순헌황귀비 純獻皇貴妃
Consort of King Gojong and mother of Crown Prince Yeongchin; involved in founding Yangjeong, Jinmyeong and Sookmyung schools; of the Yeongwol Eom
| Life | 1854 ~ 1911 |
| Era | 대한제국 |
| Clan | 영월 엄씨 |
Life & career
Imperial Noble Consort Sunheon Eom (1854-1911) was a consort of King Gojong and the mother of Crown Prince Yeongchin, Eun (垠). Her Wikipedia article does not state her seat; it appears as Yeongwol Eom in the entry of her father Eom Jin-sam (1812-1879), and her mother was of the Miryang Bak clan. Eom Jin-sam was a commoner who held no office.
She entered the palace as a court lady aged 8 in 1861 and became a nain at Gyeongbokgung; in 1882 during the Imo Mutiny she attended Gojong and became a Jimil sanggung, and also served as an attendant to Queen Min. In 1885 she was favored by Gojong, was discovered by Queen Min and driven from the palace, but was spared becoming a commoner through Yun Yong-seon's petition and returned. During the Korean emperor's refuge at the Russian legation she lived there with Gojong.
She gave birth to her son Eun (Yeongchin) on 20 October 1897 and was made Gwi-in on the 22nd. She rose to Sunbin (1900), Sunbi (1901) and Imperial Noble Consort (1903); an effort to make her empress failed amid opposition. In 1907 Yeongchin was made crown prince. She was involved in and supported the founding of Yangjeong Uisuk in 1905 and Jinmyeong and Myeongsin girls' schools in 1906, introduced as forerunners of today's Yangjeong High School, Jinmyeong Girls' High School and Sookmyung Women's University. She died of typhoid at Hamnyeongjeon in Deoksugung on 20 July 1911, with the posthumous name Sunheon and tomb name Yeonghwiwon.
Educational Work
She is said to have been involved in and supported the founding of Yangjeong Uisuk in 1905 and the Jinmyeong and Myeongsin girls' schools in 1906, and sent contributions to Ewha and Baejae schools. Wikipedia explains the schools as forerunners of today's Yangjeong High School, Jinmyeong Girls' High School and Sookmyung Women's University. Scholarships and charity are emphasized, alongside accounts that some opposed making her empress because of her commoner origin.
Ties to the Yeongwol Eom
Dit News24 cites, among royal ties of the Yeongwol Eom, Noble Consort Eom of Seongjong and Gojong's consort Sunheon, and Wikipedia mentions Lady Hyein Eom, daughter-in-law of Prince Imyeong, also as Yeongwol Eom. Her seat is confirmed through the entry of her father Eom Jin-sam, so a further check in the genealogy is advisable.
Grave
Her tomb name is Yeonghwiwon; she was first buried on Cheonsusan in Yangju at the right of the original grave of Queen Min, and Yeonghwiwon today is on Hongneung-ro in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul. Her tablet was moved to Chilgung in 1929.
Descendants
Her son Yeongchin Eun (b. 1897) became crown prince in 1907.
Related photos
