Jump to content

Empress Sunjeonghyo: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Sissel111 (talk | contribs)
619 edits
No edit summary
Formatting for Korea-related articles, replaced: ’ → ' (9), (윤택영, 尹澤榮) → ({{Korean|hangul=윤택영|hanja=尹澤榮|labels=no}}) (7), (유릉) → ({{Korean|hangul=유릉|labels=no}}) (2), [[Jos
 
(235 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Last empress of Korea (1894–1966)}}
[[Image:Sunjeong1.jpg|right|frame|Empress Sunjeong who was most beautiful woman at 16]]
{{redirect|Empress Sunjeong|the same name during the [[Goryeo|Goryeo Dynasty]]|Queen Sunjeong}}
{{more citations needed|date=April 2008}}
{{Infobox royalty
| consort = yes
| name = Empress Sunjeonghyo
| title =
| image = Empress Sunjeong, 1909.jpg
| caption = Empress Sunjeonghyo, ca. 1909
| house-type = Clan
| father = Yun Taek-yeong
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Sunjong of Korea]]|1907|1926|reason=d}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1894|9|7|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Munho-ri, Seojong-myeon, [[Yangpyeong County]], [[Gyeonggi Province]], [[Joseon]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1966|2|3|1894|9|7|df=yes}}
| death_place = Nakseon Hall, [[Changdeokgung]], [[Jongno District]], [[Seoul]], South Korea
| place of burial = [[Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty|Yuneung]]
| house = [[Haepyeong Yun clan]] (by birth)<br/ >[[Jeonju Yi clan]] (by marriage)
| mother = Internal Princess Consort Gyeongheung of the Gigye Yu clan
| posthumous name = 헌의자인순정효황후
獻懿慈仁純貞孝皇后
| religion = [[Korean Buddhism]]
| succession = Empress consort of [[Korean Empire|Korea]]
| predecessor = [[Empress Myeongseong]]
| successor = Title and dynasty abolished
| reign = 23 July 1907 – 29 August 1910
| succession1 = Crown Princess of [[Korean Empire|Korea]]
| reign1 = 24 January 1907 – 23 July 1907
| successor1 = [[Yi Bangja|Crown Princess Euimin]]
| dynasty = [[House of Yi]]
| predecessor1 = [[Empress Sunmyeong|Crown Princess Min]]
}}
{{Infobox Korean name
|hangul=순정효황후
|hanja={{linktext|純|貞|孝|皇|后}}
|rr=Sunjeonghyo Hwanghu
|mr=Sunjŏnghyo Hwanghu
|hangulborn=윤증순|rrborn=Yun Jeungsun|mrborn=Yun Chŭngsun|hanjaborn=尹曾順|title=Korean name}}
[[file:Queen Yun about 1930.jpg|thumb|36-year-old Empress Sunjeonghyo in 1930]]
'''Empress Sunjeonghyo'''{{Efn|Also literally known as "'''Sunjeong, the Filial Piety Empress'''".}} ({{Korean|hangul=순정효황후}}; 7 September 1894 &ndash; 3 February 1966),{{efn|In the [[Korean calendar]] ([[lunisolar calendar|lunisolar]]), the empress was born on 20 August 1894}} was the second wife of [[Sunjong of Korea]], and was also the first (and last) Empress consort of [[Korean Empire|Korea]].


==Biography==
''[[Her Imperial Majesty]]'' '''Empress Sunjeong''' (&#32020;&#35998;&#23389;&#30343;&#21518; &#49692;&#51221;&#54952;&#54889;&#54980; ''sun jeong hyo hwang hu'') '''of Korea''' (born [[20 August]] [[1894]] - [[3 February]] [[1966]]) was the consort of [[Emperor Yunghui]] (born [[25 March]] [[1874]] - [[24 April]] [[1926]]), the last emperor of [[Korea]].
===Early life===
Sunjeonghyo was born Yun Jeung-sun ({{Korean|hangul=윤증순|hanja=尹曾順|labels=no}}) on 19 September 1894 in [[Seoul]]. She was born to Lady Yu of the {{Ill|Gigye Yu clan|ko|기계 유씨}} and Yun Taek-yeong, a member of the [[Haepyeong Yun clan]] and an official of Joseon''.''<ref>{{Cite web |script-title=ko:순정황후 윤씨, 50여년 영욕의 현대사를 지켜보다 |url=https://www.nongmin.com/nature/NAT/ETC/322575/view |access-date=2022-06-14 |website=www.nongmin.com |language=ko}}</ref>


