Princess Sukhwi

Princess Sukhwi (淑徽公主, 17 February 1642 – 27 October 1696) was a princess of Joseon and the fourth daughter of Hyojong and Queen Inseon.

Life

On 17 February 1642 (the 20th year of King Injo), she was born in the Jilgwan (hostage residence) in Shenyang, Qing China, as the fourth daughter of Prince Bongrim (later Hyojong), who was living as a hostage there, and Lady Jang of Punganbu Buin (later Queen Inseon).

In October 1653 (the 4th year of Hyojong), she was married to Jeong Je-hyeon (鄭齊賢), Inpyeong Uiwi (寅平尉), who was the grandson of Right Chanchan Jeong Yu-seong (鄭維城) and the maternal grandson of Three Scholars Hong Ik-han (洪翼漢). In December of the same year, her wedding ceremony was held, but this day was the memorial day of Queen Inyeol, a national mourning day; the ceremony officials did not properly recognize this and the wedding was carried out as scheduled.¹

She had two sons and one daughter with Jeong Je-hyeon, but only the second son, Jeong Tae-il (鄭台一), survived to adulthood.

In 1660 (the 1st year of Hyeonjong), when Inpyeong Uiwi Jeong Je-hyeon fell ill, Queen Inseon suspected that this was caused by a curse from Seolmae (雪梅), a government entertainer (gwangi) of Jeonju whom Jeong Je-hyeon's grandfather, Jeong Yu-seong, had favored and brought into his household. She interrogated Yegeum (禮今), a maidservant of Princess Sukhwi, in connection with Seolmae. Yegeum said that, at Seolmae's instigation, she had buried filthy objects in the ground and plotted wicked deeds, and implicated her own mother Aejong (愛終), her older brother Girip (起立), and Bunyi (粉伊), Seolmae's maidservant and her own younger sister.²

Seolmae fled and committed suicide by poison. Aejong, Girip, and Bunyi did not confess to the charges, and Yegeum, because she had implicated her mother and had her tortured, was subjected to torture and died on the charge of committing a crime against the moral bonds of society (gangsangjoe). The king ordered that the interrogation of Aejong, Girip, and Bunyi be suspended and released those related to the case. The incident was closed without clear explanation, and many people at the time regarded it as a grave injustice.