Gongmin of Goryeo

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Gongmin of Goryeo
高麗 恭愍
고려 공민
Wang Jeon (왕전)
화장사 봉안 공민왕 어진 유리건판 촬영.jpg
King of Goryeo
Reign1351–1374
Coronation1351
PredecessorChungjeong of Goryeo
SuccessorU of Goryeo
BornWang Gi
23 May 1330
Died27 October 1374 (1374-10-28) (aged 44)
Burial
Hyeolleung tomb
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1349; died 1365)​
Consort
​
(m. 1357)​

​
(m. 1359)​

​
(m. 1366)​

​
(m. 1366)​

​
(m. 1371)​
IssueA son
U of Goryeo
Posthumous name
  • King Inmun Uimu Yongji Myeongyeol Gyeonghyo the Great
    (인문의무용지명열경효대왕, 仁文義武勇智明烈敬孝大王; given by Goryeo)
  • King Gongmin
    (공민왕, 恭愍王; given by Ming)
HouseHouse of Wang
FatherChungsuk of Goryeo
MotherQueen Gongwon
ReligionBuddhism
Gongmin of Goryeo
King Kongmin of Koryo.jpg
Korean name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationGongmin wang
McCune–ReischauerKongmin wang
Pen name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationIjae or Ikdang
McCune–ReischauerIch'ae or Ik'tang
Birth name
Hangul
왕기, later 왕전
Hanja
王祺, later 王顓
Revised RomanizationWang Gi, later Wang Jeon
McCune–ReischauerWang Ki, later Wang Ch'ŏn
Courtesy name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationWonryang
McCune–ReischauerWol'lyang
Mongolian name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationBayan Temureu
McCune–ReischauerPayan Temurŭ
Sino-Korean Mongolian name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationBaegancheopmoga
McCune–ReischauerPaegan Ch'ŏpmoga
Monarchs of Korea Goryeo
  1. Taejo 918–943
  2. Hyejong 943–945
  3. Jeongjong (定宗) 945–949
  4. Gwangjong 949–975
  5. Gyeongjong 975–981
  6. Seongjong 981–997
  7. Mokjong 997–1009
  8. Hyeonjong 1009–1031
  9. Deokjong 1031–1034
  10. Jeongjong (靖宗) 1034–1046
  11. Munjong 1046–1083
  12. Sunjong 1083
  13. Seonjong 1083–1094
  14. Heonjong 1094–1095
  15. Sukjong 1095–1105
  16. Yejong 1105–1122
  17. Injong 1122–1146
  18. Uijong 1146–1170
  19. Myeongjong 1170–1197
  20. Sinjong 1197–1204
  21. Huijong 1204–1211
  22. Gangjong 1211–1213
  23. Gojong 1213–1259
  24. Wonjong 1259–1269
  25. Yeongjong1269
  26. Wonjong 1269–1274
  27. Chungnyeol 1274–1308
  28. Chungseon 1308–1313
  29. Chungsuk 1313–1330
    1332–1339
  30. Chunghye 1330–1332
    1339–1344
  31. Chungmok 1344–1348
  32. Chungjeong 1348–1351
  33. Gongmin 1351–1374
  34. U 1374–1388
  35. Chang 1388–1389
  36. Gongyang 1389–1392

Gongmin of Goryeo (23 May 1330 – 27 October 1374), also known by his Mongolian name, Bayan Temür.[1], was 31st ruler of Goryeo from 1351 to 1374. He was the second son of King Chungsuk.

Biography[edit]

Early life[edit]

Goryeo had been a semi-autonomous vassal state under the overlordship of the Mongol Yuan dynasty since the Mongol invasions of Korea in the 13th century. Starting with King Chungnyeol, prospective rulers of Korea married Mongolian princesses and were customarily sent to the Yuan Court, in effect, as hostages. As per this custom, King Gongmin spent many years in the Yuan court, being sent there in 1341, before ascending the Korean throne. He married a Mongolian princess who became Queen Noguk. The Yuan dynasty began to crumble during the mid-14th century, and was eventually conquered and replaced by the Ming dynasty in 1368.

Reign[edit]

With the disintegration of Yuan, which had forcibly allied the Korean peninsula since the 40 year long Mongol invasion of Korea of 1238, King Gongmin began efforts to reform Goryeo government. His first act was to remove all pro-Mongol aristocrats and military officers from their positions. These deposed people formed a dissident faction which plotted an unsuccessful coup against the king. High official Jo Il-shin even tried to take over the government, but this rebellion was put down by general Choe Young.

During the Mongol invasions of Korea, between the 1250s and the 1270s, the Mongols had annexed the northern provinces of Korea and incorporated them into their empire as Ssangseong (쌍성총관부, 雙城總管府) and Dongnyeong Prefectures (동녕부, 東寧府). In 1356, the Goryeo army retook these provinces partly thanks to the defection of Yi Ja-chun, a minor Korean official in the service of the Mongols in Ssangseong, and his son, Yi Seong-gye. In addition, Generals Yi Seong-gye and Ji Yong-su led a campaign into Liaoyang.

Another issue was the question of land holdings. The land-grant system had broken down, and Mongol-favoured officials, along with a handful of landed gentry, owned the vast majority of agricultural land, which was worked by tenant farmers and bondsmen. However, King Gongmin's attempt at land reform was met with opposition and subterfuge from those officials who were supposed to implement his reforms, as they were landowners themselves.

The Wokou were also a problem encountered during King Gongmin's reign. The Wokou had been troubling the peninsula for some time and had become well-organized military marauders raiding deep into the country, rather than the "hit-and-run" bandits they started as. Generals Choe Young and Yi Seong-gye were called upon by King Gongmin to combat them.

