Queen Munjeong

After Jo Gwangjo's death him having been the most powerful iconic leader of the SARIM, dozens of Sarim scholars were exiled during literati purge in 1520, Jungjong's Royal Authority diminished as a result and he never had the chance to rule on his own again after he'd made earlier successful progress under Jo Gwangjo's protection. His reign was marked by tumultuous struggle among various conservative factions, each of them backed by one of the King's consorts. Nam Gon and Shim Jung's faction and Kim Anro's faction vied for power after Kim Anro's son married Jungjong's eldest daughter and in the most dramatic way the HUNGU FACTION split up into three distinct centres of political power. Nam Gon and Shim Jung connived with one another and ousted Kim Anro from the political arena for abusing power which resulted into his exile.

Although the young Queen Yun was technically the king's Principal Consort by official amendment, Jungjong's concubines were older than her and some of them had more power as prince's mothers which surpassed her own, for instance Park Gyeong-bin who was Prince Bokseong's mother and Hong Hui-bin who was Prince Geumwon's mother. Park Gyeong-bin was also the adoptive daughter of Park Won-jong, the maternal uncle of Queen Janggyeong. Park was also the younger brother of Grand Internal Princess Consort Seungpyeong, the wife of Grand Prince Wolsan and daughter-in-law of Queen Insu.

Hong Hui-bin was the daughter of Hong Kyung-ju, one of the Hungu faction leaders. Hong Kyung-ju, Nam Gon and Shim Jung were collectively called "Evil Three of Gimyo" because their role in the literati purge. Park Gyeong-bin and Hong Hui-bin were supporters of the faction.

It was in this tough position that Queen Yun realised that she barely remained her position by protecting the Crown Prince against these ambitious concubines and only by playing officials with the intention of protecting the young Heir to the throne for Alliances, she started to involve herself in the affairs of State passively as early as 18years old.

During her early years as the Queen, she had a bad relationship with Park Gyeong-bin who devised a plan to place Bokseong in line to the throne by having the Crown Prince Deposed and the Queen opposed it. Park Gyeong-bin was also plotting all sorts of conspiracy to monopolize Jungjong's love which dramatically estranged her relationship with her husband to the point that he barely paid any attention to her and frequented Park Gyeong-bin's residence which scarred her own prestige and the Queen.[4] On the other hand, the Queen herself gave birth to three daughters and had no son for 17 years despite Jungjong's expectation to have a prince which only intensified the arrogance of the three Consorts.

Queen Yun as a result decided to retaliate first by manipulating the protection of her mother-in-law the Royal Queen Dowager Jasun who dared to stand up against the three Royal Noble Consorts and after her father's death in 1522 Hong Hee-bin herself lost her prominence, a background upon which the Young Queen succeeded in having her ousted from Royal precincts on charges of misusing Royal Authority and disrespecting the Queen who was the head of the Naemyongbu

Kim An-ro returned from exile after Nam Gon's death and desperate to settle the scores he accused Shim Jung for accepting bribes from Park Gyeong-bin to help her put Bokseong in line for the throne Later framing Shim Jung and Gyeong-bin on the charge of cursing the Crown Prince using witchcraft, an act which was strongly condemned and punishable by death that Later Shim Jung, Park Gyeong-bin and Prince Bokseong were executed in cold blood on Royal Decree in 1533.

In the least expected manner, the Queen's temporary political alliances had helped her ensure the vacation of two of the most ambitious Royal Consorts from her own sphere, the Palace and even with the death of the Royal Queen Dowager Jasun who had been her protectress in 1530, she was now the most influential elder in the Palace by Official rank.

In 1534, Queen Yun herself finally gave birth to a son, Yi Hwan, Grand Prince Gyeongwon (경원대군) which became the turning point in her political career. Kim Anro who had started becoming cautious of the Queen was even rumoured to fathom having one of his Relatives being elevated to the Queen's position that in the name of protecting the Crown Prince as his excuse, Kim An-ro attempted to depose the Queen because her son was considered a threat for the Crown Prince's position.

