Prince Hyeryeong

Prince Hyeryeong (惠寧君, 1407 – 1 August 1440 (lunar calendar 25th day of the 6th month)) was a royal of Joseon, the eighth son of Taejong and a son by a secondary wife, the fourth of the sons born to concubines. His courtesy name was Seon-yeo (善餘), and his pen name was Donggye (桐溪).

Life

His personal name was Ji (祉). In 1427 (the 9th year of Sejong's reign), he was enfeoffed as Prince Hongnyeong (弘寧君),¹ and two years later he was renamed Prince Hyeryeong (惠寧君).² In 1430 (the 12th year of Sejong's reign), he fought with Prince Onnyeong at the Royal Clan School and engaged in wild and reckless conduct. Sejong strictly forbade his comings and goings, confiscated his senior second-rank patent and stipend, and punished him. Sejong made the following remarks about Prince Hyeryeong's recklessness:³

In 1433 (the 15th year of Sejong's reign), he caused problems, including failing to attend the ceremonial congratulations for the emperor's birthday (聖節賀禮). In 1438 (the 20th year of Sejong's reign), he served as a Gyepumsa (計稟使) envoy, went to Beijing, and received an imperial edict from the emperor of the Ming dynasty upon his return, for which he was credited with merit.

In 1440 (the 22nd year of Sejong's reign), he died. Sejong suspended court audiences for three days and granted coffin and outer coffin materials, 100 seok each of rice and beans, 40 bolts of cloth, 3 bolts of ramie cloth (苧布), and 200 sheets of paper. He ordered Chung Chok (鄭陟), Vice Director of the Office of Scribes (判承文院事), to oversee the funeral and bury him according to ritual. He also bestowed on Prince Hyeryeong the posthumous name Yanghoe (襄懷). Sejong wished to visit Prince Hyeryeong's house in person, but his ministers opposed this on grounds including the heat, and the visit was called off.⁴

Tomb

Prince Hyeryeong's tomb was initially located inside the east gate of Suwon. Three years later, by Sejong's order, which wished for the tomb of Shim On (沈溫), his father-in-law who had died unjustly, to be managed by the state together with the royal princes' tombs, it was moved to Mount Ui-dong 234, Yeongtong-gu, facing northwest (경좌). The present tomb was relocated in 2008 to the western ridge beside the tomb of Shim On, posthumously Lord Ahyo, to make way for the development of . The tomb of Prince Hyeryeong forms a twin tomb with his wife, Lady Mansong Yun, and the tombs of his son, Prince Yecheon, and his grandson, Prince Chuksan, are also arranged together with it. The tomb of Prince Hyeryeong is currently located at 440-1 Ui-dong, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.