PrincessJoseonRoyal FamilyJeonju Yi

Princess Ch'ŏngyŏn

Princess Ch'ŏngyŏn (1754-1821) was a royal princess of the Joseon Dynasty, the eldest daughter of Crown Prince Sado and Lady Hyegyeong, and elder sister to King Jeongjo.

1. Overview

Princess Ch'ŏngyŏn (청연공주Cheong-yeon GongjuKorean; 14 July 1754 - 7 July 1821) was a royal princess of the Joseon Dynasty. She was the eldest daughter of Crown Prince Sado and Lady Hyegyeong, and an elder sister to King Jeongjo. Born as a daughter of the Crown Prince, she was initially known as Commandery Princess Ch'ŏngyŏn (청연군주Cheong-yeon GunjuKorean). After her death, her title was posthumously elevated to "Princess" (공주GongjuKorean) by Emperor Gojong of the Korean Empire as part of a broader re-evaluation of her father's status. Her life spanned a period of significant political upheaval and cultural development in Joseon, particularly influenced by her father's tragic fate and her mother's literary contributions.

2. Life

Princess Ch'ŏngyŏn's life was shaped by her high royal birth and the turbulent political climate surrounding her family. She held the title of Gunju throughout her life, a specific rank for the legitimate daughters of a Crown Prince, and her marriage to a prominent official's son further integrated her into the Joseon aristocratic society.

2.1. Early Life and Family Background

Princess Ch'ŏngyŏn was born on 14 July 1754, in the 30th year of King Yeongjo's reign. Her birth name was Yi, and her bon-gwan was Jeonju. Her parents were Crown Prince Sado and Crown Princess Consort Hye of the Pungsan Hong clan. She was the eldest daughter of the couple, with two elder brothers, Crown Prince Uiso and Jeongjo of Joseon, and one younger sister, Princess Cheongseon. Her eldest brother, Crown Prince Uiso, died in infancy.

Her father, Crown Prince Sado, was the crown prince of Joseon, but he tragically died in 1762, the 38th year of King Yeongjo's reign. He was confined to a rice chest and died after being falsely accused of treason by Na Gyeong-eon. Her mother, Lady Hyegyeong, was the daughter of Hong Bong-han of the Pungsan Hong clan and Lady Yi of the Hansan Yi clan. Lady Hyegyeong later authored the renowned memoir Hanjungrok (한중록HanjungrokKorean), which is highly regarded as a pioneering work of palace literature.

2.2. As Gunju and Marriage

As the legitimate daughter of a Crown Prince, Princess Ch'ŏngyŏn held the title of Gunju (군주GunjuKorean), which was a senior second rank (정2품jeong-i-pumKorean) in the Oemyeongbu (외명부oemyeongbuKorean), the system of titles for royal women outside the immediate palace. This distinguished her from "Princess" (공주GongjuKorean), a title reserved for the legitimate daughters of a reigning king, and Hyeonju (현주HyeonjuKorean), a junior third rank (정3품jeong-sam-pumKorean) for the illegitimate daughters of a crown prince. Throughout her life, she was therefore formally known as Commandery Princess Ch'ŏngyŏn (청연군주Cheong-yeon GunjuKorean).

In 1765, during the 41st year of King Yeongjo's reign, Princess Ch'ŏngyŏn was engaged to Kim Du-Seong (김두성Kim Du-seongKorean) of the Gwangsan Kim clan, the son of Kim Sang-ik (김상익Kim Sang-ikKorean). The engagement took place on the second day of the second lunar month, and their wedding ceremony followed on the eleventh day of the fourth lunar month of the same year. Kim Du-Seong later changed his name to Kim Gi-Seong (김기성Kim Gi-seongKorean). Upon his marriage to the princess, Kim Gi-Seong was enfeoffed with the title of Gwang-eun Buwi (광은부위Gwang-eun BuwiKorean), a junior third rank granted to those who married a crown prince's legitimate daughter. In the spring of 1773, the 49th year of King Yeongjo's reign, Princess Ch'ŏngyŏn, along with her younger sister Princess Cheongseon and Royal Noble Consort Uibin Seong (a concubine of King Jeongjo), participated in copying the popular novel Gwakjangyangmunrok (곽장양문록GwakjangyangmunrokKorean).

2.3. Later Life, Death, and Posthumous Honors

Princess Ch'ŏngyŏn died on 7 July 1821 (the 9th day of the 6th lunar month, 1821) at the age of 68, in the 21st year of King Sunjo's reign. Upon her death, King Sunjo expressed profound grief and ordered that her funeral be conducted with special arrangements by Haejo, a government office responsible for royal ceremonies.