Her paternal grandmother, Lady Hong, was a 5th great-granddaughter of [[Princess Jeongmyeong]], daughter of [[Seonjo of Joseon]] and [[Queen Inmok]]. Lady Hong was also a third cousin twice removed of [[Lady Hyegyŏng]].<ref name="cm">{{cite web |script-title=ko:풍산홍씨대동보 (豊山洪氏大同譜) |url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSS5-GS1J-5?i=333&cat=1334480 |website=[[FamilySearch]] |accessdate=2021-02-04}}</ref>
She was born on [[20 August]] [[1894]] in [[Seoul]], the daughter of [[Marquis]] Yun Taek-yeong by his wife. She married Crown Prince Cheok to lose his first wife, Crown Princess Cheok known posthumously as [[Empress Sunmyeong]] (&#32020;&#26126;&#23389;&#30343;&#21518; &#49692;&#47749;&#54952;&#54889;&#54980; ''sun myeong hyo hwang hu'') and she became the '''Crown Princess''' on 1906. On [[20 July]] [[1907]], She became '''Empress of Korea''' (&#30343;&#21518; &#54889;&#54980; ''hwang hu'') as soon as her husband succeeded to the throne upon abdication of his father, [[Emperor Gwangmu]]. But she demoted by the Japanese government on the annexation of Korea under complusion and thereafter known as '''Her Majesty Queen Yi of Korea''' (&#63969;&#29579;&#22915; &#51060;&#50773;&#48708; ''i wang bi'') (''ignored in Korea properly'') on [[1910]]. On [[24 April]] [[1926]], Emperor Yunghui died without issue at [[Changduk Palace]], Seoul. After she lived in Nakseon Hall, Changduk Palace, Seoul and her husband's younger brother, Prince Eun who was living in Japan succeeded the throne formally.
[[Image:The imperial family.jpg|left|thumb|The members of Imperial Family in 1960s]]
On [[1950]], She kept the Changduk Palace not to take the refuge though the [[Korean War]] took place. While the war, the soldiers of [[North Korea]] invaded the palace but she reproved them and drove out all. But she escaped secretly to the [[Unhyun Palace]] than the war situation came to be serious and the situation got to be gradually disadvantageous, she went to [[Busan]] with imperial family including Princess Hui of Korea (&#33288;&#35242;&#29579;&#22915; &#55141;&#52828;&#50773;&#48708; ''heung chin wang bi'').


Through adoptions within the Haepyeong Yun clan, she was a 13th great-granddaughter (or 13th great-grandniece, biologically) of [[Yun Du-su]]; as well as [[Yun Posun]], the 2nd [[President of South Korea]], was her ninth cousin three times removed.<ref name="hp1983">{{cite web |script-title=ko:해평윤씨 대동보 (海平尹氏大同譜) |url=https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1352674 |website=FamilySearch |accessdate=2020-07-18 |archive-date=2021-07-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210701045004/https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1352674 }}</ref> On her mother's side, Yun's maternal grandfather, Yu Jin-hak, was a maternal adoptive nephew of [[Queen Sinjeong]]; thus making her the adoptive great-grandniece of the late Queen.<ref>{{cite web |script-title=ko:기계유씨족보 杞溪兪氏族譜，第六編 | website=[[FamilySearch]] |url=https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007458011?cat=2449768 |accessdate=2020-07-19}} (Vol. 15·慈山公派; page 224, 227-228)</ref>
After the war, she could not enter the Changduk Palace to interference of President [[Rhee Syng-man]] who was jealous the populatiry of the imperial house accordingly she lived in Su-in Hall, a narrow and unsuitable cottage in Jeongneung, [[Seoul]]. On [[1961]], she could return the Nakseon Hall, Changduk Palace with Park Chang-bok (&#48149;&#52285;&#48373; ''bak chang bok'') (d.1981), Kim Myung-gil (&#44608;&#47749;&#44600; ''gim myeong gil'') (d.1983) and Sung Ok-yeom (&#49457;&#50725;&#50684; ''seong ok yeom'') (d.2001), her dutiful ladies-in-wating and 5 other staffs as soon as his flop administration ended.


