Princess Cheonmyeong () was a princess of

Silla Silla or Shilla (57 BCE – 935 CE) ( , Old Korean: Syera, Old Japanese: Siraki2) was a Korean kingdom located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of K ...

, one of the

Three Kingdoms of Korea Samhan or the Three Kingdoms of Korea () refers to the three kingdoms of Goguryeo (고구려, 高句麗), Baekje (백제, 百濟), and Silla (신라, 新羅). Goguryeo was later known as Goryeo (고려, 高麗), from which the modern name ''Kor ...

. She is known as

Queen Seondeok Queen Seondeok of Silla ( ko, 선덕여왕 ; 595~610 – 17 February 647/January 8, Lunar Calendar) reigned as Queen Regnant of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, from 632 to 647. She was Silla's twenty-seventh ruler, and its first re ...

's sister and King Taejong Muyeol's mother. Princess Cheonmyeong was married to Kim Yongsu (son of King Jinji), with whom she had a son, Kim Chunchu. After Kim Chunchu was enthroned as a King of Silla, she was then given the posthumous name;

Queen Dowager A queen dowager or dowager queen (compare: princess dowager or dowager princess) is a title or status generally held by the widow of a king. In the case of the widow of an emperor, the title of empress dowager is used. Its full meaning is clear ...

Munjeong.

Biography

Princess Cheonmyeong was a daughter of King Jinpyeong and Queen Maya of Silla. Her sister,

became the first female ruler of Korea. It is not clear which of them was older but it is widely believed that Cheonmyeong was older than her. It is said that Princess Cheonmyeong was in love with Kim Yongchu. When the talk of her marriage has come, Princess Cheonmyeong went to the Queen and told her (with tears on her eyes) that she cannot marry anyone else because there is already a man who owns her heart. Queen Maya asked her who that man is, Princess Cheonmyeong tried to say ''"Kim Yongchun"'' but because she was crying and stuttered on her reply, the Queen thought that she was talking about Kim Yongchu's brother ''"Kim Yongsu"''. Kim Yongsu was aware of Princess Cheonmyeong's feelings for his brother and decided to ask him to marry Princess Cheonmyeong on his stead. But Kim Yongchun refused out of respect for his brother who might end up a laughing stock since their wedding was already announced. The Queen tried to convinced him as well but he refused her as well with the same reason. And so, Princess Cheonmyeong and Kim Yongsu got married. But Princess Cheonmyeong wasn't able to forget her love even after years has passed. On his death bed, Kim Yongsu asked his brother once again to marry Princess Cheonmyeong and to take his son as his own as his dying wish. Kim Yongchun finally agreed and married Princess Cheonmyeong and took Kim Chunchu as his own. After Kim Chunchu was crowned as the 29th king of Silla, Princess Cheonmyeong was named as

Munjeong.

Family

* Father: King Jinpyeong (眞平王 진평왕 567–632) * Mother: Kim Bokhilgu, the Lady Maya (金福肹口摩耶夫人 김복힐구마야부인, dates unknown)

Siblings

* Princess Deokman, (later known as

) (善德女王 선덕여왕, ?~647) – it is debated whether Princess Cheonmyeong or

was the elder sister * Younger sister:

Princess Seonhwa Princess Seonhwa, which according to the '' Samguk Yusa'', was a Silla Royal Princess as the third daughter of King Jinpyeong and Lady Maya, younger sister to Princess Deokman and Princess Cheonmyeong. She was also the queen consort of Baekje ...

, 善花公主, 선화공주, dates unknown, only appears in Samguk Yusa (삼국유사) (There is constant debate over her identity.)According to records in the ''

Samgungnyusa ''Samguk yusa'' () or ''Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms'' is a collection of legends, folktales and historical accounts relating to the Three Kingdoms of Korea (Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla), as well as to other periods and states before, duri ...

'', she was the wife of

Mu of Baekje King Mu of Baekje (580–641) (r. 600–641) was the 30th king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the 4th son of King Wideok. Background During his reign, the Three Kingdoms (Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla) were at war with e ...

. However, theories based on the ''

Samguk Sagi ''Samguk Sagi'' (, ''History of the Three Kingdoms'') is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla. The ''Samguk Sagi'' is written in Classical Chinese, the written language of the literati of ancient Korea, ...

'' suggest that she was the wife of

Dongseong of Baekje Dongseong of Baekje (?–501, r. 479–501by the translators of Il-yeon's: ''Samguk Yusa: Legends and History of the Three Kingdoms of Ancient Korea'', translated by Tae-Hung Ha and Grafton K. Mintz. Book Two, page 124. Silk Pagoda (2006). ) was ...

and some theories say that she wasn't even a princess but a daughter of a wealthy noble.

In-laws

* Father in-law: 25th King of Silla, King Jinji (眞智王, 진지왕, ?~579) * Mother in-law: Lady Jido of the Park clan (知道夫人朴氏, 지도부인 박씨, dates unknown)

Husband

* Kim Yongsu 金龍春 or金龍樹, 김용춘 or 김용수, 578~647. Late when Kim Chunchu became King Muyeol, he was known as Munheung the Great (文興大王, 문흥대왕) * Kim Yongchun (Hangul: 김용춘, Hanja: 金龍春), brother of Kim Yongsu; 13th Pungwolju of Silla.

Son

Kim Chunchu King Taejong Muyeol (604–661), born Gim Chunchu, was the 29th ruler of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He is credited for leading the unification of Korea's Three Kingdoms. Background King Taejong Muyeol was born with the "sacred ...

, later known as King Muyeol, 金春秋 김춘추, 604-661

In popular culture

* Portrayed by Lee Kyung-hwa in the 2005–2006 SBS TV series ''

Ballad of Seodong ''Ballad of Seodong'' () is a South Korean television series starring Jo Hyun-jae, Lee Bo-young, and Ryu Jin. It aired on SBS from September 5, 2005 to March 21, 2006 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 for 55 episodes. The period drama is based ...

''. * Portrayed by

Park Ye-jin Park Ye-jin (born April 1, 1981) is a South Korean actress. Career Park Ye-jin made her acting debut in the 1999 horror film '' Memento Mori'', then appeared in leading and supporting roles in several TV series and films, notably '' What Hap ...

Shin Se-kyung Shin Se-kyung (; born July 29, 1990) is a South Korean actress, singer and model. She started as a child actress and had her breakthrough in 2009 with the sitcom ''High Kick Through the Roof''. Since then she starred in the films ''Hindsight'' ...

and

Kim Yoo-jung Kim Yoo-jung (; born September 22, 1999) is a South Korean actress. She debuted as a model for a confectionery brand at the age of four. After her acting debut in 2003, she became one of the best known child actresses in Korea since then, aft ...

in the 2009 MBC TV series ''

''. * Portrayed by Jo Kyung-sook in the 2012–2013 KBS TV series ''

The King's Dream ''Dream of the Emperor'' () is a South Korean television series that aired on KBS1 from September 8, 2012 to June 9, 2013 on Saturdays and Sundays at 21:40 for 70 episodes. Plot Kim Chun-chu is the grandson of King Jinji, but when his grandfat ...

''. * Portrayed in the 2021 WEBNOVEL titled QUEEN JINDEOK by author TAIYANG DASHENG * DASHENG

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cheonmyeong of Silla Princesses of Silla Queen Seondeok of Silla 7th-century Korean women