Gongmin of Goryeo

Gongmin of Goryeo
Reign	1351-1374
Predecessor	king Chungjeong
Successor	king U
Born	(1330-05-23)23 May 1330
Died
Father	King Chungsuk
Mother	Queen Gongwon

Gongmin of Goryeo
Hangul	공민왕
Hanja	恭愍王
Revised Romanization	Gongmin wang
McCune–Reischauer	Kongmin wang
Pen name
Hangul	이재 also 익당
Hanja	怡齋 also 益堂
Revised Romanization	Ijae also Ikdang
McCune–Reischauer	Ijae also Iktang
Birth name
Hangul	왕전 earlier 왕기
Hanja	王顓 earlier 王祺
Revised Romanization	Wang Jeon earlier Wang Gi
McCune–Reischauer	Wang Chŏn earlier Wang Ki
Sino-Korean Mongolian name
Hangul	백안첩목아
Hanja	伯顔帖木兒
Revised Romanization	Baegancheopmoga
McCune–Reischauer	Paegan Ch'ŏpmoga

Monarchs of Korea Goryeo

Taejo 918–943 Hyejong 943–945 Jeongjong 945–949 Gwangjong 949–975 Gyeongjong 975–981 Seongjong 981–997 Mokjong 997–1009 Hyeonjong 1009–1031 Deokjong 1031–1034 Jeongjong II 1034–1046 Munjong 1046–1083 Sunjong 1083 Seonjong 1083–1094 Heonjong 1094–1095 Sukjong 1095–1105 Yejong 1105–1122 Injong 1122–1146 Uijong 1146–1170 Myeongjong 1170–1197 Sinjong 1197–1204 Huijong 1204–1211 Gangjong 1211–1213 Gojong 1213–1259 Wonjong 1259–1274 Chungnyeol 1274–1308 Chungseon 1308–1313 Chungsuk 1313–1330 1332–1339 Chunghye 1330–1332 1339–1344 Chungmok 1344–1348 Chungjeong 1348–1351 Gongmin 1351–1374 U 1374–1388 Chang 1388–1389 Gongyang 1389–1392

King Gongmin (23 May 1330 – 27 October 1374) ruled Goryeo Dynasty Korea from 1351 - 1374. He was the second son of King Chungsuk. In addition to his various Korean names, he bore the Mongolian name Bayan Temür (伯顔帖木兒).

Biography

Early life

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

With the disintegration of Yuan, which had influenced the Korean peninsula since the Mongol invasion of Korea of 1238, 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 Choi 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, 雙城摠管府) and Dongnyeong Prefectures (동녕부, 東寧府). In 1356, Goryeo army retook these provinces partly thanks to the defection of Yi Ja-chun, a minor Korean official in service of Mongolians in Ssangseong, and his son, Yi Seong-gye. In addition, Generals Yi Seong-gye and Ji Yongsu 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 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 Choi Young and Yi Seong-gye were called upon by Gongmin to combat them.

Additionally, 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, Yi Bang-sil, few Red Turban troops managed to escape with their lives.

During the reign of 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. Queen Noguk became pregnant but died from complications with childbirth in 1365. Her death led to 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, Gongmin renamed Pyeonjo as Shin Don. Having the full confidence of King Gongmin, Shin Don tried to reform the society of Goryeo. In 1365, 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.

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.

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

Death

In 1374, he was killed by Choe Man-saeng (최만생) and others. One of the young men, Hong Ryun (홍륜) had relations with one of Gongmin's concubines, which led to Gongmin's anger. So before Gongmin could kill him, Hong Ryun and Choe Man-saeng killed Gongmin in his sleep.

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

Although he did not receive a temple name of a king, because the political situation of the time following his death did not recognize him as such, he proclaimed himself king as a part of reformations he undertook in order to reinstate Goryeo's position as an independent nation.

As An Artist

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

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 Hyeonreung" 《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)》

Family

• Father: King Chungsuk (충숙왕)
• Mother: Queen Gongwon of the Namyang Hong clan (공원왕후 홍씨, July 18, 1298 – January 1380)
• Consorts and their Respective Issue:

1. Borjigin Budashiri, the Princess Noguk, posthumously known as Queen Indeok (孛兒只斤寶塔實里 노국대장공주 인덕왕후, ?-February 16, 1365) - No issue, died in childbirth.
2. Consort Hye of the Gyeongju Lee clan (혜비 이씨, ?-February 3, 1408) - No issue.
3. Consort Yik of the Han clan (익비 한씨, dates unknown)
   1. Lady Hong (홍씨, ?-1376) - daughter by Hong Ryun (홍륜), one of Gongmin's pederastic bodyguards.
4. Consort Shin of the Seoheung Yeom clan (신비 염씨, dates unknown) - No issue.
5. Consort Jeong of the Jukju Ahn clan (정비 안씨, ?-1428년) - No issue.
6. Palace Girl of the Han clan (궁인 한씨, dates unknown) - No issue.
7. Han Ban Ya (반야, ?-March 1376)
   1. Monino (모니노/무니노)

Popular depictions

• Im Hyuk (임혁) - 1983, Foundation of the Kingdom (개국)
• Jeong Bo-seok (정보석) - 2005–2006, Shin Don (신돈)
• Joo Jin-mo (주진모) - 2008, A Frozen Flower (쌍화점)
• Ryu Deok-hwan (류덕환) - 2012, Faith (신의)
• Ryu Tae-joon (류태준) - 2012–2013, The Great Seer (대풍수)

See also

• List of Korea-related topics
• History of Korea
• List of Korean monarchs
• Tomb of King Kongmin
• Korea under Yuan rule

Notes

Gongmin of Goryeo House of Wang Born: 23 May 1330 Died: 27 October 1374
Regnal titles
Preceded by Chungjeong	King of Goryeo 1351–1374	Succeeded by U