Tales from the palace: Cheoljong the beggar king (Part Two)

The road to the palace, circa early 1900s / Robert Neff Collection

• Published Oct 11, 2020 4:25 PM KST
• Updated Jun 12, 2024 3:57 PM KST

King Cheoljong is not remembered as much for his reign as he is for the politics surrounding his appointment and his death. His ascension to the throne was a repackaging of the past. The names of his parents and relatives ― once marred with disgrace for being on the wrong side of politics ― were honored.

His simple home with its thatched roof was renovated by Jeong Gi-se, the governor of Ganghwa, in 1853. The thatch was replaced with tile and the complex, though simple, was renamed Yongheunggung (the palace where the dragon prospers) because dragons were seen as the symbol of kings and this was a place where a king had been born ― so say the various tourism sites.

But renovation was not confined only to his own residence. In 1853, Cheoljong ordered the home of his maternal uncle to be rebuilt. We are told that as a youth Cheoljong spent time here ― probably tramping up and down the wooded slopes of nearby hills ― and was fond of drinking from a nearby spring-well known as naengjeong; its water was also cool and refreshing.

According to Homer Hulbert's writings in the early 1900s, Cheoljong was responsible for some very important reforms. It was reaffirmed that the families of banished men were allowed to follow them into exile ― considering Cheoljong's own history it is easy to see why he would have supported this.

Others were: "Gambling was severely interdicted. The merchant monopolies were broken up. A hard fight was made against bribery and peculation in high places. Country gentlemen were forbidden to seize and beat anyone belong to the lower orders."

Noble reforms on paper but apparently not followed religiously. Charles Dallet's account of Korea (published in French in 1874 and recently translated into English by David Gemeinhardt) clearly demonstrates "universal corruption originates too high up for it to be rooted out."

Allegedly, in the winter of 1860-61, the king's brother-in-law conspired to have the taxes (paid with rice) loaded on to ships that were then sent to China and the rice sold for quadruple the price it was worth in Korea. He then used this money in Korea to purchase enough rice to make up for the taxes and used the profits to have his rival dismissed and be replaced with himself. This Machiavellian play was fairly dangerous; the export of rice ― especially government tax rice ― was illegal and punishable by death.

Speaking of religion, the number of Christians in the kingdom rapidly increased during Cheoljong's reign. When he first ascended the throne there were about 11,000 which grew to nearly 20,000 at the time of his death.

There was also a degree of international uncertainty. The French and English victory over the Chinese in late 1860 and the subsequent looting of the Chinese palace caused apprehension in Korea. Heavy taxes added to their misery and the young king seemed more intent on perpetual debauchery than on governing. Alcohol, food and women occupied his days and perhaps his reign lasted for as long as it did because he was weak and did not interfere in the plans of those who surrounded him.

Not everyone was willing to wait. In 1862, Yi Ha-jon, another member of the royal family, felt he would be a better king than Cheoljong and decided to take matters into his own hands and seize the throne. His coup failed in its infancy and he paid for his transgression with his life. Rather than be ignobly executed, he was allowed to end his life in a more dignified manner ― with poison.

Cheoljong would soon follow him. In the fall of 1863, it became apparent to most that the king's days were numbered ― not by political intrigue but by the putrid hand of Death. When he made his appearance at the government exams, he was described as being extremely swollen and barely able to move. The disease rapidly progressed. His "intellectual faculties were almost extinct [and] the lower parts of [his] body were rotting rapidly."

In December a comet ominously appeared in the night skies, the superstitious consulted ancient tomes of prophecy ― the signs were all there: the king was dying and the dynasty was failing. Like the previous king, he had no male heirs. Despite siring five sons and six daughters only one child lived past infancy ― a daughter ― and the Korean court found itself in the same position it had been when he had ascended the throne.

According to the accounts of Charles-Antoine Pourthie, a French priest secretly living in Seoul, the king felt better at the beginning of January. As the days passed, his health began to return to him and on Jan. 15, "feeling greater uneasiness than usual" he went out into the garden for a walk. Alcohol was brought to him ― which he quaffed ― but soon found himself again robbed of his strength and (according to Pourthie) crawled back to his room where he awaited death.

Usually, when a king dies ― especially one so young ― there are rumors of conspiracies and assassinations. Cheoljong's death was no different. Some claim the king was murdered with poison ― the Andong Kims are blamed ― while more recent theories suggest that tuberculosis was the culprit. There are also claims that the dying king met his death with assistance.

William Franklin Sands, an American adviser to the Korean government in the early 1900s wrote: There were ugly rumors "that the king, though dying had died a little hastily on the arrival of [Heungseon Daewongun]; a trifle sooner, perhaps, than in the course of nature."

Hulbert ― citing Pourthie ― also described the power struggle during the king's final moments:

"[Dowager Queen Cho] hastened to the side of the expiring king where she found the attendants … and with them the queen, who held the royal seals in the fold of her skirt. The Dowager Queen peremptorily demanded these seals, and when the queen demurred she snatched them violently from her. No one dared oppose the determined woman who took fortune by the forelock and in the course of a moment turned the course of empire. She then made proclamation in the name of the king, saying, 'The king says the royal seals shall be in charge of Queen Cho.'"

With Cheoljong's death, the Joseon dynasty moved even closer to the precipice of collapse, but this was staved off when Cho chose another boy-king. The Joseon-Machiavellian Heungseon Daewongun would act as regent until his 12-year-old son came of age and would be known as King Gojong.

The Joseon dynasty managed to survive the century, but Gojong would be its final king.

Robert Neff has authored and co-authored several books, including Letters from Joseon, Korea Through Western Eyes and Brief Encounters.