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Royal Consort Jeongbi An

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In this Korean name, the family name is Ahn.
Royal Consort Jeong-Bi of the Juksan Ahn clan
정비 안씨
Royal consort of Goryeo
Tenure1366–1374
Coronation1366
PredecessorRoyal Consort Ik
SuccessorRoyal Consort Sin
Grand consort of Goryeo
Tenurec.1374/5–1388
Coronationc.1374/5
PredecessorGrand Consort Hong
MonarchKing U
Royal Grand consort of Goryeo
Tenurec.1388–1392
Coronationc.1388
MonarchKing Chang
King Gongyang
Born1352
Jukju, Yanggwang Province, Goryeo
Died26 June 1428 (age 75-76)
Yangju, Yanggwang Province, Joseon
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1366; died 1374)​
Regnal name
  • Grand Consort Ahn (Dae-bi; 대비 안씨, 大妃 安氏; during King U's reign)
  • Royal Grand Consort Ahn (Wang-dae-bi; 왕대비 안씨, 王大妃 安氏; during King Chang's reign)
  • Royal Grand Consort Jeongsuk Seonmyeong Gyeongsin Ikseong Yuhye
    정숙선명경신익성유혜왕대비
    貞淑宣明敬信翼成柔惠王大妃
    (given by King Gongyang in 1390)
  • Princess Uihwa (의화궁주; 義和宮主; 7 December 1392 – 1428)
HouseJuksan Ahn (by birth)
House of Wang (by marriage)
FatherAhn Geuk-in, Prince Jukseong
MotherLady Yi of the Gari Yi clan
ReligionBuddhism
Korean name
Hangul
정비 안씨
Hanja
定妃 安氏
Revised RomanizationJeongbi Anssi
McCune–ReischauerChŏngbi Anssi
Dharma name
Hangul
덕월
Hanja
德月
Revised RomanizationDeogwol
McCune–ReischauerTŏgwŏl
Princess Uihwa
Hangul
의화궁주
Hanja
義和宮主
Revised RomanizationUihwa Gungju
McCune–ReischauerŬihwa Kungju

Royal Consort Jeong of the Juksan Ahn clan (Korean: 정비 안씨; Hanja: 定妃 安氏; 1352 – 16 June 1428[a]) was the 5th wife of King Gongmin of Goryeo. She was also known by her Dharma name as Deok-wol (Korean: 덕월; Hanja: 德月) and by her new royal title as Princess Uihwa (Korean: 의화궁주; Hanja: 義和宮主) given by Taejo of Joseon in 1392.

She has been spoken of as a tragic figure among the women of the Later Goryeo dynasty.[1]

Biography

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Marriage and palace life

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In October 1366 (15th year reign of Gongmin), he took Ahn as his Queen Consort as he didn't have any issue from his first marriage. Then, in December, she became Jeongbi (정비; 定妃).[2]

At this time, Lady Ahn's father, Ahn Geuk-in (안극인) who was a comrade-in-chief, suggested that King Gongmin suspend the construction of Princess Noguk's Yeongjeon (영전; 影殿), but Ahn Geuk-in was removed from the office. After her re-entry to the Palace, the King continued to commit misdeeds,[3] such as ordering her to have sex with some of the young men from Jajewi (자제위; 子弟衛), although she adamantly refused.[citation needed] In May 1367, she and Consort Han went to Gorari (고라리; 高羅里) and watched Gyeoggu Game (격구놀).

In October 1372 (21st year of King Gongmin), he ordered some young and handsome men from the Self-Defense Committee, Han Ahn (한안) and Hong Ryun (홍륜), to have sex with his concubines so that they would become pregnant and Gongmin could claim the son as his. Eventually, Lady Ahn, Royal Consort Ik-Bi and others couldn't refuse his order and actually became pregnant.[citation needed] In 1374, King Gongmin was assassinated and King U ascended the throne.

During King U's reign

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Lady Ahn went out from the Palace and became a nun. Then, King U made her younger brother, Ahn Suk-ro (안숙로)'s[4] daughter his consort with the title Hyeon-Bi (현비; 賢妃).[5] Even after King Gongmin's death, the court under King U's command still respected all of the late King Gongmin's widowed consorts and continued to provide their daily necessities until it was stopped in 1388. The new King also gave "Jahye Mansion" (자혜부; 慈惠府) as Ahn's palace to live.