Her younger sister eventually married [[Yu Kil-chun|Yu Gil-jun]]'s eldest son, Yu Eok-gyeom.
She became a [[buddhist]] in her later years. She died without issue on [[3 February]] [[1966]], aged 72, at Nakseon Hall, Changduk Palace, Seoul from [[heart attack]]. Her funeral was held as a [[state funeral]] but private funeral was held as Buddhistic funeral. She buried beside her husband, Emperor Yunghui at the [[Yureung]]. She known posthoumously as Empress Sunjeong of Korea (officially, Empress Sunjeong-hyo)


===Marriage and life in the palace===
== Titles ==
To how Lady Yun was chosen to be the next wife of crown prince was from the help of Imperial Consort Sunheon.<ref>{{Cite web |script-title=ko:순정효황후(純貞孝皇后)|url=http://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Contents/Item/E0031942 |access-date=2022-06-14 |website=[[Encyclopedia of Korean Culture]]}}</ref>


Prior to the marriage, the [[Imo Incident]] of 1882 had forced [[Empress Myeongseong]] to flee from the palace, which brought Eom to demonstrate extreme loyalty to Gojong. The imperial consort, known at the time was Court Lady Eom, and the king became close during that time until Queen Min returned to the palace.
* [[Her Excellency]] the [[Lady]] Yun of Haepyung ([[1894]]-[[1906]])
* [[Her Imperial Highness]] the [[Crown Princess]] Cheok (1906-[[1907]])
* [[Her Imperial Majesty]] the [[Empress]] (1907-[[1926]])
** ''[[Her Majesty]] the [[Queen]] Yi'' ([[1910]]-1926)
** ''Her Majesty the [[Queen Dowager]] Yi'' ([[1926]]-[[1945]])
* Her Imperial Majesty the [[Empress Dowager]] (1926-[[1966]])


In 1885, the Queen consort expelled Eom from the palace when she discovered Eom wearing Gojong's clothing ({{Transliteration|ko|seung-eun}}) at the age of 32. Her expulsion stripped her of her position and title, but a high-ranking official, Yun Yong-seon, Lady Yun's grandfather, purportedly interceded on her behalf with Gojong, and she was forgiven. Eom never forgot the grace of Yun Yong-seon.
[[Category:1894 births|Empress Sunjeong of Korea]]

[[Category:1966 deaths|Empress Sunjeong of Korea]]
Because the seat was vacant, Imperial Consort Sunheon recommended the adoptive great-granddaughter of Yun after Crown Prince Yi Cheok's first wife, [[Empress Sunmyeonghyo|Crown Princess Consort Min]], died on 5 November 1904.
[[Category:Korean royalty]]

[[Category:Korean monarchy]]
Yun Jeung-sun married the 32-year-old Crown Prince Cheok on 24 January 1907 at the age of 13. When she became Crown Princess Consort, her mother was given the royal title of "Internal Princess Consort Gyeongheung of the Gigye Yun clan" ({{Korean|hangul=경흥부부인 기계 유씨|hanja=慶興府夫人 杞溪 兪氏|labels=no}}) while her father was given the royal title of "Internal Prince Haepung Yun Taek-yeong" ({{Korean|hangul=해풍부원군 윤택영|hanja=海豊府院君 尹澤榮|labels=no}}).
[[Category:Yi Dynasty]]

On 20 July 1907, she became Empress Consort of Korea when her husband ascended the throne after the forced abdication of his father, [[Gojong of Korea]]. The Empress was demoted by the Japanese government by the [[Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty]] of 1910 and thereafter officially known as ''Her Majesty'', Queen Yi of Korea (this title, however, was ignored in Korea).

Because of her demotion, she was known by her given alternative royal title as Queen Yun ({{Korean|hangul=윤비|hanja=尹妃|labels=no}}) and lived at Daejojeon Hall. But when she was given the royal title of Queen Yi of Changdeok Palace ({{Korean|hangul=창덕궁 이왕비|hanja=昌德宮 李王妃|labels=no}}), she eventually moved into the palace's Nakseon Hall when her husband's health worsened.

