KOREA
The Yi Dynasty
The Kingdom of Choson:
The sovereign: [reign name] temple name [posthumous style], King (Wang) of Choson, i.e. King of Korea, with the style of Chu Sang-tyen-ha (His Majesty).
The consort of the sovereign: (family name) (given name-rarely available) (personal honorific) Wang-bi Chon-ho, i.e.Her Majesty the Queen.
The junior wives of the King were divided into ten ranks, often recruited from ranks 11 and 12:
1. bi (consorts), according to the following precedence.
1.1. Kwi-bi.
1.2. Suk-bi.
1.3. Won-bi.
1.4. Tek-pi.
1.5. Hyon-bi.
The sons of ladies raised to the rank of bi were entitled to succeed to the throne, after the sons of Queens.
2. Kwi-bin (concubines), according to the following precedence:
2.1. Hwa-bin.
2.2. Suk-bin.
2.3. Kyong-bin.
2.4. Hui-bin.
2.5. Won-bin.
2.6. Ahn-bin.
2.7. Su-bin.
3. Kwi-in (precious person).
4. So-ui (resplendant exemplar).
5. Suk-ui (chaste exemplar).
6. So-yong (resplendant demeanour).
7. Suk-yong (chaste demeanour).
8. So-won (resplendant beauty).
9. Suk-won (chaste beauty).
10. Sang (Court Ladies), in seven grades:
10.1. Sang-kung.
10.2. Sang-ui.
10.3. Sang-pok.
10.4. Sang-chim.
10.5. Sang-kong.
10.6. Sang-chong.
10.7. Sang-gi.
11. Kung-nyo (palace girls).
12. Nain (personal maids).
The Heir Apparent: Yi (given name), (personal title) Wang-se-ja Cho-ha, i.e. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
The consort of the Heir Apparent: Wang-se-ja-bin Cho-ha, i.e. Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess.
The firstborn son of a King, by the Queen: Prince (Won-ja) Yi (given name).
The younger sons of a King: Prince (Wang-ja) Yi (given name).
The consort of the other sons of the King: Princess (Ong-ju).
The grandsons of a King, in the male line: Prince (Wang-son) Yi (given name).
The Heir Presumptive, when a son of the Heir Apparent: Yi (given name), (personal title) Wang-se-son, i.e. Heir in Succession to the Crown Prince, with the style of His Royal Highness.
The consort of the Heir Presumptive, when a son of the Heir Apparent: (father's family name) (given name), (personal title) Wang-se-son-bin, i.e. Princess, with the style of Her Royal Highness.
The junior wives of the Heir Apparent were divided into four ranks:
1. Yang-je (virtuous sister).
2. Yang-won (virtuous beauty).
3. Sung-hwi (admirabky endowed).
4. So-hun (resplendant harmony).
The Heir Presumptive, when a brother of the King: Yi (given name), (personal title) Wang-se-je, i.e. Royal Brother Heir, with the style of His Royal Highness.
The consort of the Heir Presumptive, when a brother of the King: (father's family name) (given name), (personal title) Wang-se-je-bin, i.e. Princess, with the style of Her Royal Highness.
Note: the sons, grandsons, great-grandsons and great great grandsons of a King in the male line, received princedoms on attaining their majority. Sons of Kings at 16 Korean years (age 15), other princes at 20 Korean years (age 19). The sons of a King born by the Queen, received the title of Grand Prince (T'ae-gun) affixed to the name of a locality, and the style of His Royal Highness.
The sons of a King born by lesser wives, received the title of Prince (Gun) affixed to the name of a locality, the style of His Highness and the rank of Rok-tai-pu. In rare instances they could be promoted to T'ae-gun or Grand Prince.
The eldest son of a Grand Prince, received the title of Prince (Gun) affixed to the name of a locality, the style of His Highness and the rank of Tek-tai-pu.
The sons of the Heir Apparent and younger sons of a Grand Prince, received the title of Prince (Gun) affixed to the name of a locality, the style of His Highness and the rank of Hen-tai-pu.
The grandsons of the Heir Apparent and of a Grand Prince, in the male line, received the title of Prince (Gun) affixed to the name of a locality, the style of His Highness and the rank of Eui-tai-pu.
The daughters of a King: Princess (Wang-nyo) Yi (given name). They also received princely titles when they married.
Note: the daughters, granddaughters, great-granddaughters and great great granddaughters of a King in the male line, received princedoms usually on marriage.
The daughters of a King, born by a Queen, received the title of Princess (Kong-ju) affixed to a personal honorific, the style of Her Royal Highness, in two grades (1) Rok-tai-pu or (2) Tek-tai-pu.
