Jeong Nan-jeong

Jeong Nan-jeong
Hangul
정난정
Hanja
鄭蘭貞
Revised RomanizationJeong Nanjeong
McCune–ReischauerChŏng Nanjŏng

Jeong Nan-jeong (Korean정난정; Hanja鄭蘭貞; 1509 – November 13, 1565) was a Korean de facto politician of the Joseon period.

Biography

Lady Jeong was born in Hanseong into the Chogye Jeong clan to Jeong Yun-gyeom, a deputy general, and his concubine, Lady Nam. She was the illegitimate daughter among her father's three sons and two daughters. Lady Jeong's mother was a slave because she was involved in treason, and was eventually assigned to the house of Jeong Yun-gyeom.

When she was young, she fell in love with Yun Won-hyeong, the younger brother of Queen Munjeong, and became his concubine. Lady Jeong soon became the influential concubine of Yun Won-hyeong, who himself was the maternal uncle of 13th King Myeongjong, and Chief State Councilor during 1563 to 1565.

Later, when Kim Ahn-ro's conspiracy to dethrone Queen Munjeong was discovered, Kim Ahn-ro was investigated and she poisoned Kim Ahn-ro's first cousin once removed, Yun Won-hyeong's first wife, Lady Kim of the Yeonan Kim clan. After that, in the 8th year of King Myeongjong's reign, Queen Munjeong had made it a priority to make Jeong Nan-jeong her sister-in-law.

She soon became the second wife with full status. She became very close to her sister-in-law Queen Munjeong, and gained a good amount of wealth. But because she was the second wife, the children of Lady Kim inherited the wealth of the clan rather than her own.

In 1565, after the death of the Queen, both Jeong and Yun were exiled from the capital and, unable to make a political comeback, both committed suicide by poison (Jeong first,[1] followed by her husband five days later[2])

Family

  • Father - Jeong Yun-gyeom (정윤겸; 鄭允謙; 1463–1536)
    • Grandfather - Jeong On (정온; 鄭溫; 1435–1508)
    • Grandmother - Lady Won of the Wonju Won clan (원주 원씨; 1428–?); eldest daughter of Won Ja-min (원자민, 元自敏; 1380–?)
  • Mother - Lady Nam (남씨; 南氏; 1473–?)
  • Husband - Yun Won-hyeong (윤원형; 尹元衡; 1509 – 18 November 1565)
  • Issue
    • Daughter - Lady Yun of the Papyeong Yun clan (파평 윤씨; 1545–?)
      • Son-in-law - Yi Jo-min (이조민; 李肇敏; 1541–?)
        • Granddaughter - Lady Yi of the Yongin Yi clan (용인 이씨; 1560–?)

In fiction

See also

References

  1. ^ 조선왕조실록 명종실록 31권, 1565년 11월 13일 2번째기사: 尹元衡妾蘭貞自殺 (윤원형의 첩 정난정이 자살하다)
  2. ^ 조선왕조실록 명종실록 31권, 1565년 11월 18일 5번째기사: 尹元衡死于江陰(...) (윤원형의 졸기)
  3. ^ Chung Joo-won (April 28, 2016). "Joseon-era epic promises 'unexpected' adventures". Yonhap. Retrieved July 21, 2016.