Additionally, King Gongmin grappled with the Red Turban troops, who invaded Goryeo twice during his reign (first in 1359 and again in 1361). In 1361, the Red Turban troops occupied Kaesong for a short period of time. After Kaesong was recaptured by Generals Choe Yeong, Yi Seong-gye, Jeong Seun, and Yi Bang-sil, few Red Turban troops managed to escape with their lives.

During the reign of King Gongmin, a Goryeo diplomat, Mun Ik-jeom, stationed in China managed to smuggle cotton seeds into Goryeo, introducing them to the Korean peninsula for the first time.

Although the relationship between Queen Noguk and the king was very close, they failed to conceive an heir for many years. Despite suggestions of taking a second wife, King Gongmin ignored these requests. The king was also known to have entered into pederastic relationships with several court catamites, or chajewi, and the names of five of these are recorded as: Hong Yun, Han An, Kwon Chin, Hong Kwan, and No Son.[2] Queen Noguk became pregnant but died from complications with childbirth in 1365.[3] Her death led to King Gongmin's depression and mental instability. King Gongmin became indifferent to politics and entrusted the great tasks of state to Pyeonjo, a Buddhist monk who was born as the son of a princess and a slave. Judging him as clever, King Gongmin renamed Pyeonjo as Shin Don. Having the full confidence of King Gongmin, Shin Don tried to reform the society of Goryeo. In 1365, King Gongmin gave Pyeonjo the nickname "Cheonghan Geosa" and the noble title of Jinpyeonghu (Chinpyŏng Marquess). After six years, Shin Don lost his position, and King Gongmin had him executed in 1371. During his visits, the king had grown close to one of Shin Don's servants, Banya, whom he had a son named Monino with in 1365. After Shin Don's death, the boy was proclaimed heir apparent and it was claimed that his mother was a deceased palace maid.[4]

Goryeo's entrenched bureaucracy never forgave King Gongmin for his reform efforts. They interpreted his policy of cutting all ties with the Yuan and establishing relations with Ming China as a direct threat to their status and feared that further attempts at reform might yet be made. Kaesong's deposed pro-Mongol faction battled to protect its position and hoped to renew ties with the Mongols who had helped them gain and hold their wealth in the first place.

Death[edit]

Some time before his death, King Gongmin found out that one of his concubines had an affair with a young man named Hong Ryun (홍륜), which led to King Gongmin's anger. Before King Gongmin could kill him, Hong Ryun and Choe Man-saeng (최만생) killed the King in his sleep in 1374.

After his death, a high official Yi In-im assumed the helm of the government and enthroned eleven-year-old, King U.

As an artist[edit]

King Gongmin was well known for his artistic skills, and he is referred to as one of the best artists of the Goryeo period. He was also well known for his calligraphy works.

Example of his works are:

  • "Painting of A Hunt in the Mountains of Heaven" 《天山大獵圖 (천산대렵도 Cheonsan Daeryeop Do)》
  • "Painting of Two Sheep" 《二羊圖 (이양도 I Yang Do)》
  • "Portrait of Princess Noguk" 《魯國大長公主真 (노국대장공주진 Noguk Daejang Gongju Jin)》
  • "Portrait of Yeom Je-shin 《廉悌臣象 (염제신상 Yeom Je-shin Sang)》, 1370's
  • "Portrait of Sohn Hong-ryang" 《孫洪亮象 (손홍량상 Sohn Hong-ryang Sang)》
  • "Portrait of Śākyamuni's Leaving Mountain" 《釋迦出山像 (석가출산상 Seokga Chulsan Sang)》
  • "Landscape of Epang Palace" 《阿房宮圖 (아방궁도 Ahbanggung Do)》
  • "Landscape of Hyeonneung" 《玄陵山水圖 (현릉산수도 Hyeonreung Sansu Do)》
  • "Portrait of Bodhidharma Crossing a River with a Broken Branch" 《達磨折蘆渡江圖 (달마절로도강도 Dalma Jeollo Dogang Do)》
  • Dongjabohyeon Yugabaeksang Do《童子普賢六牙白象圖 (동자보현육아백상도)》

  • Cheonsan Daeryeop Do, "Portrait of A Hunt in the Mountains of Heaven".

  • Yeon Je-shin's Portrait, painted by King Gongmin around the 1370s.

  • King Gongmin and Queen Noguk

Family[edit]

Parents

  • Father: Chungsuk of Goryeo (30 July 1294 — 3 May 1339)
  • Mother: Queen Gongwon of the Namyang Hong clan (공원왕후홍씨)(25 August 1298 — 12 February 1380)
    • Grandfather: Hong Gyu (홍규,1242–1316)
    • Grandmother:Grand Lady of Gwangju County of the Gwangju Kim clan (광주군대부인 김씨 ; 1258–1339)

Consorts and their respective issue(s):

Popular depictions[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  • 공민왕 (in Korean). Doosan Encyclopedia.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ 范永聰 (2009). 事大與保國 ── 元明之際的中韓關係 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 香港教育圖書公司. p. 58. ISBN 9789882003019.
  2. ^ Kim, Young‐Gwan; Hahn, Sook-Ja (2006). "Homosexuality in ancient and modern Korea". Culture, Health & Sexuality. 8 (1): 59–65. doi:10.1080/13691050500159720. PMID 16500825. S2CID 35985239.
  3. ^ Weatherford, Jack (2010). The secret history of the Mongol queens : how the daughters of Genghis Khan rescued his empire (1st ed.). New York: Crown Publishers. p. 127. ISBN 9780307407153. OCLC 354817523.
  4. ^ Goryeosa, vol. 133. Biographies, vol. 46.
Gongmin of Goryeo
Born: 23 May 1330 Died: 27 October 1374
Regnal titles
Preceded by King of Goryeo
1351–1374 		Succeeded by
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