Queen Yun who had noticed the plot beforehand in turn persuaded the King to get rid of him instead which made her realize again that it was useless to be in a high position without wielding real power.

In the most dramatic network, Queen Yun leagued herself with high and low ranking officials and Kim An-ro was accused of misusing Royal Authority, disregarding the Queen, corruption and selling of official positions while manipulating Royal favour with the King which ended with his execution in 1537. After that, Yun Im and the Queen's brothers, Yun Won-ro and Yun Won-hyeong filled the power vacuum and ultimately, many officials gathered around the two new centers of power which eventually developed the HUNGU FACTION into two separate political factions. Yun Im's faction became known as 'Greater Yun', itself consisting of the majority whose hopes were the exploits of future power upon the ascension of the Crown Prince and the Yun brothers' faction as 'Lesser Yun.'

Yun Im who had realised that dangerous political arena was comitted in reconciling himself with the SARIM that many Sarim scholars joined the Greater Yun since they had great hopes for the Crown Prince, who studied under Jo Gwang-jo and Yi Hwang. Additionally, none had appeared to foresee the possibility that the Queen would be a more reliable protector since to them she was no different from a naive woman.

Although the Crown Prince was the Queen's political protector for a long time, he turned into a political enemy that she should get rid of for the future of her own son which farther estranged their relationship.

The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty tells the story of the Queen who threatened the Crown Prince to not to kill her brothers and her own son. Her hostility was not only because her ambition, but also from Yun Im's and late Kim An-ro's manipulation to get rid of the Queen.

The Queen herself had grown from being very naive to a calculative woman who was perceptive of State affairs and acted with great caution in all matters, as Yun Im finally felt that her alliance was irrelevant often times he was bent on ousting her two brothers who were also ultimately her most powerful protectors from the political arena which poisoned her relationship with him

Jungjong after sitting on the throne for nearly 40 years fell ill in 1544 and tension in the Royal Court increased, the Queen's insecurity peaked as she started to strengthen her own power by arranging Royal marriages of her daughters and she started to become actively involved in politics of the country influencing her husband's decision to raise her brothers' position and appoint officials from her Clan.

Jungjong succumbed eventually in the same year and the Crown Prince ascended to the throne as 12th king of Joseon in front of his coffin (temple name: Injong). The Queen Yun was honoured as Queen Dowager Seongryeol and she expressed her dissatisfaction in many aspects but couldn't directly confront Yun Im who was exercising immense power at the time.

The rift between the Queen Dowager and the young King deepened when Injong pressured by the Greater Yun faction dismissed Yun Won-hyeong and Yun Won-ro from their positions after they were impeached by them, a move that was intended to politically weaken the Queen. Numerous attempts were made to wipe out the opposition of the Greater Yun faction completely but it was vain since the Queen Dowager Seongryeol protected the Lesser Yun faction and other opposition officials in return for her own political safety and as a way of retaliating, she devised the ultimate plan to change the King.

Many in the Sarim faction believed that Injong was poisoned by Seongryeol, but there is no evidence that this was the case. According to unofficial chronicles, there is a tale of Seongryeol finally showing love for her "adoptive" son Injong, after decades of polite indifference (in reality behind-the-scenes hatred).

As Injong went to pay his morning respects, Munjeong’s face started radiating with a smile only a mother could give to her child. Injong took it as a sign that the Queen dowager was finally acknowledging him as the king, and in particular as her own son. He ate the ddeok that his step-mother gave him, not knowing that it would be the beginning of the end. He fell ill slowly, not enough to create any suspicion, but quickly enough that historians would later pick up on the event. Three days passed before Injong mysteriously died (after only 9 months of rule).

The chronicles also tell that Seongryeol was frequently visited by spirits at night after Injong's death.[5] So disturbed was she that she moved her residence from Gyeongbok Palace to Changdeok Palace.

Injong finally fell ill and later died in 1545, Injong had not fathered a son with any of his wives including his Queen and naturally, the closest person in the line of succession, the Grand Prince Gyeongwon, Queen Dowager Seongryeol's biological son ascended to the throne as 13th king of Joseon (temple name: Myeongjong) at only 9years of age.

