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Deposed Crown Princess Bong

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In this Korean name, the family name is Bong.
Sun-bin Bong
순빈 봉씨
Crown Princess of Joseon
Tenure1429–1436
PredecessorCrown Princess Hwi
SuccessorCrown Princess Gwon
Born1414
Joseon
Diedafter 1454
SpouseMunjong of Joseon
ClanHaeum Bong clan (by birth)
Jeonju Yi clan (by marriage)
DynastyHouse of Yi (by marriage)
FatherBong Ryeo

Crown Princess Sun of the Haeum Bong clan (Korean: 순빈 봉씨; Hanja: 純嬪 奉氏; 1414–after 1454) was the second wife of Munjong of Joseon. Before her husband's accession to the throne, she was banished after it was discovered that she was sleeping with one of her handmaids.[1]

Biography

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Lady Bong became the Crown Princess Sun (Hanja: 純嬪; 순빈) in 1429, a few months after her predecessor, Crown Princess Hwi, was thrown out of the palace for witchcraft.[2]

Apparently, Crown Prince Yi Hyang did not favor her, which made her incredibly angry.[1] She reportedly took her husband's clothing and female clothing from the palace to send to her natal home, which breached etiquette.[1]

When Consort Gwon became pregnant, Crown Princess Sun apparently complained to the palace women that she would be dismissed in favor of Lady Gwon, and she frequently cried. Her complaints became known throughout the palace and King Sejong scolded her that she should be happy that another concubine was pregnant when she was not.[1] Sejong also scolded the Crown Prince that his concubine was pregnant but his official wife had no children, after which he spent more time with her.

Later, Crown Princess Sun reportedly became pregnant, but miscarried and buried the remains. However, when servants were sent to retrieve the child's remains, they found only empty burial clothes.[1]

Demotion

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The court records of 1436 note that Crown Princess Sun apparently also sent surplus food from palace meals to her natal home, spied on people outside of her palace through a gap in the wall of the servants' toilet, and received a visit from her aunt's husband after her father's death without notifying the Crown Prince, which, they said, showed a lack of regard for the general good.[1]

She was also accused of being over intimate with So-ssang (소쌍), one of her maids and a member of the slave class. The two were described as inseparable and So-ssang reportedly slept with her mistress. When Crown Prince Hyang questioned why her maid slept with her, the consort responded that she loved him, but he didn't love her. So-ssang later told the court how the Crown Princess had invited her to lie down with her, whilst the other maids slept outside. Though So-ssang initially declined, the consort insisted, and So-ssang eventually undressed and went behind the screen where her mistress took off her remaining clothes and forced her to lie next to her 'as if with a man'.[3] Crown Princess Sun then told the court that she was intimate with So-ssang night and day, as well as with another servant called Dan-ji (단지), because it solved the fact that she slept alone.[1]

Upon hearing that his daughter-in-law had been intimate with a member of the nobi class, King Sejong consulted with various officials on demoting another of the Crown Prince's wives. The officials supported the motion to depose her, and Crown Princess Sun was demoted to commoner and banished. The decree for her dismissal, however, excluded any mention of her sleeping with her maid and focused instead on her sending palace supplies to her natal home and receiving visitors without her husband's knowledge.[1]

Crown Princess Bong was banished from Joseon after 1454, and no further records of her life exist. Sso-ssang and Dan-ji were executed.[4]

Family

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  • Grandfather
    • Bong Yu-rye (봉유례; 奉由禮; 1354–1419)
  • Grandmother, name unknown (1347–?)
  • Father
    • Bong Ryeo (봉려; 奉礪; 1375–1436)
      • Uncle - Bong Jeup (봉즙; 奉楫; 1378–1439)
        • Aunt, name unknown (1395–?)
          • Cousin - Bong Yeo-hae (봉여해; 奉汝諧; 1419–1436)
            • Cousin-in-law - Lady Park of the Suncheon Park clan (순천 박씨; 順天 朴氏; 1430 - ?)[5]
      • Uncle - Bong Rim (봉림; 奉霖; 1381–?)
        • Aunt, name unknown (1384–?)
          • Cousin - Lady Bong of the Haeum Bong clan (하음 봉씨; 河陰 奉氏; 1411–1480)
          • Cousin - Bong Geuk-geom (봉극검; 奉極儉; 1420–?)
  • Mother, name unknown (1375–?)
  • Siblings
    • Younger brother – Bong Geuk-hwa (봉극화; 奉克和; 1420–?)
      • Sister-in-law, name unknown (1413–?)
        • Niece - Lady Bong of the Haeum Bong clan (하음 봉씨; 河陰 奉氏; 1440–?)
          • Nephew-in-law - Yi Jin, Prince Buwon (이진 부원군; 1440–?)[6]
            • Grandniece - Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (전주 이씨; 1458–?)
            • Grandnephew - Yi Gye-nam, Prince Gusan (이계남 구산군; 1461–?)
            • Grandniece - Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (전주 이씨; 1464–?)
            • Grandniece - Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (전주 이씨; 1467–?)
    • Younger brother – Bong Guk-yu (봉극유; 奉克柔)
  • Husband
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References

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Sejong Sillok, vol.75
  2. ^ Veritable Records of Sejong, volume 46.
  3. ^ 嬪盡奪餘衣, 强使入臥相戲, 有如男子交合狀。
  4. ^ Müller, Aleksandra (30 December 2022). "From King Hyegong to Suh Dongjin: the evolution of LGBT and homosexual rights in the Korean community, according to historiographical texts". International Journal of Korean Humanities and Social Sciences. 8: 127. doi:10.14746/kr.2022.08.06. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  5. ^ She was the youngest sister of Park Paeng-nyeon.
  6. ^ He was the grandson of Grand Prince Yangnyeong thru his second son, Yi Po, Prince Hamyang.

Works cited

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