Jungjong of Joseon

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Jungjong (Korean: 중종; Hanja: 中宗; 25 April 1488 – 9 December 1544), personal name Yi Yeok (이역; 李懌), firstly titled Grand Prince Jinseong (진성대군; 晉城大君), was the 11th monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He succeeded to the throne after the deposition of his elder half-brother, the tyrannical Yeonsangun.^[1]

In September 1506, on the day Yeonsangun was deposed, soldiers belonging to the coup's leaders surrounded the house of Grand Prince Jinseong. He was about to commit suicide, thinking that his older half-brother was finally going to kill him, but after being dissuaded by his wife, Lady Shin (later known as Queen Dangyeong), Grand Prince Jinseong found himself becoming the eleventh king of Joseon.

Jungjong worked hard to wipe out the remnants of Yeonsangun's era by reopening Sungkyunkwan (the royal university) and the Office of Censors (which criticizes inappropriate actions of the king). However, during the early days of his reign, the new king could not exert the royal power freely as those who put him on the throne held immense control over the country. When three of the main leaders of coup died of old age or natural causes in the next eight years, Jungjong began to assert his authority and carried out large-scale reforms with the help of Jo Gwang-jo and other Sarim scholars, despite much opposition from conservative nobles who had participated in the 1506 rebellion.

Jo Gwang-jo strengthened local autonomy by establishing a self-governing system called Hyangyak, promoted Confucian writings by translating them into hangul (Korean native script) and distributing them widely, pursued a land reform that would distribute land more equally between the rich and poor, and introduced a supplementary system to recruit talents for the government. He believed that any talented people, including slaves, should be appointed as officials regardless of social status. The Annals of the Joseon dynasty state that during his time as Inspector General (Daesaheon; 대사헌), he enforced the laws strictly so that no official dared to receive a bribe or exploit the local populace.^[2]

While Jungjong and Jo Gwang-jo shared a common passion for the reformist agenda, the former was chiefly interested in solidifying royal authority whereas the latter was more concerned with neo-Confucian ideology, according to which those who rule must be a virtuous example to the rest.^[3] Jo's uncompromising character and frequent remonstrations also began to irritate the king.

In late 1519, the conservative officials came up with a plan to further weaken Jo Gwang-jo's influence; they used honey to write Ju Cho Wi Wang ("Ju Cho will be King"; 주초위왕, 走肖爲王) on mulberry leaves so that caterpillars would leave behind the same words as if in supernatural manifestation. When the hanja characters 走 (ju) and 肖 (cho) are put together, they form the character 趙 (jo), and the expression's meaning changes to "Jo [Gwang-jo] will be King". The incident was reminiscent of another occurrence that took place before the fall of the Goryeo dynasty, when the phrase Mok Ja Deuk Guk ("Son of wood will gain the country"; 목자득국, 木子得國) became popular. In this case, the combined characters 木 ("wood") and 子 ("son") form the character 李 ("yi"), which was the surname of General Yi Seong-gye (later known as King Taejo, the founder of Joseon).

The only living leader of the 1506 coup, Hong Gyeong-ju (홍경주; 洪景舟), used this event to heighten Jungjong's suspicions and fears. Finally, in January 1520, Jo Gwang-jo was executed on charges of factionalism and many of his followers were exiled, while his radical reform programs were abruptly abandoned. The incident became known as the Third Literati Purge (Gimyo Sahwa; 기묘사화, 己卯士禍).^[4]

After Jo Gwang-jo's elimination, Jungjong never had the chance to rule on his own again. His reign was marked by tumultuous struggle among various conservative factions, each of them backed by one of the king's wives or concubines.

In 1524, Nam Gon and Shim Jung ousted the corrupt official Gim Ahn-ro (김안로; 金安老), but he managed to return to power and took revenge by accusing Royal Noble Consort Gyeong (one of the king's concubines) of plotting against the crown prince, which led to her execution along with her only son, Prince Bokseong. Following this case, Gim Ahn-ro started using the protection of the crown prince as an excuse to begin a reign of terror against his enemies, and even attempted to depose Jungjong's third wife, Queen Munjeong, after she gave birth to a son (the future King Myeongjong). He eventually met his downfall at the hands of the queen's brothers, Yun Won-ro and Yun Won-hyeong. Despite these events, Yun Im, older brother of the late Queen Janggyeong and an ally of Gim Ahn-ro, was able to maintain his standing and preserve his nephew's position as heir to the throne.

The scholars and officials now gathered around two new centers of power and each group developed into separate political factions. Yun Im's party became known as "Greater Yun" and the Yun brothers' party as "Lesser Yun". Their conflict caused the Fourth Literati Purge (Ulsa Sahwa; 을사사화, 乙巳士禍) after Jungjong's death.

As the royal court was weakened by the continual internal conflict, foreign powers driven away by earlier monarchs returned with much greater effect. Japanese pirates often plundered the southern coastal regions, while the Jurchens attacked the northern frontier numerous times, bleeding the army dry.

The king died on 9 December 1544 and was originally buried in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.^[5] He was later moved to the Seonjeongneung Cluster, in Seoul, the burial ground of his parents, King Seongjong and Queen Jeonghyeon. The tomb is called Jeongneung (정릉).

The throne passed to his eldest legitimate son, Crown Prince Yi Ho (posthumously honored as King Injong), who died without issue less than a year later and was succeeded by his younger half-brother, Grand Prince Gyeongwon (today known as King Myeongjong).

