Royal Consort Hui of the Papyeong Yun clan (Korean: 희비 윤씨; Hanja: 禧妃 尹氏; 1310–1380) was a Korean queen consort as the second wife of Chunghye of Goryeo and the mother of his successor, Chungjeong of Goryeo.[1] She was the third Goryeo Queen consort who did not receive a Posthumous name like the other queen consorts following Lady Yi.
Biography
Background
The future Consort Hui was born into the noble Papyeong Yun clan as the daughter of Yun Gye-jong (윤계종), son of Yun Bo (윤보) and Lady Min (민씨), daughter of Min Jeok (민적) from the Yeoheung Min clan.[2] She had one older brother and one younger brother.
Palace life
It was unknown when she entered the palace as King Chunghye's 2nd wife, but it's estimated around 1331. In December 1348, after the childless King Chungmok, Princess Deoknyeong's son died, Yun's only son, Wang Jeo ascended the throne as the new king,[3][4] but she was unable to acted as his regent due to Deoknyeong's power.
Since she was the biological mother of the reign King, her clan became one of the most powerful at that time and her maternal uncle, Min Hwan (민환) was said to believed in authority and his tyranny was very severe.[5][6] Wanting to respect his biological mother, in 1349, King Chungjeong build a wealth for her and call it "Gyeongsun Mansion" (경순부; 慶順府) while gave her 1 Seung (승; 丞) and Ju-bu (주부; 注簿), also 2 Sa-in (사인; 舍人).[7][8] After the death of Prince Yongsan, Yun took over the throne and made her influence in the court.[9]
However, in 1352, King Chungjeong retired from the throne due to the Yuan dynasty's invasion and gave the throne to his uncle, Wang Gi. Knowing that her son went to Ganghwa Island, it was said that she spent several days crying with anxiety about him.[10] Then, under King Gongmin's permission, she went to Ganghwa and stayed in there for a few days before meeting Chungjeong in person. In March 1352, King Chungjeong was poisoned in Ganghwa Island and she later died in 1380 (6th year reign of King U) after a long and lonely life.[11]
Later life
Although Yun was the biological mother of the former King Chungjeong, the Goryeo royal families didn't perform any ancestral rites for her. Later, in January 1391, the reign king, Gongyang accepted the suggestion of Yejo (예조; 禮曹) and made the ancestral rites for her.[12]
^"민제" [Min Je]. 국역 국조인물고 (in Korean). Retrieved August 29, 2021.
^"파평 윤씨 - 여주시사". Yeoju City Temple (in Korean). Retrieved August 29, 2021.
^'희비 윤씨' 지성원, "궁궐에 치맛바람 불었데요" ['Royal Consort Hui of the Yun clan' Ji Sung-won, "A bitter wind blew in the palace"]. Chosun News (in Korean). March 27, 2006. Retrieved August 29, 2021.