Empress Sunjeonghyo became a widow on 24 April 1926, when Emperor Yunghui died without issue at the palace [[Changdeokgung]] in Seoul. Emperor Yunghui had been rendered infertile (and was also said to be mentally disabled) by poisoning in the 1898 [[Coffee Poisoning Plot]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Neff|first=Robert|date=9 September 2011|title=Did you know that ...(22) The coffee plot|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/culture/2024/05/317_94553.html|access-date=|website=[[The Korea Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Neff|first=Robert|date=8 September 2018|title=September 11, coffee and Russia in 19th century Korea (part 1)|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2024/05/715_255184.html|access-date=|website=}}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=September 2015}}

In 1939, the Queen's family clan was pressured to change their family name to a Japanese surname. At the time, [[Sōshi-kaimei]] was a policy of pressuring [[Korea under Japanese rule|Koreans under Japanese rule]] to adopt Japanese names. But her uncle, Yun Deok-yeong, opposed such a thing to happen and maintained their Korean surname.

===Korean War===
During the [[Korean War]], Empress Sunjeonghyo stayed in Changdeok Palace as long as she could in the face of advancing forces from North Korea. During the war, the soldiers of North Korea invaded the palace but she reproved them and drove them all out. She then escaped secretly to the palace [[Unhyeongung]] when the war situation became too serious. As the war progressed, she moved to [[Busan]] with other Imperial family members, including Princess Hui (wife of Prince Wanheung). According to ''The World is One'', [[Yi Bangja|Princess Yi Bangja]]'s autobiography, Empress Sunjeonghyo went to Busan on foot.

===After the Korean War===
[[Image:Queen Yun Returns.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Queen Yun Returning to the Palace.]]
After the war, the new government of President [[Rhee Syng-man]], jealous of the popularity of the Imperial House, prevented Empress Sunjeonghyo from entering the palace [[Changdeokgung]]. She was kept imprisoned in Suin Hall, a narrow and unsuitable cottage in Jeongneung, [[Seoul]]. After a change in government in 1961 she returned to Nakseon Hall, [[Changdeokgung]] with her dutiful ladies-in-waiting: Park Chang-bok (d. 1981), Kim Myung-gil (d. 1983) and Sung Ok-yeom (d. 2001), and five other staff.

[[Image:합장릉(유릉).JPG|thumb|right|200px|The Yureung Imperial Tomb where Emperor [[Sunjong]] and Empresses [[Empress Sunmyeong|Sunmyeong]] and Sunjeong are buried. This is an exceptional case where three persons are buried in the same mound, known as ''hapjangneung'' (合葬陵)]]
After 37 years, [[Princess Deokhye]] was also able to return to Korea at the invitation of the South Korean government on 26 January 1962 due to reporter Kim Eul-han's help. She was later welcomed and reunited by her kindergarten and elementary school classmate, and her 72-year-old wet nurse when they went to pick her up at [[Gimpo International Airport|Gimpo Airport]].

The empress later meet her that same day before the princess underwent a surgery at [[Seoul National University Hospital]].

Empress Sunjeonghyo became a [[Buddhist]] in her later years.

She died childless on 3 February 1966, aged 72, at Nakseon Hall, Changdeok Palace, Seoul from a [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]]. She was given a [[state funeral]] and a private Buddhist funeral. She is buried beside her husband, Emperor Yunghui and his first wife, [[Empress Sunmyeong]], at the [[Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty#Hongyuneung (홍유릉)|Yureung Imperial Tomb]].