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• Father: King Seongjong of Joseon (조선 성종; 20 August 1457 – 20 January 1494)
  • Grandfather: King Deokjong of Joseon (조선 덕종; 1438 – 2 September 1457)
  • Grandmother: Queen Sohye of the Cheongju Han clan (소혜왕후 한씨; 7 October 1437 – 11 May 1504)
• Mother: Queen Jeonghyeon of the Papyeong Yun clan (정현왕후 윤씨; 21 July 1462 – 13 September 1530)
  • Grandfather: Yun Ho (윤호; 1424 – 9 April 1496)
  • Grandmother: Internal Princess Consort Yeonan of the Damyang Jeon clan (연안부부인 담양 전씨; 1421–1500)

Consort(s) and their respective issue

• Queen Dangyeong of the Geochang Shin clan (단경왕후 신씨; 26 February 1487 – 6 January 1558)
• Queen Janggyeong of the Papyeong Yun clan (장경왕후 윤씨; 19 August 1491 – 26 March 1515)
  • Yi Ok-ha, Princess Hyohye (효혜공주 이옥하 ; 13 June 1511 – 6 May 1531), first daughter
  • Crown Prince Yi Ho (왕세자 이호; 10 March 1515 – 7 August 1545), fifth son
• Queen Munjeong of the Papyeong Yun clan (문정왕후 윤씨; 12 December 1501 – 15 May 1565)
  • Yi Ok-hye, Princess Uihye (의혜공주 이옥혜; 1521–1564), seventh daughter
  • Yi Ok-rin, Princess Hyosun (효순공주 이옥린; 1522–1538), eighth daughter
  • Yi Ok-hyeon, Princess Gyeonghyeon (경현공주 이옥현; 1530–1584), eleventh daughter
  • Yi Hwan, Grand Prince Gyeongwon (경원대군 이환; 3 July 1534 – 3 August 1567), thirteenth son
  • Princess Insun (인순공주; 1542–1545), twelfth daughter
• Royal Noble Consort Gyeong of the Miryang Park clan (경빈 박씨; 1492 – 25 June 1533)
  • Yi Mi, Prince Bokseong (복성군 이미; 28 September 1509 – 18 June 1533), first son
  • Yi Cheol-hwan, Princess Hyesun (혜순옹주 이철환; 1513–1583), second daughter
  • Yi Seok-hwan, Princess Hyejeong (혜정공주 이석환; 27 October 1514 – 1580), third daughter
• Royal Noble Consort Hui of the Namyang Hong clan (희빈 홍씨; 27 May 1494 – 11 December 1581)
  • Yi Yeong, Prince Geumwon (금원군 이영; 1513–1562), third son
  • Sixth son (1516)
  • Seventh son (1520)
  • Eighth son (1524)
  • Yi Wan, Prince Bongseong (봉성군 이완; 1528–1547), eleventh son
• Royal Noble Consort Chang of the Ansan Ahn clan (창빈 안씨; 11 September 1499 – 17 November 1549)
  • Yi Geo, Prince Yeongyang (영양군 이거; 24 April 1521 – 27 July 1561), fifth son
  • Yi Su (이수; 1525–1526), tenth son
  • Yi Seon-hwan, Princess Jeongsin (정신옹주 이선환; 1526–1552), tenth daughter
  • Yi Cho, Grand Internal Prince Deokheung (덕흥대원군 이초; 2 April 1530 – 14 June 1559), twelfth son
• Royal Consort Gwi-in of the Cheongju Han clan (귀인 한씨; 1494–1571)^[a]
  • Fourth son (1514)
• Royal Consort Suk-ui of the Naju Na clan (숙의 나씨; 1489–1514)
• Royal Consort Suk-ui of the Gyeongju Yi clan (숙의 이씨; 1505–1524)
  • Yi Gi, Prince Deokyang (덕양군 이기; 31 October 1524 – 22 July 1581), ninth son
• Royal Consort Suk-ui of the Namyang Hong clan (숙의 홍씨; 1493–?)
  • Yi Hui, Prince Haean (해안군 이희; 15 June 1511 – 4 August 1573), second son
• Royal Consort Suk-ui of the Kim clan (숙의 김씨; 1505–1562)
  • Yi Su-hwan, Princess Sukjeong (숙정옹주 이수환; 1525–1564), ninth daughter
• Royal Consort Suk-won of the Gwon clan (숙원 권씨; 1492–?)
• Royal Consort Suk-won of the Daewon Yi clan (숙원 이씨; 1502–1520)
  • Yi Jeong-hwan, Princess Jeongsun (정순옹주 이정환; 18 December 1517 – 22 September 1581), fifth daughter
  • Yi Sun-hwa, Princess Hyojeong (효정옹주 이순환; 1520–1544), sixth daughter
• Unknown
  • Yi Wol-hwan (이월환; 1516–1520), fourth daughter

• Portrayed by Lee Gyung-yung in the 1988 film Diary of King Yeonsan.
• Portrayed by Choi Jong-hwan in the 2001–2002 SBS TV series Ladies of the Palace and in the 2017 SBS TV series Saimdang, Memoir of Colors.
• Portrayed by Im Ho in the 2003–2004 MBC TV series Dae Jang Geum.
• Portrayed by Park Chan-hwan in the 2006 KBS2 TV series Hwang Jini.
• Portrayed by Noh Young-hak in the 2007–2008 SBS TV series The King and I.
• Portrayed by Choi Il-hwa in the 2013 KBS2 TV series The Fugitive of Joseon.
• Portrayed by Go Kyung-pyo in the 2015 film The Treacherous.
• Portrayed by Kim Beop-rae in the 2016 MBC TV series The Flower in Prison.
• Portrayed by Baek Seung-hwan and Yeon Woo-jin in the 2017 KBS2 TV series Queen for Seven Days.
• Portrayed by Park Hee-soon in the 2018 film Monstrum.

• Seonjeongneung

• 중종 (in Korean). Doosan Encyclopedia.