After King U's ascension to the throne, it was said that U always taunted and harassed the Dowager Consort Ahn by saying:

"Among my consorts, How can they have no one like you, Mother?"
"나의 후궁들은 어찌 모씨(母氏)와 같은 이가 없는가?"

He often visited her mansion two or three times a day, sometimes going there again at night. Because of this, there was a rumor that Ahn was harassed by King U for attempted rape and strange rumors circulated. One day, while King U went to her palace again, Lady Ahn fell ill and didn't comb her hair, so they cancelled their meeting and he instead met with her niece. Seeing this, people said:

"The Dowager Consort is trying to hide herself because she is in fear of ridicule from others."
"정비가 남의 비웃음을 두려워하여 스스로 감추려 하는 것이다."

Besides this, there was an interpretation that King U, who was an orphan with no one to depend on, craved maternal love from his stepmother, Consort Ahn.

During King Chang and King Gongyang's reign

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In 1388, Yi Seong-gye (이성계) deposed King U from his position and as the oldest member in the palace, Ahn agreed to choose the new candidate to succeed him, King Chang.[citation needed]

One year later, Yi and Jeong Mong-ju (정몽주) deposed King Chang[6] and forced her to crown King Gongyang as the new one. So she then dethroned King Chang and proclaimed a letter stating that King Gongyang was crowned.[7] Under King Gongyang's command, Ahn then moved to "Gyeongsin Hall" (경신전; 敬愼殿) and was honoured as Royal Grand Consort Jeongsuk-seonmyeong-gyeongsin-ikseong-yuhye (정숙선명경신익성유혜왕대비; 貞淑宣明敬信翼成柔惠王大妃).

In 1392, Yi and his allies forced King Gongyang's dethronement and threatened Ahn by forcing her with a memorandum to allow the establishment of a new dynasty and handed over the national seal to him.[8] As a result, the Goryeo period fell after almost 475 years and the new Joseon was established.

Later life, death and funeral

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Lady Ahn lived a long life through the late Goryeo and early Joseon periods. Joseon was established by Yi Seong-gye. Later, on 7 August 1392 (4th year reign of King Taejo), she was honoured as Princess Uihwa (의화궁주; 義和宮主)[9] which she was commonly known as during the Joseon dynasty. Later, on 14 May 1428 (1th year reign of King Sejong), she died, 36 years after Goryeo's abolishment.[10]

In Joseon Sillok, it was recorded that Ahn was prone to drink alcohol after being christened as "Princess Uihwa" and she also spent most of her later life drinking after the fall of Goryeo dynasty.[11] 6 days after her death, King Sejong prayed and took care of her funeral with the old system and used the Queen consort's rites manners (including dressing her like the real queen). But, her tomb's location is unknown as there were no records about it.

Ancestry

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Family

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Notes

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  1. ^ In the Korean calendar (lunisolar), the consort died on 14 May 1428

References

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  1. ^ Jang, Kyung-soon (6 December 2015). 백발의 80 노인이었다가 수려한 미녀로 돌변하는 정비 안씨. ChoiceNews (in Korean). Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  2. ^ 왕씨와 안씨를 각기 익비와 정비로 책봉하다. db.history.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  3. ^ 韓國人物小說全集 (in Korean). University of California: Yuwen Ge. 1967. p. 133.
  4. ^ 안숙로(安叔老) (in Korean). people.aks.ac.kr. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  5. ^ Chang-hyun, Kim (2006). 고려 의 남경, 한양 [The Goryeo's Namgyeong and Hanyang] (in Korean). University of Michigan: Sinseowon. p. 139. ISBN 9788979400199.
  6. ^ Young-kwan, Lee (2006). 조선 견문록 [The Joseon Dynasty] (in Korean). Chung-A Publisher. p. 17. ISBN 9788936803353.
  7. ^ 공양왕 총서. db.history.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  8. ^ Young-kyoo, Park (Nov 18, 2004). 한권으로읽는조선왕조실록 [Annals of the Joseon Dynasty in one volume] (in Korean). University of Michigan: Woongjin Knowledge House. p. 24. ISBN 9788901047546.
  9. ^ 의화 궁주 안씨의 졸기. Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty (in Korean). Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  10. ^ 이명덕에게 의화 궁주에게 새 술을 바치도록 하교하다. Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty (in Chinese). Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  11. ^ 공민왕의 정비 의화 궁주에게 매일 술 한병씩을 하사하다. Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty (in Korean). Retrieved July 18, 2021.
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