== Family ==
* Father
** Yun Taek-yeong ({{Korean|hangul=윤택영|hanja=尹澤榮|labels=no}}; 1876 – 24 October 1935)
* Mother
** Internal Princess Consort Gyeongheung of the Gigye Yu clan ({{Korean|hangul=경흥부부인 기계 유씨|hanja=慶興府夫人 杞溪 兪氏|labels=no}}; 1876 – 1936)
* Siblings
** Older brother - Yun Hong-seop ({{Korean|hangul=윤홍섭|hanja=尹弘燮|labels=no}}) or Yun Song-mu ({{Korean|hangul=윤송무|hanja=尹松茂|labels=no}}; 1893 – 1955); became the adoptive son of his uncle, Yun Si-yeong
** Younger sister - Yun Hui-seop ({{Korean|hangul=윤희섭|hanja=尹喜燮|labels=no}}; 6 November 1905 – ?)
** Younger brother - Yun Ui-seop ({{Korean|hangul=윤의섭|hanja=尹毅燮|labels=no}}; 8 March 1912 – 25 February 1965); succeeded his father in becoming Marquis
* Husband
**[[Sunjong of Korea|Yi Cheok, Emperor Sunjong]] (25 March 1874 – 24 April 1926) — No issue.
*** Mother-in-law - [[Empress Myeongseong|Min Ja-yeong, Empress Myeongseong]] of the Yeoheung Min clan (17 November 1851 – 8 October 1895)
*** Father-in-law - [[Gojong of Korea|Yi Hui, Emperor Gojong of Korea]] (9 September 1852 – 21 January 1919)
* Issue
** Adoptive son - Prince Yi Jin ({{Korean|hangul=이진|hanja=李晉|labels=no}}; 18 August 1921 – 11 May 1922)

== In popular culture ==
* Portrayed by [[Jang Seo-hee]] in the 1990 [[Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation|MBC]] TV series ''500 Years of Joseon: Daewongun''
* Portrayed by [[Kim Ji-mee|Kim Ji-mi]] in the 1966 film ''The Last Empress''
* Portrayed by Song Seo-ha in the 2016 film ''[[The Last Princess (film)|The Last Princess]]''

==See also==
*[[Korean Empire]]
*[[History of Korea]]
*[[House of Yi]]

==Notes and references==

=== Notes ===
{{Notelist}}

=== References ===
{{reflist}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-roy|}}
{{S-bef|before=[[Empress Sunmyeong]]}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[Empress consort]] of [[Korean Empire|Korea]]|years=20 July 1907 – 29 August 1910}}
{{S-non|reason=Title dissolved|reason2=[[Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty|Korea annexed by Japan]]}}
{{S-pre|}}
{{S-new|loss|reason=[[Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty|Dynasty deposed]]}}
{{S-tul|title=[[Empress consort]] of [[Korean Empire|Korea]]|years=29 August 1910 – 24 April 1926}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Yi Bangja|Princess Masako of Nashimoto]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{King Yi of Korea}}
{{Joseon and Korean consorts}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sunjeonghyo Of Korean Empire, Empress}}
[[Category:1894 births]]
[[Category:1966 deaths]]
[[Category:Korean empresses]]
[[Category:House of Yi]]
[[Category:Converts to Buddhism]]
[[Category:Korean Buddhist monarchs]]
[[Category:Korean Empire Buddhists]]
[[Category:People from Yangpyeong County]]
[[Category:Haepyeong Yun clan]]

Latest revision as of 03:32, 12 November 2024

"Empress Sunjeong" redirects here. For the same name during the Goryeo Dynasty, see Queen Sunjeong.
Empress Sunjeonghyo
Empress Sunjeonghyo, ca. 1909
Empress consort of Korea
Tenure23 July 1907 – 29 August 1910
PredecessorEmpress Myeongseong
SuccessorTitle and dynasty abolished
Crown Princess of Korea
Tenure24 January 1907 – 23 July 1907
PredecessorCrown Princess Min
SuccessorCrown Princess Euimin
Born(1894-09-07)7 September 1894
Munho-ri, Seojong-myeon, Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi Province, Joseon
Died3 February 1966(1966-02-03) (aged 71)
Nakseon Hall, Changdeokgung, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea
Burial
Yuneung
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1907; died 1926)​
Posthumous name
헌의자인순정효황후 獻懿慈仁純貞孝皇后
ClanHaepyeong Yun clan (by birth)
Jeonju Yi clan (by marriage)
DynastyHouse of Yi
FatherYun Taek-yeong
MotherInternal Princess Consort Gyeongheung of the Gigye Yu clan
ReligionKorean Buddhism
Korean name
Hangul
순정효황후
Hanja
Revised RomanizationSunjeonghyo Hwanghu
McCune–ReischauerSunjŏnghyo Hwanghu
Birth name
Hangul
윤증순
Hanja
尹曾順
Revised RomanizationYun Jeungsun
McCune–ReischauerYun Chŭngsun
36-year-old Empress Sunjeonghyo in 1930

Empress Sunjeonghyo[a] (Korean: 순정효황후; 7 September 1894 – 3 February 1966),[b] was the second wife of Sunjong of Korea, and was also the first (and last) Empress consort of Korea.

