Crown Princess Hwi of the Andong Gim clan ( Hangul: 휘빈 김씨, Hanja: 徽嬪金氏; 1410 – 1429), also known as Deposed Consort Gim, was the first wife of Munjong of Joseon, but she was demoted to

commoner A commoner, also known as the ''common man'', ''commoners'', the ''common people'' or the ''masses'', was in earlier use an ordinary person in a community or nation who did not have any significant social status, especially a member of neither ...

and thrown out of the palace after using witchcraft to gain her husband's affection.

Biography

She was born into the Andong Gim clan, as the youngest child and daughter of Gim Oh-mun, a high-ranking official in charge of military affairs, whilst her grandfather was a magistrate at the ''Dongnyeongbu'' ( Hangul: 돈녕부; Hanja: 敦寧府). King Sejong selected Lady Gim as consort for his heir apparent, the future King Munjong, in 1427.Veritable Records of Sejong, volume 36. After journeying from her home, she camped outside Hanseong and the Crown Prince was sent to greet her and escort her to the Eastern Palace. In 1428, the Crown Princess requested to visit her natal home, to attend the burial rites for her grandfather.Veritable Records of Sejong, volume 40.

Witchcraft

Court records indicate that in the winter of 1428 – 1429, Crown Princess Hwi asked her maid, Ho-cho (호초), how she could gain her husband's love. Ho-cho told her to cut her rivals' shoes into pieces and burn them to ash. She recommended that the consort test the method on two maids that she was already jealous of, Ho-dong (효동) and Deok-kim (덕김), which she promptly did. The Crown Princess then requested further methods and Ho-cho instructed her to drain the fluids from a snake, then rub those essences onto a cloth. Ho-cho claimed that if she wore that cloth in the presence of the Crown Prince, he would love her. Meanwhile, another maid, whom the consort had brought to the palace from her natal home, Sun-deok (순덕), discovered the remains of the burnt shoes in her mistress' perfume pouch. Sun-deok questioned Ho-cho as to how the Princess had learnt such things, but hid the shoes. When the rumours of Crown Princess Hwi's activities reached King Sejong, he ordered that she be confined to her quarters, and her staff, including Sun-deok, were questioned.Veritable Records of Sejong, volume 45. Ho-cho was sent to the Uigeumbu and Sun-deok told officials where to find the shoe remains. In shock, the King lamented his choice of such a daughter-in-law, ordered that her seal be retracted, her name removed from the ancestral temple and that she be demoted to

. The former consort was expelled from the palace so that she would not disgrace the royal family.

Aftermath

After Lady Gim was deposed, her father was also demoted and her brother was removed from his position in the ''Dongnyeongbu''. Ho-cho was beheaded for instructing her mistress in witchcraft. Several court officials also attempted to have other palace ladies, as well as Lady Gim's parents, interrogated to establish whether they had either been involved in teaching her or covered up her behaviour, but King Sejong denied all these requests.

Family

* Great-great-great-great-grandfather ** Gim Hwon (김훤, 金愃) * Great-great-grandfather ** Gim Seung-taek (김승택, 金承澤) * Great-grandfather ** Gim Myo (김묘, 金昴) * Great-grandmother ** Lady Min of the Yeoheung Min clan (여흥 민씨, 驪興閔氏); daughter of Min Sa-pyeong (민사평) (1295 – 1359) * Grandfather ** Gim Gu-deok (? – 1428) (김구덕, 金九德) * Grandmother ** Lady Sin of the Yeongwol Sin clan (영월 신씨, 寧越辛氏) *Father ** Gim Oh-mun (김오문, 金五文) *** Aunt – Royal Noble Consort Myeong of the Andong Kim clan (명빈 김씨) (? – 1479) * Mother ** Lady Jeong of the Hadong Jeong clan (하동 정씨, 河東鄭氏) * Sibling(s) ** Older brother – Gim Jung-eom (김중엄, 金仲淹) *** Sister-in-law – Lady Jo of the Pyeongyang Jo clan (? – 1450) (평양 조씨)Granddaughter of Taejong of Joseon and

Queen Wongyeong Queen Wongyeong (원경왕후 민씨; 29 July 1365 – 18 August 1420) of the Yeoheung Min clan, was the primary wife of Taejong of Joseon, and the mother of Sejong the Great. She was queen consort of Joseon from 1400, and was honored as Queen ...

; through their daughter, Princess Gyeongjeong and her husband, Jo Dae-rim (조대림, 趙大臨). Veritable Records of Munjong, volume 1. * Husband ** Yi Hyang, King Munjong of Joseon (조선 문종) (15 November 1414 – 1 June 1452) — No issue. *** Mother-in-law – Queen Soheon of the Cheongsong Shim clan (소헌왕후 심씨) (12 October 1395 – 19 April 1446) *** Father-in-law – Yi Do, King Sejong of Joseon (조선 세종) (7 May 1397 – 30 March 1450)

References

Notes

Works cited

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gim, Hwi-bin 15th-century Korean people 1410 births Year of death unknown Royal consorts of the Joseon dynasty People convicted of witchcraft 1429 deaths 15th-century Korean women Asian witchcraft