grandmother: Lady Hong of the Pungsan Hong clan (풍산 홍씨; 1712–1753) – daughter of Hong Gil-bo (홍길보, 洪吉輔).
***Uncle: Jeong Jae-un (정재운, 丁載運); became the adopted son of his uncle, Jeong Ji-yeol (정지열, 丁志說).
***Uncle: Jeong Jae-jin (정재진, 丁載進)
*Mother:
**Biological: Yun So-on, Lady Yun of the Haenam Yun clan (윤소온, 尹小溫, 해남 윤씨; 1728–1770); daughter of Yun Deok-ryeol (윤덕렬, 尹德烈).
***Older brother: Jeong Yak-jeon (정약전, 丁若銓; 1758–1816)
****Sister-in-law: Lady Kim of the Pungsan Kim clan (풍산 김씨); daughter of Kim Seo-gu (김서구, 金敍九)
*****Nephew: Jeong Hak-cho (정학초, 丁學樵; 1791–1807)
*****Nephew: Jeong Hak-mu (정학무, 丁學武)
******Grandnephew: Jeong Dae-bin (정대빈, 丁大彬)
*****Nephew: Jeong Hak-seung (정학승, 丁學乘); became the adopted son of his uncle, Jeong Yak-hwang (정약황).
***Younger brother: Jeong Yak-yong (정약용, 丁若鏞; 1762–1836)
****Sister-in-law: Lady Hong of the Pungsan Hong clan (풍산 홍씨; 1761–1839)
*****Nephew: Jeong Hak-yeon (정학연, 丁學淵; 1783–1859)
******Grandnephew: Jeong Dae-rim (정대림, 丁大林; 1807–1895)
******Grandniece: Lady Jeong (정씨); married Kim Hyeong-muk (김형묵, 金亨默) of the Cheongpung Kim clan.
*****Nephew: Jeong Hak-yu (정학유, 丁學游; 1786–1855)
******Niece-in-law: Lady Sim of the Cheongsong Sim clan (청송 심씨); daughter of Sim Oh (심오, 沈澳)
*******Grandnephew: Jeong Dae-mu (정대무, 丁大懋; b. 1824); married Lady Sim of the Cheongsong Sim clan (청송 심씨), the daughter of Sim Dong-ryang (심동량, 沈東亮).
*******Grandnephew: Jeong Dae-beon (정대번, 丁大樊; b. 1833)
*******Grandnephew: Jeong Dae-cho (정대초, 丁大楚; 1835–1904)
*******Grandniece: Lady Jeong (정씨); married Im U-sang (임우상, 任祐常) of the Pungcheon Im clan.
*******Grandniece: Lady Jeong (정씨); married Gang Eun-ju (강은주, 姜恩周) of the Haenam Gang clan.
*****Niece: Lady Jeong (정씨; b. 1793)
******Nephew-in-law: Yun Chang-mo (윤창모, 尹昌模; 1795–1856); the son of Yun Seo-yu (윤서유, 尹書有); they married in 1812.
***Older sister: Lady Jeong (정씨)
****Brother-in-law: Yi Seung-hun (이승훈, 李承薰) of the Pyeongchang Yi clan
***Older sister: Lady Jeong (부인 정씨)
****Brother-in-law: Chae Hong-geun (채홍근, 蔡弘謹) of the Pyeonggang Chae clan
***Older sister: Lady Jeong (부인 정씨)
****Brother-in-law: Yi Jung-sik (이중식, 李重植) of the Yeonan Yi clan
**Adoptive: Lady Nam of the Uiryeong Nam clan (의령 남씨 ; 1729–1752); daughter of Nam Ha-deok (남하덕, 南夏德).
***Older half-brother: Jeong Yak-hyeon (정약현, 丁若鉉; 1751–1821)
***Sister-in-law: Lady Yi (이씨); older sister of Yi Byeok (이벽, 李檗).
**Adoptive: Lady Kim (김씨; 1754–1813)After Jeong Yak-yong's biological mother, Lady Yun, died, Lady Kim became the adoptive mother and raised Jeong and the rest of his siblings.
***Younger half-brother: Jeong Yak-hoing (정약횡, 丁若鐄; 1785–1829)
*Wives and their children:
**Lady Choi of the Gyeongju Choi clan (경주 최씨)
***Daughter: Lady Jeong (정씨)
****Son-in-law: Bae Yun-mun (배윤문, 裵允文) of the Dalseong Bae clan.
**Lady Yi of the Hansan Yi clan (한산 이씨); daughter of Yi Su-jeong (이수정, 李秀廷).
***Son: Jeong Cheol-sang (정철상, 丁哲祥; d. 1801) – baptised name "Garollo" (가롤로).
**Lady Yu So-sa (유소사, 柳召史; d. 1839) – baptised name "Cecillia" (체칠리아).
***Son: Jeong Ha-sang (정하상, 丁夏祥; d. 1839) – baptised name "Paolo" (바오로).
***Daughter: Lady Jeong Jeong-hye (정정혜, 丁情惠; d. 1839) – baptised name "Ellisabeth" (엘리샤벳).

References

Bibliography

''The Lives of the 103 Korean Martyr Saints (4): St. Chong Ha-sang Paul (1795-1839)''
Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea Newsletter No. 29 (Winter 1999).

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chong, Hasang Paul
1794 births
1839 deaths
Korean Roman Catholic saints
19th-century Christian saints
Canonizations by Pope John Paul II
Joseon Christians