Biography

[edit]

Early life

[edit]

Sunjeonghyo was born Yun Jeung-sun (윤증순; 尹曾順) on 19 September 1894 in Seoul. She was born to Lady Yu of the Gigye Yu clan [ko] and Yun Taek-yeong, a member of the Haepyeong Yun clan and an official of Joseon.[1]

Her paternal grandmother, Lady Hong, was a 5th great-granddaughter of Princess Jeongmyeong, daughter of Seonjo of Joseon and Queen Inmok. Lady Hong was also a third cousin twice removed of Lady Hyegyŏng.[2]

Through adoptions within the Haepyeong Yun clan, she was a 13th great-granddaughter (or 13th great-grandniece, biologically) of Yun Du-su; as well as Yun Posun, the 2nd President of South Korea, was her ninth cousin three times removed.[3] On her mother's side, Yun's maternal grandfather, Yu Jin-hak, was a maternal adoptive nephew of Queen Sinjeong; thus making her the adoptive great-grandniece of the late Queen.[4]

Her younger sister eventually married Yu Gil-jun's eldest son, Yu Eok-gyeom.

Marriage and life in the palace

[edit]

To how Lady Yun was chosen to be the next wife of crown prince was from the help of Imperial Consort Sunheon.[5]

Prior to the marriage, the Imo Incident of 1882 had forced Empress Myeongseong to flee from the palace, which brought Eom to demonstrate extreme loyalty to Gojong. The imperial consort, known at the time was Court Lady Eom, and the king became close during that time until Queen Min returned to the palace.

In 1885, the Queen consort expelled Eom from the palace when she discovered Eom wearing Gojong's clothing (seung-eun) at the age of 32. Her expulsion stripped her of her position and title, but a high-ranking official, Yun Yong-seon, Lady Yun's grandfather, purportedly interceded on her behalf with Gojong, and she was forgiven. Eom never forgot the grace of Yun Yong-seon.

Because the seat was vacant, Imperial Consort Sunheon recommended the adoptive great-granddaughter of Yun after Crown Prince Yi Cheok's first wife, Crown Princess Consort Min, died on 5 November 1904.

Yun Jeung-sun married the 32-year-old Crown Prince Cheok on 24 January 1907 at the age of 13. When she became Crown Princess Consort, her mother was given the royal title of "Internal Princess Consort Gyeongheung of the Gigye Yun clan" (경흥부부인 기계 유씨; 慶興府夫人 杞溪 兪氏) while her father was given the royal title of "Internal Prince Haepung Yun Taek-yeong" (해풍부원군 윤택영; 海豊府院君 尹澤榮).

On 20 July 1907, she became Empress Consort of Korea when her husband ascended the throne after the forced abdication of his father, Gojong of Korea. The Empress was demoted by the Japanese government by the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty of 1910 and thereafter officially known as Her Majesty, Queen Yi of Korea (this title, however, was ignored in Korea).

Because of her demotion, she was known by her given alternative royal title as Queen Yun (윤비; 尹妃) and lived at Daejojeon Hall. But when she was given the royal title of Queen Yi of Changdeok Palace (창덕궁 이왕비; 昌德宮 李王妃), she eventually moved into the palace's Nakseon Hall when her husband's health worsened.

Empress Sunjeonghyo became a widow on 24 April 1926, when Emperor Yunghui died without issue at the palace Changdeokgung in Seoul. Emperor Yunghui had been rendered infertile (and was also said to be mentally disabled) by poisoning in the 1898 Coffee Poisoning Plot.[6][7][citation needed]

In 1939, the Queen's family clan was pressured to change their family name to a Japanese surname. At the time, Sōshi-kaimei was a policy of pressuring Koreans under Japanese rule to adopt Japanese names. But her uncle, Yun Deok-yeong, opposed such a thing to happen and maintained their Korean surname.

