Yeongjo of Joseon

Yeongjo (1694-1776, r. 1724-1776) was the twenty-first king of the Korean Joseon Dynasty. He was the second son of Sukjong, and succeeded his older brother Gyeongjong.

King Yeongjo was a deeply Confucian monarch, and is said to have had a greater knowledge of the classics than his officials. During the reign of Yeongjo and his grandson Jeongjo, Confucianization was at its height as was economic recovery from the wars of the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries.

The king is also famous for having treasured Park Mun-su, who was appointed as Amhaeng-eosa (암행어사) or secret governmental inspectors. Park, who had earned great merit in putting down Yi In-ja's rebellion, went around the nation arresting corrupt local officers in the name of the king.

The only significantly dismal incident during Yeongjo's reign was the forced suicide of his son, the crown prince Sado. Sado most likely suffered from mental illness. He randomly killed people in the palace and was a sexual deviant. Yeongjo refused to kill his son with his own hand and Sado would not follow orders from his father to take his own life. On a hot August day in 1767, Sado was ordered to climb into a large wooden rice chest. After eight days, Sado died of suffocation.

Nine years later Yeongjo died, and Sado's son, Jeongjo became king. Yeongjo was buried in the dynastic tombs at Donggureung.

Yeongjo was the first to take action against Roman Catholic activities in the country. By the 18th century, Catholicism was beginning to acquire a following especially in the Gangwon and Hwanghae provinces. In 1758, Yeongjo officially outlawed Catholicism as an evil practice.

Family

• Father: King Sukjong (숙종)
• Mother: Royal Noble Consort Sook of the Choi clan (숙빈 최씨)
• Consorts:
• Queen Jeongseong of the Seo clan (정성왕후 서씨, 1692-1757)
• Queen Jeongsun of the Kim clan (정순왕후 김씨, 1745–1805)
• Royal Noble Consort Jeong of the Lee clan (정빈 이씨)
• Royal Noble Consort Yeong of the Lee clan (영빈 이씨)
• Jo Gwi-in (귀인 조씨)
• Moon Suk-ui (숙의 문씨)
• Issue:
• Prince Successor Hyojang (효장세자, 1719–1728), Only Son of Royal Noble Consort Jeong of the Lee clan.
• Prince Successor Sado (사도세자, 1735-1762), Only Son of Royal Noble Consort Yeong of the Lee clan.
• Princess Hwapyeong (화평옹주) - 1st Daughter of Royal Noble Consort Yeong of the Lee clan.
• Princess Hwahyeop (화협옹주) - 2nd Daughter of Royal Noble Consort Yeong of the Lee clan.
• Princess Hwawan (화완옹주) - 3rd Daughter of Royal Noble Consort Yeong of the Lee clan.
• Princess Hwasoon (화순옹주) - 2nd Daughter of Royal Noble Consort Jeong of the Lee clan.
• Princess Hwayoo (화유옹주) - Only Daughter of Jo Gwi-in.
• Princess Hwaryeong (화령옹주) - 1st Daughter of Moon Suk-ui.
• Princess Hwagil (화길옹주) - 2nd Daughter of Moon Suk-ui.

His full posthumous name

• King Yeongjo Jangsun Jihaeng Sundeok Yeongmo Uiryeol Jang-ui Hong-yun Gwang-in Donhui Checheon Geongeuk Seonggong Sinhwa Daeseong Gwang-un Gaetae Giyeong Yomyeong Suncheol Geon-geon Gonyeong Baemyeong Sutong Gyeongryeok Honghyu Junghwa Yungdo Sukjang Changhun Jeongmun Seonmu Huigyeong Hyeonhyo the Great of Korea
• 영조장순지행순덕영모의렬장의홍윤광인돈희체천건극성공신화대성광운개태기영요명순철건건곤영배명수통경력홍휴중화융도숙장창훈정문선무희경현효대왕
• 英祖莊順至行純德英謨毅烈章義洪倫光仁敦禧體天建極聖功神化大成廣運開泰基永堯明舜哲乾健坤寧配命垂統景曆洪休中和隆道肅莊彰勳正文宣武熙敬顯孝大王

References