Huibin Jang

Huibin Jang
Royal Consort of the First Senior Rank
Lady Jang's tomb
Queen Consort of Joseon
Tenure1690–1694
PredecessorQueen Inhyeon
SuccessorQueen Inhyeon
Born3 November 1659
Sangpyeong-bang, Hanseong, Joseon
Died9 November 1701(1701-11-09) (aged 42)
Chwiseondang Hall, Changgyeonggung, Hanseong, Joseon
Burial
Daebinmyo, Seooreung Cluster, Goyang, South Korea
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1690; dep. 1694)​
[a]
Issue
Detail		2 sons
Names
Jang Ok-jeong (장옥정; 張玉貞)
Regnal name
Grand Internal Concubine Oksan (옥산부대빈; 玉山府大嬪)[b]
Clan
DynastyYi
FatherJang Hyeong
MotherLady, of the Papyeong Yun clan
Korean name
Hangul
희빈 장씨
Hanja
禧嬪 張氏
RRHuibin Jangssi
MRHŭibin Changssi

Huibin Jang (Korean: 희빈 장씨; Hanja: 禧嬪 張氏; 3 November 1659 – 9 November 1701), or Concubine Hui,[c] of the Indong Jang clan, personal name Jang Ok-jeong, was a consort of King Sukjong, the 19th monarch of Joseon, and the mother of King Gyeongjong. She was queen of Joseon from 1690 until her deposition in 1694, and is remembered today as one of the greatest femmes fatales in Korean history.

Biography

Early life

Lady Jang was the daughter of Jang Hyeong and his second wife, a lady from the Papyeong Yun clan. Part of the Namin faction, she came from a long line of interpreters and belonged to the jungin class.

She is widely thought to have been one of the most beautiful women in Joseon, and her charm is mentioned in the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty.

She became a lady-in-waiting to King Sukjong's step-great-grandmother, Grand Queen Dowager Jaui, at the recommendation of Prince Dongpyeong, who was the king's first cousin once removed and the grand queen dowager's step-grandson.

Life as royal consort

While visiting Queen Jaui, the king came to be infatuated with Lady Jang and she became a special palace lady (승은궁녀; seungeun gungnyeo). However, his mother, Queen Dowager Hyeonyeol, who belonged to the Seoin faction, feared that Lady Jang would influence him to favor the Namin, so she expelled her from the palace.

In 1683, the queen dowager died and Queen Min (posthumously Queen Inhyeon), Sukjong's wife at that time, allowed Lady Jang to return to court.

In 1686, Lady Jang became a royal consort of the junior fourth rank (숙원; sugwon). In 1688, she was elevated to senior second rank (소의; soui) after giving birth to the King's first son, Yi Yun.

In the court, the Seoin faction split into Noron (Old Learning), led by Song Si-yeol, and Soron (New Learning), led by Yun Jeung. The Noron was supported by Queen Min.

The Namin faction pushed for the king to acknowledge Yi Yun as heir apparent, but the Seoin faction insisted that Queen Min was still young and could bear a son, who should be the heir. Sukjong pushed for a compromise in which Queen Min would adopt Yi Yun as her son, but she refused. This angered Sukjong, and many were killed, including Song Si-yeol. The Namin faction seized power and exiled Queen Min's father and the leaders of the Seoin faction. In 1689, Queen Min was deposed and exiled. This incident is called Gisa Hwanguk (기사환국).[1][2]

Also in 1689, Lady Jang was promoted to the senior first rank (빈; bin), with the honorific title hui (희), meaning "auspicious". Shortly after, she was appointed as queen.

In 1693, Sukjong's new favorite, a palace maid from the Haeju Choe clan, became an official royal consort. Lady Choe (commonly known by her highest title, Sukbin Choe or Concubine Suk) openly supported Queen Min and encouraged the king to reinstate her. In the meantime, Kim Chun-taek, a member of the Noron faction, and Han Jung-hyuk of the Soron faction, also staged a campaign to reinstate the deposed queen.

By 1694, Lady Jang had lost the king's favor.[3] Sukjong grew disgusted with the Namin faction's greed and the ever-powerful Jang family. He also felt remorse for his temperamental actions during the Gisa Hwanguk. The Namin faction's attempt to purge the Seoin on the charge of plotting to reinstate the deposed queen backfired.

Later years and death

The king banished Jang Hui-jae, Lady Jang's elder brother, and the leaders of the Namin party. He officially demoted Lady Jang to her former position as a royal consort of the senior first rank (Huibin or Concubine Hui), and reinstated Queen Min. This incident is called Gapsul Hwanguk (갑술환국). The Namin faction never recovered from this purge.

The Soron faction supported Crown Prince Yun, Lady Jang's son, while the Noron faction supported Prince Yeoning, Lady Choe's son.

In 1701, Queen Min died of an unknown cause. Allegedly, Sukjong discovered Lady Jang conspiring with a shaman priestess to curse Queen Min using black magic and gloating over her death.[4] The Soron faction pleaded with the king to show mercy and pointed out that she was the mother of the crown prince.

Unmoved, the king sentenced Lady Jang, her mother, her brother, the leader of Soron, and all her companions to death. He also exiled the courtiers who had asked him to spare Lady Jang's life.[5] Sukjong then promulgated an edict prohibiting any royal consort from becoming queen. On 9 November 1701, Lady Jang was executed by poisoning at Chwiseondang Hall, her residence inside Changgyeonggung. She was 42 years old.