Korean War

[edit]

During the Korean War, Empress Sunjeonghyo stayed in Changdeok Palace as long as she could in the face of advancing forces from North Korea. During the war, the soldiers of North Korea invaded the palace but she reproved them and drove them all out. She then escaped secretly to the palace Unhyeongung when the war situation became too serious. As the war progressed, she moved to Busan with other Imperial family members, including Princess Hui (wife of Prince Wanheung). According to The World is One, Princess Yi Bangja's autobiography, Empress Sunjeonghyo went to Busan on foot.

After the Korean War

[edit]
Queen Yun Returning to the Palace.

After the war, the new government of President Rhee Syng-man, jealous of the popularity of the Imperial House, prevented Empress Sunjeonghyo from entering the palace Changdeokgung. She was kept imprisoned in Suin Hall, a narrow and unsuitable cottage in Jeongneung, Seoul. After a change in government in 1961 she returned to Nakseon Hall, Changdeokgung with her dutiful ladies-in-waiting: Park Chang-bok (d. 1981), Kim Myung-gil (d. 1983) and Sung Ok-yeom (d. 2001), and five other staff.

The Yureung Imperial Tomb where Emperor Sunjong and Empresses Sunmyeong and Sunjeong are buried. This is an exceptional case where three persons are buried in the same mound, known as hapjangneung (合葬陵)

After 37 years, Princess Deokhye was also able to return to Korea at the invitation of the South Korean government on 26 January 1962 due to reporter Kim Eul-han's help. She was later welcomed and reunited by her kindergarten and elementary school classmate, and her 72-year-old wet nurse when they went to pick her up at Gimpo Airport.

The empress later meet her that same day before the princess underwent a surgery at Seoul National University Hospital.

Empress Sunjeonghyo became a Buddhist in her later years.

She died childless on 3 February 1966, aged 72, at Nakseon Hall, Changdeok Palace, Seoul from a heart attack. She was given a state funeral and a private Buddhist funeral. She is buried beside her husband, Emperor Yunghui and his first wife, Empress Sunmyeong, at the Yureung Imperial Tomb.

Family

[edit]
  • Father
    • Yun Taek-yeong (윤택영; 尹澤榮; 1876 – 24 October 1935)
  • Mother
    • Internal Princess Consort Gyeongheung of the Gigye Yu clan (경흥부부인 기계 유씨; 慶興府夫人 杞溪 兪氏; 1876 – 1936)
  • Siblings
    • Older brother - Yun Hong-seop (윤홍섭; 尹弘燮) or Yun Song-mu (윤송무; 尹松茂; 1893 – 1955); became the adoptive son of his uncle, Yun Si-yeong
    • Younger sister - Yun Hui-seop (윤희섭; 尹喜燮; 6 November 1905 – ?)
    • Younger brother - Yun Ui-seop (윤의섭; 尹毅燮; 8 March 1912 – 25 February 1965); succeeded his father in becoming Marquis
  • Husband
  • Issue
    • Adoptive son - Prince Yi Jin (이진; 李晉; 18 August 1921 – 11 May 1922)
[edit]

See also

[edit]

Notes and references

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Also literally known as "Sunjeong, the Filial Piety Empress".
  2. ^ In the Korean calendar (lunisolar), the empress was born on 20 August 1894

References

[edit]
  1. ^ 순정황후 윤씨, 50여년 영욕의 현대사를 지켜보다. www.nongmin.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  2. ^ 풍산홍씨대동보 (豊山洪氏大同譜). FamilySearch. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  3. ^ 해평윤씨 대동보 (海平尹氏大同譜). FamilySearch. Archived from the original on 2021-07-01. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  4. ^ 기계유씨족보 杞溪兪氏族譜，第六編. FamilySearch. Retrieved 2020-07-19. (Vol. 15·慈山公派; page 224, 227-228)
  5. ^ 순정효황후(純貞孝皇后). Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  6. ^ Neff, Robert (9 September 2011). "Did you know that ...(22) The coffee plot". The Korea Times.
  7. ^ Neff, Robert (8 September 2018). "September 11, coffee and Russia in 19th century Korea (part 1)".
Royal titles
Preceded by Empress consort of Korea
20 July 1907 – 29 August 1910 		Title dissolved
Titles in pretence
Loss of title
 — TITULAR —
Empress consort of Korea
29 August 1910 – 24 April 1926 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Empress_Sunjeonghyo&oldid=1256902076"