A lot of controversy arose in regard of the Queen Dowager's position as the mother of the King which was solved by the fact that since Injong had died as a king, his wife was elevated to the rank of Queen Dowager which Queen Yun had to relinquish and rise to the next highest position a Royal Queen would attain thereby honouring her as Grand Queen Dowager Seongryeol.

As the young King's mother and grand queen dowager, Seongryeol was empowered by officials of the Lesser Yun faction and upon their forced invitation acted as regent behind the silk and bamboo screen, the second woman in the History of the Joseon Dynasty to officially take on the role after Queen Jeonghui of the Papyeong Yun Clan.

The Queen's first action was to have her brothers Yun Won-hyeong and Yun Won-ro reinstated and they came to wield enormous power. Unlike Queen Jeonghui who in her regency had relied on both able officials and her relatives, the Queen Mother solely relied on her relatives and her regency was characterized by three distinct instruments, PURGES, POLITICAL POPULISM and NEPOTISM.

Yun Won-hyeong immediately accused Yun Im and his supporters of plotting to put another prince instead of Myeongjong on the throne after Injong's death only days after his reinstatement and These accusations and rumors of Yun Im's treason sparked off the Fourth Literati Purge of 1545 also known as EULSA SAHWA, in which the prince, Yun Im, and nine of his supporters including Sarim scholars were executed. After this initial purge, Yun Won-hyeong continued to purge his rivals and Sarim scholars over next five years until the total death toll surpassed one hundred.

Yun Won-ro who was more sympathetic to the SARIM censured him that the Queen Mother allied with him and had him impeached and finally executed a few days later along with his followers in 1546. Facing no opposition from the government, Yun Won-hyeong became Minister of Personnel (이조판서) in 1548, Left State Councilor in 1551 and ultimately Chief State Councilor (영의정) in 1563 which strengthened the Queen Mother's position as she survived public criticism by letting her brother do all the dirty work for her.

Despite Yun Won-hyeong's violent rule, Grand Queen Dowager Seongryeol was an effective administrator and was admired by the people many of whom believed her to be the Matreiya having been a staunch supporters of Buddhism to the point that even though not being recognized as the State religion for the neo-confucian Joseon State, it nonetheless functioned as one.

In 1553 after ruling behind the bamboo Silk screen for 8 years, acting through the office of the Royal Censors, Myongjeong asked his mother to step down from her regency and cautious of public discontentment, the Queen gave in to the demand but nonetheless retained all her political power to the fullest unlike Queen Jeonghui who had preceded her.

The Queen Mother efficiently continued to rule even after her son reached the age of majority, issuing Royal Edicts and not the humbler directives and even receiving officials in her residence, everyday she received petitions and even envoys from the Ming Dynasty with the King despite continued Censure from the Sarim minorities for most there was a feeling that there were two Kings in the country referring to the King as one and herself as the other.

She continued distributing to the common people land formerly owned by the nobility. She was also the most influential supporter of Buddhism during the early dynasty. Throughout the Joseon period, Buddhism had been actively discouraged and suppressed by the Neo-Confucianist government. Buddhist monks were treated as thought they were on the same social level as slaves, and were not allowed to enter the gates of the capital city however during her regime though being violent, she lifted the official ban on Buddhist worship and instigated an impressive revival of Buddhism.

The Queen Mother herself took part in many Buddhist rituals and ceremonies and commissioned a number of Buddhist paintings and Sutras more than any member of the Royal family before and after her, much of her personal wealth was dedicated to refurbishing and constructing Buddhist Temples all over Joseon.

Buddhist Paintings

She commissioned 400 Buddhist artworks and the aim of the commission was to commemorate the opening of Hoeam Temple.[6] The project was started in 1563 and was completed two years later.