Burial

Her tomb is called Daebinmyo and was originally in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. In 1969, it was moved to the Seooreung Cluster, in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province; the cluster also contains Ingneung, the tomb of Sukjong's first wife, Queen Ingyeong, as well as Myeongneung, which consists of the twin burial mounds of King Sukjong and Queen Inhyeon, and the separate burial mound of Sukjong's third wife, Queen Inwon.[6][7] The relocation took place because the tomb was blocking the government's planned expansion of the city.

Lady Jang's memorial tablet was enshrined in Chilgung (칠궁), the place that houses the spirit tablets of seven royal consorts who gave birth to kings.[8]

Titles

  • During the reign of King Hyeonjong (r. 1659–1674):
    • Lady, of the Indong Jang clan (인동 장씨; 仁同張氏)
      • Jang Hyeong's daughter (장형의 딸)
      • Lady Jang (장씨; 張氏)
    • Palace Lady (궁녀; 宮女; from unknown date)
  • During the reign of King Sukjong (r. 1674–1720):
    • Special Palace Lady (승은궁녀; 承恩宮女; from unknown date)
    • Sugwon[d] (숙원; 淑媛; from 23 January 1687), royal consort of the junior fourth rank
    • Soui[e] (소의; 昭儀; from 19 November 1688), royal consort of the senior second rank
    • Concubine Hui[c] (희빈; 禧嬪; from 17 January 1689), royal consort of the senior first rank
    • Queen (왕비; 王妃; from 1690)
    • Concubine Hui (희빈; 禧嬪; from 12 April 1694), royal consort of the senior first rank

Family

  • Father: Jang Hyeong (장형; 25 February 1623 – 12 January 1669)
  • Stepmother: Lady, of the Jeju Go clan (제주 고씨; ?–1645)[f]
  • Mother: Lady, of the Papyeong Yun clan (파평 윤씨; 1626–1698)
  • Sibling(s)
    • Brother: Jang Hui-sik (장희식; 1640–?)[g]
    • Sister: Lady, of the Indong Jang clan (인동 장씨)
    • Brother: Jang Hui-jae (장희재; 1651 – 29 October 1701)
  • Consort of: King Sukjong (숙종대왕; 7 October 1661 – 12 July 1720)
  • Issue
    • Yi Yun (이윤), King Gyeongjong (경종대왕; 20 November 1688 – 30 September 1724)
    • Unnamed son (23 August – 17 October 1690)[h]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Huibin Jang
Jang Se-pil
(장세필)
Jang Su
(장수)
Jang Eung-in
(장응인)
Jang Hyeong
(장형; 張烱)
Park Sim
(박심)
Lady, of the Nampo Park clan
(남포 박씨)
Concubine Hui
Yun Seong-rib
(윤성립)
Lady, of the Papyeong Yun clan
(파평 윤씨)
Lady, of the Chogye Byeon clan
(초계 변씨)

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Lady Jang had become Sukjong's concubine at least a decade prior to her elevation to the position of queen and legitimate wife, and despite her subsequent deposition, she continued to be a royal consort until her death.
  2. ↑ Known as honorific name (존호; 尊號) in the Sinosphere, its closest equivalent in the English-speaking world is the regnal name.
  3. 1 2 The literal translation of bin (빈; 嬪) is "concubine". Combined with the honorific title hui (희; 禧), the full meaning is "Auspicious Concubine".
  4. ↑ lit. ''Lady of Warm Beauty''
  5. ↑ lit. ''Lady of Bright Deportment''
  6. ↑ Jang Hyeong's first wife.
  7. ↑ Half-brother.
  8. ↑ His childhood name was Seong-su (성수).

References

  1. ↑ 네이버 학술정보. Academic.naver.com. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  2. ↑ Hulbert, Homer B. (Homer Bezaleel) (26 October 2017). "The history of Korea". Seoul, Methodist Pub. House. Retrieved 26 October 2017 – via Internet Archive.
  3. ↑ Book "East Asia: A Cultural, Social, and Political History", 3rd pag. 255.
  4. ↑ Memoirs of Lady Hyegyŏng Page 246.
  5. ↑ Lee, Bae-young (20 October 2008). Women in Korean History. Ewha Womans University Press. pp. 109–111. ISBN 978-8973007721.
  6. ↑ "Daebinmyo Tomb at Seooreung Tombs - Exploring Korea". Exploringkorea.com. 4 August 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  7. ↑ "Academic : Information of Palaces and Royal Tombs (Royal Tombs)". Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  8. ↑ "Chilgung: Traces of the Seven Royal Concubines". The Argus (in Korean). 15 May 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  9. ↑ "Lady Jang (Janghuibin) (1961)". Korean Movie Database. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  10. ↑ "Femme Fatale, Jang Hee-bin (Yohwa, Jang Hee-bin) (1968)". Korean Movie Database. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 '죽지 않는' 장희빈 벌써 9명, 김태희가 뒤 이을까. OhmyNews (in Korean). 22 September 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  12. ↑ "TV Dramas - Actresses Line up for Award Ceremony Takeover". The Chosun Ilbo. 29 December 2003. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  13. ↑ Lee, Ga-on (7 May 2010). "Han Hyo-joo says she "hold fast" to her role in DongYi". 10Asia. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  14. ↑ Hong, Grace Danbi (24 August 2012). "Shinhwa Transforms into Royal Concubines for Shinhwa Broadcast". EnewsWorld.mnet.com. CJ E&M. Retrieved 16 December 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  15. ↑ Ho, Stewart (8 October 2012). "Kim Tae Hee Cast in Her First Historic Drama, Jang Ok Jung as Joseon Dynasty's Infamous Lady Jang Hee Bin". EnewsWorld.mnet.com. CJ E&M. Archived from the original on 27 December 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
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