1. Heungseon Daewongun was the title of Yi Ha-eung, the regent of Joseon during the minority of Emperor Gojong in the 1860s.
27 Facts About Heungseon Daewongun
1. 2.
Heungseon Daewongun is remembered both for the wide-ranging reforms he attempted during his regency, as well as for what was described by historian Hilary Conroy as "vigorous enforcement of the seclusion policy, persecution of Christians, and the killing or driving off of foreigners who landed on Korean soil".
3.
The Heungseon Daewongun was born Yi Ha-eung on 24 January 1821.
4.
Heungseon Daewongun was the fourth son of Yi Chae-jung, a member of the royal family who in 1816 was given the name Yi Gu and the title Prince Namyeon.
5.
The Heungseon Daewongun was a 9th generation descendant of King Injo through Grand Prince Inpyeong.
6.
The Heungseon Daewongun was well-schooled in Confucianism and the Chinese classics.
7.
Heungseon Daewongun was poor and humiliated by the rich in-laws of the royal house.
8.
The Heungseon Daewongun came to power when his second son, Yi Myeong-bok, was chosen to become king.
9.
Since Gojong was so young, Queen Sinjeong invited the Heungseon Daewongun to assist his son in ruling the country.
10.
Heungseon Daewongun virtually renounced her right to be regent, and though she remained the titular regent, the Daewongun acted as the de facto ruler of the country, exercising the powers of the regency in the name of the Queen.
11.
The Heungseon Daewongun remarked that Min "was a woman of great determination and poise" and was slightly disturbed by her.
12.
When he took power in 1864, the Heungseon Daewongun was determined to reform the government and strengthen central control.
13.
Heungseon Daewongun led an anti-corruption campaign, disciplined the royal clans, and taxed the aristocracy, the yangban.
14.
Cumings notes that this was not a revolution but a restoration, as the Heungseon Daewongun was attempting to return to the days of King Sejong in the fifteenth century.
15.
Heungseon Daewongun weakened the power of the Andong Kim clan and increased the authority of the ruling family.
16.
The Heungseon Daewongun's reforms were not very successful, as some scholars say he was "too high-handed and tactless".
17.
Heungseon Daewongun was involved in the General Sherman incident as well.
18.
The Heungseon Daewongun was able to protect Joseon from cultural imperialism and westernization and thus protect Korea's heritage from it.
19.
The Heungseon Daewongun wanted to prevent the collapse of this hierarchy.
20.
The international relations of Joseon worsened as the Heungseon Daewongun adopted increasingly desperate and harsher measures in order to repel Westernization.
21.
The Heungseon Daewongun made the choice of protecting the world he knew by trying to shut out foreigners, at the cost of delaying development and modernization, and to keep Korea a hermit kingdom.
22.
The Heungseon Daewongun enjoyed a brief return to power during the Imo Incident in 1882.
23.
King Gojong asked his father, the Heungseon Daewongun to come to the palace.
24.
Heungseon Daewongun tried to regain power again by aiding his grandson Yi Jun-yong in an attempt to overthrow his uncle King Gojong.
25.
In exchange for his help, the Heungseon Daewongun asked for a promise that if the reforms succeeded, "Japan will not demand a single piece of Korean territory".
26.
The Heungseon Daewongun reproached King Gojong and announced that he would be taking over.
27.
The Heungseon Daewongun died in 1898, just a little over a year after the formation of the Korean Empire.