Years later, in 1899, when Emperor Gojong established the Korean Empire, he posthumously elevated her father, Crown Prince Sado, to the status of Emperor Jangjo (장조의황제Jangjo UihwangjeKorean) with the temple name Jangjo, and her mother, Lady Hyegyeong, to Empress Heonkyung (헌경의황후Heonkyung UihwanghuKorean). As a result of these imperial reforms, Princess Ch'ŏngyŏn's title was also posthumously elevated from Gunju to Princess (공주GongjuKorean), becoming Princess Ch'ŏngyŏn (청연공주Cheong-yeon GongjuKorean). Concurrently, her husband, Kim Gi-Seong, was also posthumously honored with the higher title of Prince Consort Gwangeun (광은위Gwangeun WiKorean).

3. Family

Princess Ch'ŏngyŏn's family ties extended deeply into the Joseon royal family and prominent aristocratic clans through her marriage.

3.1. Royal Family (Jeonju Yi clan)

  • Father:** Crown Prince Sado (사도세자Sado SejaKorean; 13 February 1735 - 12 July 1762), posthumously honored as Emperor Jangjo (장조의황제Jangjo UihwangjeKorean)
    • Paternal Grandfather:** King Yeongjo of Joseon (조선 영조Joseon YeongjoKorean; 31 October 1694 - 22 April 1776)
    • Paternal Grandmother:** Royal Noble Consort Yeong of the Jeonui Yi clan (영빈 전의 이씨Yeongbin Jeonui Yi SsiKorean; 15 August 1696 - 23 August 1764)
    • Adoptive Paternal Grandmother:** Queen Jeongseong of the Daegu Seo clan (정성왕후 서씨Jeongseong Wanghu Seo SsiKorean; 12 January 1693 - 3 April 1757)
  • Mother:** Lady Hyegyeong of the Pungsan Hong clan (혜경궁 풍산 홍씨Hyegyeonggung Pungsan Hong SsiKorean; 6 August 1735 - 13 January 1816), posthumously honored as Empress Heonkyung (헌경의황후Heonkyung UihwanghuKorean)
    • Maternal Grandfather:** Hong Bong-han (홍봉한Hong Bong-hanKorean; 1713 - 1778)
    • Maternal Grandmother:** Internal Princess Consort Hansan of the Hansan Yi clan (한산부부인 한산 이씨Hansan Bubuin Hansan Yi SsiKorean; 1713 - 1755)
  • Siblings:**
    • Older Brother: Yi Jeong, Crown Prince Uiso (의소세자 이정Uiso Seja Yi JeongKorean; 27 September 1750 - 17 April 1752)
    • Older Brother: Yi San, King Jeongjo of Joseon (왕세손 이산Wangseson Yi SanKorean; 28 October 1752 - 18 August 1800)
    • Younger Sister: Princess Cheongseon (청선공주Cheongseon GongjuKorean; 1756 - 20 July 1802)

3.2. In-laws (Gwangsan Kim clan)

  • Husband:** Kim Gi-Seong, Prince Consort Gwangeun (김기성 광은위Kim Gi-seong Gwangeun WiKorean; 1752 - 1811)
    • Father-in-law:** Kim Sang-ik (김상익Kim Sang-ikKorean; 1721-1781)
    • Mother-in-law:** Lady Hong (홍씨Hong SsiKorean; 1722-1786)
  • Children:** Princess Ch'ŏngyŏn had two sons and one daughter who reached adulthood, along with five other sons and one daughter who died in early childhood.
    • Son: Kim Jae-chang (김재창Kim Jae-changKorean; 1770-1849)
      • Daughter-in-law: Lady Lee (이씨Yi SsiKorean; 1770-1818)
      • Kim Jae-chang held significant governmental positions, including Ijo Panseo (Minister of Personnel) and Panjungchubusa (Senior Deputy of the Office of the Royal Clan Affairs).
    • Daughter: Lady Kim of the Gwangsan Kim clan (광산 김씨Gwangsan Kim SsiKorean; 1772-1787)
      • Son-in-law: Jo Jae-gyu (조재규Jo Jae-gyuKorean) of the Imcheon Jo clan (임천 조씨Imcheon Jo SsiKorean; 1772-1843)
    • Son: Kim Jae-sam (김재삼Kim Jae-samKorean; 1775-1837)
      • Daughter-in-law: Lady Yi (이씨Yi SsiKorean; 1776-1852)
      • Kim Jae-sam entered officialdom through the eumbo system (a privilege for descendants of meritorious subjects) and served as Euiju Buyun (Governor of Euiju).