Last princess’ writings return to Korea
The writings of Princess Deokon (1822-44), the last legitimate princess of the 1391-1910 Joseon Kingdom, have been returned to Korea, the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) announced Wednesday.
The CHA said it purchased 68 pieces of writings from descendants of Princess Deokon in the United States last November, and returned them to Korea. Most of the writings are open to the public for the first time and are great examples of court writings in the Korean script, Hangeul.
Princess Deokon is daughter of King Sunjo and Queen Sunwon. Princess Deokon is titled "gongju" in Korean, denoting she is the lawful daughter of a king and queen, while a king’s daughter by a concubine is referred to as “ongju.”
This includes the well-known Princess Deokhye, often considered Joseon’s last princess who died in 1989.
Princess Deokon is the youngest sister of Crown Prince Hyomyeong, portrayed by Park Bo-gum in the hit drama “Love in the Moonlight.”
The princess married Yun Eui-seon from a noble family, but passed away at age 23 in pregnancy.
The Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, a subsidiary of the CHA, brought the documents collection in collaboration with the National Hangeul Museum.
National Hangeul Museum Director Park Young-goog said the returned documents attest the dignity and elegance of Hangeul, which was used by royalty as well as commoners.
“Princess Deokon passed away at the young age of 23. If she lived longer and left more Hangeul calligraphic works, the history of Kore- an calligraphy might have been different,” Park said.
The collection consists of Princess Deokon’s writings as well as Hangeul books, letters and calligraphic works of three generations including her adopted son Yun Yong-gu (1853-1939) and granddaughter Yun Baek-yeong (1888-1896).
Among them, two handwritten books by Princess Deokon are high in value due to their rarity. “Jagyeongjeongi” was written originally in Chinese characters by King Sunjo in 1808, tracing the origin of the Jagyeongjeon Chamber in Changgyeong Palace, built by King Sunjo’s father King Jeongjo in 1777.
Princess Deokon translated the book portraying filial piety of the royal family into Hangeul on the order of Queen Sunwon, her mother and wife of King Sunjo, and the Korean book is the one returned this time.
Another rare book, "Gyuhun," is a guide for women’s virtue and manners and also translated from Chinese characters to Hangeul by Princess Deokon.
“The books showcase neat court style writing of the Korean script by Princess Deokon and the importance and popular use of Hangeul among royal women of Joseon,” a CHA official said.
The writing collection is said to have left the country when the princess’ descendants emigrated to the U.S.
The documents will be transferred to the National Hangeul Museum, considering the value of the writings.