The daughters of a King, born by lesser wives, received the title of Princess (Ong-ju) affixed to a personal honorific, the style of Her Highness, in two grades (1) Hen-tai-pu or (2) Eui-tai-pu.
The daughters of the Heir Apparent, born by his Princess, received the title of Princes (Gun-ju), the style of Her Highness, in the grade of Syun-tai-pu.
The daughters of the Heir Apparent, born by lesser wives, received the title of Princess (Hyen-ju), the style of Her Highness, in two grades (1) Syun-tai-pu or (2) Sin-tai-pu.
The principal wife of a Grand Prince: Princess (Pu-pu-in).
Royal sons-in-law also received princedoms on their marriage. Those who married the daughters of a King received the title of Prince Consort (gun-wi) affixed to the name of a locality, and were designated by the expression Pu-ma. Those who married the daughters of the Heir Apparent, by his Princess, received the title of Prince Consort (pu-wi) affixed to the name of a locality. Those who married the daughters of the Heir Apparent, by lesser wives, received the title of Prince Consort (chom-wi) affixed to the name of a locality.
Husband of a Princess of rank 3A: sang-gun-ju.
The father-in-law of the King, when father of the Queen Consort: (family name) (personal name), Prince (Pu-won-gun) affixed to the name of a locality.
The mother-in-law of the King, when mother of the Queen Consort: Princess (Pu-pu-in).
The Great Han Empre:
The sovereign: [reign name] temple name [era name], Emperor (Hwangje) of Choson, i.e. Emperor of Korea, with the style of His Majesty.
The consort of the sovereign: (family name) (personal name) Hwang-hu, i.e. Empress, with the style of Her Majesty.
The Heir Apparent: Yi (given name), (personal title) Hwang-tae-ja, i.e. Imperial Crown Prince, with the style of His Imperial Highness.
The consort of the Heir Apparent: Hwang-se-ja-bin, i.e. Imperial Crown Princess, with the style of Her Imperial Highness.
The younger sons of the Emperor by the Empress: Prince (Hwang-ja) Yi (given name), with the style of His Imperial Highness.
The consort of the younger sons of the Emperor: Princess (Ong-ju).
The grandsons of an Emperor, in the male line: Prince (Hwang-son) Yi (given name).
The Heir Presumptive, when a son of the Heir Apparent: Yi (given name), (personal title) Hwang-se-son, i.e. Heir in Succession to the Crown Prince, with the style of His Imperial Highness.
The consort of the Heir Presumptive, when a son of the Heir Apparent: (father's family name) (given name), (personal title) Hwang-se-son-bin, i.e. Princess, with the style of Her Imperial Highness.
The grandsons of Emperors, in the male line: Prince (Hwang-son) Yi (given name), with the style of His Highness.
The Heir Presumptive, when a brother of the Emperor: Yi (given name), (personal title) Hwang-se-je, i.e. Imperial Brother Heir, with the style of His Imperial Highness.
The consort of the Heir Presumptive, when a brother of the King: (father's family name) (given name), (personal title) Hwang-se-je-bin, i.e. Princess, with the style of Her Imperial Highness.
Note: all the sons of an Emperor received princedoms on reaching their majority, usually the name of a town or locality. Those born of the Empress were entitled (personal title) Ch'in-hwang, i.e. Prince, with the style of His Imperial Highness. Those born of lesser wives or concubines, were entitled (personal title) Gun, i.e. Prince with the style of His Highness.
The daughters of Emperors by the Empress: Princess (Hwang-nyo) Yi (given name). They also received princely titles when they married. Those born of the Empress were entitled (personal title) Kong-ju, i.e. Princess with the style of Her Royal Highness. Daughters born of lesser wives or concubines were entitled (personal title) Ong-ju, i.e. Princess with the style of Her Highness.
The sons-in-law of the King or Emperor also received titles when they married his daughters. Those who married daughters born of lesser wives were usually styled wi, eg. Lord (personal name)-wi. Those who married daughters of the Queen, or senior wives, were styled pu-wi or chom-wi.
Nobility:
Korean titles of nobilty were similar to those in China, with ranks descending by one degree with each succeeding holder of the title. There were seven main grades as follows:
1) Gun: Prince.
2) Kung: Duke.
3) Champan: Marquis.
4) Poguk: Count.
5) Pansoh: Viscount.
6) Chamise: Baron.
7) Chusa: no Western equivalent, but somewhat similar to the British title of Baronet.
Copyright©Christopher Buyers, August 2000 - August 2010