Sun-bin Bong
Royal Noble Consort Sun of the Haeum Bong Clan was the second consort of the crown prince of Joseon. She was banished after it was discovered that she was sleeping with one of her ladies maids.[1]
| Royal Noble Consort Sun of the Bong Clan 순빈 봉씨 | |
|---|---|
| Crown Princess of Joseon | |
| Tenure | 1429 - 1436 |
| Predecessor | Crown Princess Hwi |
| Successor | Crown Princess Kwon |
| Born | 1414 Kingdom of Joseon |
| Spouse | King Munjong of Joseon |
| House | Haeum Bong Clan |
| Father | Bong Ryeo (봉려) |
Biography
Lady Bong was made Royal Noble Consort Sun (hanja: 純嬪;Hangul: 순빈) in 1429, a few months after her predecessor, Royal Noble Consort Hwi was thrown out of the palace for witchcraft.[2] The crown prince apparently did not favour her, which made her incredibly angry.[1] She reportedly took the crown prince's clothing and female clothing from the palace to send to her natal home, which breached etiquette.[1]
When Royal Consort Kwon became pregnant, Royal Noble Consort Sun apparently complained to the palace women that she would dismissed in favour of Kwon and she frequently cried. Her complaints became known throughout the palace and the king reportedly scolded her that she should be happy that another concubine was pregnant when she was not.[1] Sejong also scolded the crown prince that his concubine was pregnant but his official wife had no children, after which he spent more time with her. Later, Royal Noble Consort Sun reportedly became pregnant, but miscarried and buried the remains. However, when servants were sent to retrieve the child's remains, they found only empty burial clothes.[1]
Demotion
The court records of 1436 note that Royal Noble Consort Sun apparently also sent surplus food from palace meals to her natal home, spied on people outside of her palace through a gap in the wall of the servant's toilet, and received a visit from her aunt's husband after her father's death without notifying the crown prince, which, they said, showed a lack of regard for the general good.[1]
The consort was also accused of being overintimate with So-ssang (소쌍), one of her maids and a member of the nobi slave class. The two were described as inseparable and So-ssang reportedly slept with her mistress. When the crown prince had questioned why her maid slept with her, the consort responded that she loved him, but he didn't love her. So-ssang later told the court how Royal Noble Consort Sun had invited her to lie down with her, whilst the other maids slept outside. Though So-ssang initially declined, the consort insisted, and So-ssang eventually undressed and went behind the screen where her mistress took off her remaining clothes and forced her to lie next to her 'as if with a man'.[3] Royal Noble Consort Sun then told the court that she was intimate with So-ssang night and day, as well as with another servant called Dan-ji (단지), because it solved the fact that she slept alone.[1]
Upon hearing that Royal Noble Consort Sun had been initimate with a member of the nobi class, King Sejong consulted with various officials on demoting another of the crown prince's consorts. The officials supported the motion to demote her, and Royal Noble Consort Sun was made a commoner and banished. The decree for her dismissal, however, excluded any mention of her sleeping with her maid and focussed instead on her sending palace supplies to her natal home and receiving visitors without her husband's knowledge.[1]
Popular culture
- Portrayed by Yeo Min-joo in the 2008 KBS2 TV series The Great King, Sejong
References
Notes
- Veritable Records of Sejong, volume 75.
- Veritable Records of Sejong, volume 46.
- 嬪盡奪餘衣, 强使入臥相戲, 有如男子交合狀。
Works cited
- 世宗實錄 [Veritable Records of Sejong]. 1454.