The massive commission involved 100 scrolls on each of 4 triads:

• The Historical Buddha Triad (Sanskrit: शाक्यमुनि Śākyamuni; Korean: 석가모니/석가 seokgamoni/seokga)
• The Buddha of the Western Paradise Triad (अमिताभ Amitābha; 아미타불 amitabul)
• The Buddha of the Future Triad (मैत्रेय Maitreya; 미륵보살 mireukbosal)
• The Medicine Buddha Triad (भैषज्यगुरु Bhaiṣajyaguru; 약사여래/약사불 yaksayeorae/yaksabul)

In each set of 100-50 were executed in colors and gold, the other 50 in gold only.

As of 2009,[7] only 6 of the commissioned 400 are still extant.

• 1 painting in the Sakyamuni Triad – made in 1565, formerly belonging to the Hoeam Temple, discovered in Japan (in excellent condition[8]), and purchased and kept by the Mary Jackson Burke Collection in 1990 in New York. The painting is considered by experts in the field and in the Buddhist community to be one of the most important and representative Buddhist artworks produced during the Dynasty.[9]
• 1 painting in the Bhaisajyaguru Triad – currently on display at the National Museum of Korea.
• 4 paintings are in Japan.
  • 1 painting in the Sakyamuni Triad
  • 3 paintings in the Bhaisajyaguru Triad

Buddhist temples

Buddhist temples served as another proof of Seongryeol's zealous aim of the revival of Buddhism. The cornerstone of the revival of Buddhism is the Bongeun-sa Temple (a major center of Zen Buddhism).

Bongeun-sa[10] was established in 794 by Ven. Yeon-hoe,[11] and was originally called Gyeonseong-sa.[12] It was rebuilt in 1498 (by Queen Jeonghyeon's patronage) and renamed Bongeun-sa; in 1562 it was moved about 1 km to its current location and rebuilt. Its fate was destruction by fire (1592 and 1637) and repetitive rebuilding and renovations (1637, 1692, 1912, 1941, and 1981). A three-story stone stupa enshrines the Sari of Sakyamuni Buddha, brought from Sri Lanka in 1975.

The temple fell into decline during the late Goryeo era, but was reconstructed in 1498. Before the reconstruction, Buddhism fell under severe state-imposed oppression as the government maintained Neo-Confucianism as the sole state ideal. With Seongryeol's strong support for the re-awakening of Buddhism, she reconstructed Bongeun-sa and it was to become a cornerstone for early-Joseon Buddhist revival.

Ven. Bo-woo played a key role at this critical period, having been assigned as the Chief Monk of Bongeun-sa in 1548. He revived an official system of training and selecting monks in both the Seon (meditation) and Gyo (doctrinal, scholastic) sects of Korean Buddhism.[13] In 1551, Bongeun-sa became the main temple of the Jogye Seon Order, then soon became the main base for the overall restoration of Korean Buddhism. This revived training system produced such illustrious monks as Ven. Seo-san, Ven. Sa-myeong, and Ven. Byeok-am. However, after Seongryeol died, Ven. Bo-woo was killed by anti-Buddhist officials.

Grand Queen Dowager Seongryeol died in 1565 during the reign of her son. She had wanted to be buried at Jeongneung along with her husband, but the land around Jeongneung was low and prone to flooding and she was buried instead in the Taeneung Royal Tomb. She posthumously honoured as Queen Munjeong.

After her death, Yun Won-hyeong lost all political power and exiled from the capital. Unable to make a political comeback, he and his second wife, Jeong Nan-jeong, committed suicide by poison and Myeongdeong readmitted the Sarim into the Royal Court.

Upon her death, the Queen had been the direct de-facto ruler of the Joseon Dynasty for over twenty years, much longer than any other woman of her era.

It's said that within the queens who were involved in Joseon Dynasty politics, Queen Munjeong, along with Queen Wongyeong, Queen Jeonghui, Queen Myeongseong, and Empress Myeongseong, were considered the most political, bold, and broad-minded Queens of their time.

