| Royal Consort Hye-Bi Yi 혜비 이씨 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succession: | Royal consort of Goryeo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reign: | 1359–1374 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reign-Type: | Tenure | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coronation: | 1359 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Father: | Yi Che-hyŏn, Internal Prince Gyerim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mother: | Lady Pak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth Date: | ? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth Place: | Gyeongju, Goryeo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Death Date: | 3 February 1408 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Death Place: | Hanseong, Joseon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Regnal Name: | Princess Hyehwa (혜화궁주, 惠和宮主; 1392 – 3 February 1408) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| House: | Gyeongju Yi clan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Religion: | Buddhism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Royal Consort Hye of the Gyeongju Yi clan (; d. 3 February 1408) was the 3rd wife of King Gongmin of Goryeo.[1] She was known with her Dharma name as Ho-wol and her new title as Princess Hyehwa given by Taejo of Joseon in 1392.
The future Royal Consort Hye was born in Gyeongju as the daughter of Yi Che-hyŏn who was a Goryeo politician, philosopher, writer, and poet.[2]
In April 1359 (8th year of the reign of King Gongmin), his Queen Consort, Princess Noguk (who had not provided him with a successor) together with several other ministers asked the King to choose a concubine from a noble family. After being chosen, Yi was given the consort title Gracious Consort .[3] However, when she entered the palace, it was said that the Queen became jealous of her and refused to eat.
In October 1372 (21st year of King Gongmin), the king selected some young and handsome men[4] and then ordered Han An and Hong Ryun from the Self-Defense Committee to have sex with his consorts.[5]
After King Gongmin was assassinated in 1374, Hye-bi Yi shaved her hair and became a Buddhist monk in Jeongeopwon (now Cheongryong Temple, 청룡사).[6] Even after King Gongmin's death, the court still respected all of his widowed consorts and continued to provide their daily necessities. In December 1388, this ceased.
Hye-bi Yi had a long life, living up to the early Joseon dynasty established by Yi Sŏng-gye. She was then honoured as Princess Hyewa .[7] Taejong of Joseon gave her 30 sŏk of rice and beans and 100 volumes of copies paper .[8] Hye-bi Yi become the abbess in charge of the Buddhist Jeongeopwon Temple. She died on 3 February 1408, this being 12 years after the Goryeo period ended.[9]
After her death, she was succeeded in the position of abbess by Lady Sim. King Taejo and Queen Sindeok's 2nd son, Grand Prince Uian, was the husband of Lady Sim .
Source:[10]