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Royal Noble Consort Su of the Bannam Park clan (Korean: 수빈 반남 박씨; Hanja: 綏嬪 潘南 朴氏; 1 June 1770 – 31 January 1823) was a concubine of Jeongjo of Joseon and the mother of King Sunjo. She was also given an alternative royal title, Royal Noble Consort Yu (유빈; 綏嬪).

Biography

Early life

The future Royal Consort was born on May 21, 1770, into the Bannam Park clan, as the fourth child and second daughter of Park Jun-won, the Minister of Justice, and Lady Won of the Wonju Won clan.

Life as Royal Concubine

In 1787, because King Jeongjo was once again heirless, Queen Dowager Yesun decided to choose a new concubine for her step-grandson, and Lady Park was selected on February 8, when she was 16 years old.

Three days later, on February 11, Lady Park was invested as a concubine of the Bin rank, with the prefix Su (綏), meaning "upright/pacifist". The following day, the new Royal Noble Consort Su entered the palace.

On July 27, 1790, she gave birth to a son, Yi Gong (이공), who was appointed as Crown Prince in 1800, at the age of 10.

On March 1, 1793, Lady Park gave birth to Princess Sukseon (숙선옹주).

Su-bin was described as gentle, well-behaved and courteous. She was also usually taciturn and lived simply. As a result, she was greatly admired as "a benevolent concubine" (賢嬪).

She is the only concubine in Joseon's history who lived long enough to see her son ascend the throne.

Death and burial

On January 31, 1823, Royal Noble Consort Su died at Bogyeongdang Hall in Changdeokgung.

Originally, she was buried in Dongdaemun District, Seoul, but in 1855 (the 6th year of King Cheoljong's reign), when Illeung, the tomb of King Sunjo, was moved to another location, her tomb was also moved to Sungangwon. In the 14th year of King Cheoljong's reign, it was moved again to its current place (in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province), because the location of the Sungangwon was reportedly not good, according to Feng Shui. The tomb is known as Hwigyeongwon.

Her ancestral tablet is enshrined in Chilgung (or the "Palace of Seven Royal Concubines"). Because of this, she is also known as Lady Gasun (가순궁; 嘉順宮) or Lady Gyeongwoo (경우궁; 景祐宮).

Posthumously, Lady Park was firstly honoured as Hyeonmok Subin (현목수빈), but in 1901, during the 5th year of Emperor Gwangmu's reign, her title was changed to Hyeonmok Subi (현목수비).

Family

• Father: Park Jun-won (박준원; 1739–1807)
• Mother: Lady Won of the Wonju Won clan (원주 원씨; 1740–1783)
• Siblings
  • Older brother: Park Jong-bo (박종보; 朴宗輔; 1760–1807)
  • Older brother: Park Jong-gyeong (박종경; 朴宗慶; 1765–1817)
  • Older sister: Lady Park of the Bannam Park clan (정부인 반남 박씨; 貞夫人 潘南 朴氏)
  • Younger brother: Park Jong-ik (박종익; 朴宗翊; 1773–1791)
  • Younger brother: Park Jong-hui (박종희; 朴宗喜; 1775–1849)
  • Younger sister: Lady Park of the Bannam Park clan (반남 박씨)
  • Younger sister: Lady Park of the Bannam Park clan (반남 박씨)
  • Younger sister: Lady Park of the Bannam Park clan (반남 박씨)
  • Younger half-brother: Park Jong-yeom (박종염; 朴宗琰; 1797–1857)
  • Younger half-brother: Park Jong-yeong (박종영; 朴宗永; 1804–?)
• Husband: Yi San, King Jeongjo of Joseon (이산 조선 정조; 28 October 1752 – 18 August 1800)
• Issue
  • Son: Yi Gong, King Sunjo of Joseon (이공 조선 순조; 29 July 1790 – 13 December 1834)
  • Daughter: Princess Sukseon (숙선옹주; 1 March 1793 – 7 June 1836)

Notes

1. According to the lunar calendar

References

1. Hwigyeongwon http://www.nyj.go.kr/english/culture/02_02_05.jsp
2. Cultural Heritage http://jikimi.cha.go.kr/english/royal_palaces_new/Gwangneung.jsp?mc=EN_05_02_01

• 18th-century Korean people
• 1770 births
• 1822 deaths
• Royal consorts of Joseon
• 18th-century Korean women
• Mothers of Korean monarchs