Parent

• Father − Yun Ji-Im (1475 – 14 April 1534) (윤지임)
  • 1) Grandfather − Yun Uk (1459 – 1485) (윤욱, 尹頊)
    • 2) Great-Grandfather − Yun Gye-Gyeom (1442 – 1483) (윤계겸)
      • 3) Great-Great-Grandfather − Yun Sa-Heun (1422 – 1485) (윤사흔, 尹士昐); younger brother to Queen Jeonghui
        • 4) Great-Great-Great-Grandfather − Yun Beon (1384 – 1448) (윤번), Prime Minister during the reign of King Sejo of Joseon
        • 4) Great-Great-Great-Grandmother − Grand Internal Princess Consort Heungnyeong of the Incheon Lee clan (흥녕부대부인 인천 이씨, 興寧府大夫人 仁川 李氏) (1383 – 1456)
      • 3) Great-Great-Grandmother − Lady Kim of the Gyerim Kim clan (계림 김씨)
  • 1) Grandmother − Lady Jeong of the Yeongil Jeong clan (영일 정씨) (? – 1520)
• Mother − Internal Princess Consort Jeonseong of the Jeonui Lee clan (전성부부인 전의 이씨, 全城府夫人 全義李氏) (1475 – 1511)
  • Grandfather - Lee Deok-sung (이덕숭, 李德崇)
  • Grandmother - Lady Hong of the Namyang Hong clan (남양 홍씨, 南陽 洪氏)

Siblings

• Older brother − Yun Won-Gae (윤원개, 尹元凱)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan[14]
  • Nephew − Yun Gi (윤기, 尹紀)
  • Nephew − Yun Kang (윤강, 尹綱)
  • Niece − Lady Yun (윤씨)
  • Nephew-in-law: Gu Yun (구윤, 具潤) of the Neungseung Gu clan
• Older brother − Yun Won-Ryang (1495 – 1569) (윤원량, 尹元亮)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Jang of the Suncheon Jang clan (순천 장씨)
  • Nephew − Yun So (윤소, 尹紹) (1515 – 1544)
    • Grandniece − Lady Yun (윤씨, 尹氏) (? – October 1566)
  • Nephew − Yun Chan (윤찬, 尹纘)
  • Nephew − Yun Chi (윤치, 尹緻)
  • Niece − Royal Noble Consort Suk of the Papyeong Yun clan (숙빈 윤씨, 淑嬪 尹氏) (? – 1595)[15]
• Older brother − Yun Won-Pil (1496 – 9 May 1547) (윤원필, 尹元弼)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Jeong of the Gyeongju Jeong clan (경주 정씨)
  • Nephew − Yun Yun (윤윤, 尹綸)
  • Nephew − Yun Wi (윤위, 尹緯)
  • Nephew − Yun Hoe (윤회, 尹繪)
  • Nephew − Yun Jib (윤집, 尹緝)
• Older brother − Yun Won-Ro (? – 1547) (윤원로, 尹元老)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (전주 이씨)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Yi of the Pyeongchang Yi clan (평창 이씨)
  • Nephew − Yun Baek-won (윤백원, 尹百源) (1528 – 1589)
  • Niece-in-law − Lady Kim Seon-ok (김선옥, 金善玉) of the Yeonan Kim clan (1531 – ?)[16][17]
    • Grandniece − Yun Gaemichi (개미치) (? – 1589)[18]
      • Unnamed Great-Grandnephew
  • Niece-in-law − Lady Bok-yi (복이)
    • Grandnephew − Yun Deok-gyeong (윤덕경)
  • Nephew − Yun Cheon-won (윤천원, 尹千源)
  • Nephew − Yun Man-won (윤만원, 尹萬源)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Min of the Yeoheung Min clan (여흥 민씨)
  • Nephew: Yun Jo-won (윤조원)
• Older sister − Lady Yun (윤씨)
• Younger brother − Yun Won-Hyeong (1503 – 18 November 1565) (윤원형, 尹元衡)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Kim of the Yeonan Kim clan (연안 김씨)[19]
  • Nephew − Yun Seol (윤설, 尹紲)
  • Nephew − Yun Hyo-won (윤효원, 尹孝源)
  • Nephew − Yun Chong-won (윤충원, 尹忠源)
    • Grandnephew − Yun Myeon (윤면)
  • Nephew − Yun Dam-yeon (윤담연, 尹覃淵)
  • Niece-in-law − Lady Yi
  • Niece-in-law − Lady Kim
• Sister-in-law − Jeong Nan-Jeong (? – 13 November 1565) (정난정, 鄭允謙) of the Chogye Jeong clan[20]
  • Niece − Lady Yun (윤씨, 尹氏)
• Younger half-brother − Yun Ji-sun (윤지손, 尹支孫)
• Younger half-brother − Yun Seo-sun (윤서손, 尹庶孫)
• Younger half-brother − Yun Bang-sun (윤방손, 尹傍孫)
• Younger half-brother − Yun Jeo-sun (윤저손, 尹低孫)
• Younger half-sister − Lady Yun (윤씨, 尹氏)

