Seoul Yeonghwiwon and Sunginwon Royal Tombs서울 영휘원(순헌황귀비)과 숭인원(이진)

About

Yeonghwiwon is the tomb of Imperial Noble Consort Sunheon of the Eom clan, a consort of Emperor Gojong of the Korean Empire. Sunginwon is the tomb of Yi Jin, the first son of Crown Prince Uimin, the last crown prince of the Korean Empire. Lady Eom's spirit tablet is now enshrined at Chilgung in Gungjeong-dong, Jongno-gu. Imperial Noble Consort Sunheon (1854–1911) was the eldest daughter of Eom Jin-sam. She entered the palace at the age of 8 and became a court lady attending Empress Myeongseong. In 1897 she gave birth to Prince Imperial Yeong and became a consort of Gojong. In 1903 she was invested as Imperial Noble Consort and lived at Gyeongseongung. To promote modern education for women, she founded Jinmyeong Girls' School and Sookmyung Girls' School. When Yangjeong School fell into financial difficulty, she donated 2 million pyeong of land and royal funds. Through such efforts she played a major role in nurturing talented people to lead the nation. After the Japanese annexation of Korea, she passed away in 1911 at Jeukjodang Hall in Deoksugung Palace. Her spirit tablet was enshrined at Deogangung, which was later moved into the grounds of Yuksanggung. Yi Jin (1921–1922), the first son of Crown Prince Uimin, was born in Japan to Prince Imperial Yeong and Crown Princess Yi. The following year he briefly returned to Korea with his parents. He died suddenly at Seokjojeon Hall in Deoksugung Palace the day before they were to go back to Japan. Emperor Sunjong mourned his death and ordered a generous funeral, and the tomb was built at its present site. Yeonghwiwon was built in accordance with the Joseon-era rules for won (tombs of royal family members). It has a red spiked gate (hongsalmun), a T-shaped shrine (jeongjagak) and a stele pavilion, and its burial mound is encircled by protective stones. Sunginwon was built in a similar way to Yeonghwiwon. However, the protective stones and stone sheep around the mound were left out, and its stone figures and burial mound are smaller than those of other won.