Crown Prince Munhyo

Crown Prince Munhyo (13 October 1782 – 6 June 1786), personal name Yi Sun, was the first son of Jeongjo of Joseon and his favorite concubine, Royal Noble Consort Ui of the Changnyeong Seong clan. He was the older half-brother of King Sunjo.

King Jeongjo was deeply attached to his son, and the death of the prince was a great shock to the king. Unable to believe that his son was gone, he wished it were all just a dream. Crown Prince Munhyo was posthumously granted the title of "Taeja" (태자) by King Gojong after the establishment of the Korean Empire in 1897.

Life
On the morning of September 7, 1782, in the lunar calendar, he was born to King Jeongjo of Joseon and his concubine, Uibin Sung. The child was the first son of King Jeongjo, but he was a concubine's son. King Jeongjo was very happy when the child was born.

"(In Korean): '비로소 아비라는 소리를 듣게 되었으니, 이것이 다행스럽다.'

(Translation): 'Finally, I have heard the sound of 'father'. This is a fortunate thing.'"

King Jeongjo had been childless for over 20 years despite being married to Queen Hyeonhye, and none of his concubines had borne him a son. However, in 1782, his concubine, Uibin Sung, gave birth Yi Sun. Overjoyed by this event, King Jeongjo immediately enfeoffed Yi Sun as his first son (wonja).

In 1786, when Yi Sun was 4 years old (3 years and 4 months old), King Jeongjo appointed him as the crown prince. This was a very unusual move, as the crown prince was traditionally appointed at the age of 10.

However, Crown Prince Munhyo suddenly succumbed to smallpox on June 6, 1786 (May 11 in the lunar calendar) at the age of 5, in the east hall of Jagyeongjeon in Changgyeong Palace. His death was a profound shock to King Jeongjo, who mourned deeply. It also had a significant impact on the history of Joseon, sparking a power struggle between the supporters of Munhyo and those of his half-brother, Sunjo.

On May 14, 1786 (the 10th year of King Jeongjo), the posthumous title of the crown prince was discussed in the royal court and decided to be "Onhyo" (温孝).

"(In Korean): '꿈인가, 참인가, 꿈이라 하여 반드시 꿈도 아닐 것이고 참이라 하여 반드시 참도 아닐 것이다.'

(Translation): 'Is it a dream, or is it real? It is not necessarily a dream because it is a dream, and it is not necessarily true because it is true.'"

On May 22, 1786 (the 10th year of King Jeongjo), the posthumous title of the crown prince was revised to "Munhyo" (文孝). The eulogy for the crown prince, "Munhyo Seja Jinhyangmun", was written by Yeonam Bak Jiwon, and the epitaph, "Munhyo Seja Jimun," was written by Kim Jong-su (politician). The poem "Munhyo Seja Manjang" is included in the collection of poems and essays titled "Joengjeop", authored by the Joseon scholar Lee Seongwon. This collection is currently archived in the library of Yonsei University.

Birth place
In Korean culture, the placenta of a royal child is considered a sacred object, believed to contain the essence of the child's life. It is often enshrined in a special place called "tae sil". In 1783, the placenta of Munhyoseoja, the crown prince of Joseon, was enshrined at Yongmunsa Temple in Yecheon, Gyeongbuk Province. The tae sil was located 50 meters away from Duunam Temple, near the back mountain of Daejangjeon.

During the Japanese occupation, the Iwangjik (Office of the Royal Household) removed the contents of the tae sil, leaving only the tombstone. The tae sil was restored in 1977 after some destruction. It is located at 285-30 Yongmunsa-gil, Naechon-ri, Yongmun-myeon, Yecheon-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do. The location of the tae sil is significant because Yecheon is an area with a deep connection to King Jeongjo, as it contains the birthplace of King Jeongjo's father, Crown Prince Sado.

Tomb
The tomb of Crown Prince Munhyo is called Hyochanggum (효창원). Originally, it was situated in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, alongside the tomb of his mother. However, it was forcibly relocated to Wondang-dong, Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si, and Gyeonggi-do during the Japanese occupation. As a result, it is currently situated alongside the tomb of Yi Soseon (의소세자, the son of King Yeongjo). The former site of Hyochanggum is now the location of Hyochang Park.

Legacy
After the 18th century, there was a growing trend toward producing paintings that realistically depicted scenes of the crown prince's enthronement or the Donggung rites associated with the crown prince's education. Works such as 'Munhyo Crown Prince Etiquette Record,' portraying the enthronement ceremony of Crown Prince Munhyo, and 'Wangseja Iphak Docheop', portraying the admission ceremony at Sungkyunkwan for Crown Prince Hyomyeong, serve as representative examples. These two paintings are important historical documents that provide insights into the life and culture of the Joseon court.

In 1782, upon the appointment of Prince Munhyo as the crown prince, the Qing imperial court sent a jade Buddha from Burma to wish for his longevity. This precious gift from a powerful neighbor symbolized the Qing court's support for the Joseon dynasty. In response, King Jeongjo reconstructed Sungkyansa Temple to house the jade Buddha. However, the current whereabouts of the jade Buddha remain unknown.

King Jeongjo visited the tomb of Crown Prince Munhyo several times, and this is why the name of the hill in Yongsan-gu, Hyochanggun, is called "Geodunggogae" (거둥고개, lit. 'the hill where the king traveled').

Hongyebun (홍예분) was a village located in Singongdeok-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. It was located on the way to Hyochanggum, the tomb of Crown Prince Munhyo. The village was named after the appearance of the mound of Hyochanggum from a distance. The mound was shaped like a rainbow, and it was said to be a sign of the crown prince's good fortune.

Family

 * Father: Yi San, King Jeongjo (정조 이산) (28 October 1752 – 18 August 1800)
 * Biological grandfather: Jangjo of Joseon (조선 장조) (13 February 1735 – 12 July 1762)
 * Adoptive grandfather: Jinjong of Joseon (조선 진종) (April 4, 1719 – December 16, 1728)
 * Biological grandmother: Queen Heongyeong of the Pungsan Hong clan (헌경왕후 홍씨) (6 August 1735 – 13 January 1816)
 * Adoptive grandmother: Queen Hyosun of the Pungyang Jo clan (효순왕후 조씨) (8 January 1716 – 30 December 1751)
 * Biological mother: Royal Noble Consort Ui of the Changnyeong Seong clan (의빈 성씨) (6 August 1753 – 4 November 1786)
 * Grandfather: Seong Yun-u (성윤우) (1709 – 1769)
 * Grandmother: Lady Im of the Buan Im clan (부인 임씨) (1722 – 1756)
 * Adoptive mother: Queen Hyoui of the Cheongpung Kim clan (효의왕후 김씨) (5 January 1754 – 10 April 1821)

In popular culture

 * Portrayed by Cha Jae-dol in the 2007 MBC TV series Lee San, Wind of the Palace.
 * Portrayed by Park Da-on in the 2021 MBC TV series The Red Sleeve.