Husband

• Yi Yeok, King Jungjong (16 April 1488 – 29 November 1544) (조선 중종)
  • Father-in-law − Yi Hyeol, King Seongjong (성종대왕, 成宗大王) (19 August 1457 – 19 January 1495)
  • Mother-in-law − Queen Jeonghyeon of the Papyeong Yun clan (정현왕후 윤씨, 貞顯王后 尹氏) (21 July 1462 – 13 September 1530)

Children

• Daughter − Yi Ok-hye (이옥혜, 李玉惠), Princess Uihye (의혜공주) (1521 – 1564). Husband: Han Gyeong-rok (한경록, 韓景祿)
  • Grandson − Han Ui (한의, 韓漪)
    • Great-grandson − Han Sa-seong (한사성, 韓師聖)
    • Great-grandson − Han Sa-deok (한사덕, 韓師德) (1575 – 1629)
  • Grandson − Han Wan (한완, 韓浣)
  • Grandson − Han Sun (한순, 韓淳)
  • Granddaughter − Lady Han
• Daughter − Yi Ok-ryeon (이옥련, 李玉蓮), Princess Hyosun (효순공주) (1522 – 1538). Husband: Gu Sa-yeon (구사안, 具思顔) of the Neungseung Gu clan (1523 – 22 April 1562)[21]
  • Unnamed grandson (1538 – 1538); miscarriage
  • Adoptive grandson − Gu Hong (구홍, 具弘)
• Unnamed child (1528)[22]
• Daughter − Yi Ok-hyeon (이옥현, 李玉賢), Princess Gyeonghyeon (경현공주) (1530 – 1584). Husband: Sin Ui (신의, 申檥)[23]
  • Grandson − Sin Sa-jeong (신사정, 申士楨)
• Son − Yi Hwan, King Myeongjong (3 July 1534 – 3 August 1567) (이환 경원대군). Wife: Queen Insun of the Cheongseong Sim clan (인순왕후 심씨, 仁順王后 沈氏) (27 June 1532 – 12 February 1575)
  • Grandson − Yi Bu, Crown Prince Sunhoe (순회세자 이부, 順懷世子 李暊) (1 July 1551 – 6 October 1563)
• Daughter − Princess Insun (1542 – 1545) (인순공주)[24]

• Portrayed by Kim Hye-ja in the 1985 MBC TV series The Wind Orchid.
• Portrayed by Jeon In-hwa in the 2001 SBS TV series Ladies of the Palace.
• Portrayed by Park Jeong-sook in the 2003 MBC TV series Dae Jang Geum.
• Portrayed by Lee Duk-Hee in the 2008 KBS2 TV series Hometown of Legends.
• Portrayed by Park Ji-young in the 2013 KBS2 TV series The Fugitive of Joseon.
• Portrayed by Kim Young-ae in the 2016 JTBC TV series Mirror of the Witch.
• Portrayed by Kim Mi-sook in the 2016 MBC TV series The Flower in Prison.
• Portrayed by Lee Kyung-jin in the 2019 TV Chosun series Joseon Survival Period.

• Jungjong of Joseon
• Myeongjong of Joseon
• Yun Won-hyeong – Munjeong's younger brother
• Korean Buddhism
• Queen Jeonghui – Munjeong's ascendant through her father
• Queen Janggyeong – Munjeong's relative

• 문정왕후 (in Korean). Doosan Encyclopedia.