King Myeongjong of Goryeo (明宗)

Overview

King Myeongjong of Goryeo was a king of Goryeo from 1170 until his deposition in 1197.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name	Wang Ho	皓	Hào

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 1183 二十三年
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passage 131
AD 1177 十七年
Dated from the passage context · History of Jin 135, passages 126, 128
AD 1171 大定十一年
Dated from the passage context · History of Jin 135, passage 100
AD 1172 大定十二年三月
Dated from the passage context · History of Jin 135, passage 120
AD 1175 大定十五年
Dated from the passage context · History of Jin 135, passage 122
AD 1170 大定十年
Dated from the passage context · History of Jin 135, passage 98

Show 2 more source-backed claims

AD 1197 承安二年
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passages 132, 134
AD 1175 to AD 1176 頃之
Dated from the passage context · History of Jin 135, passage 126

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Sibling of Wang Xian (王晛)
uterine younger brother 母弟 · Maternal half siblings · Through Mother of Wang Xian and Wang Hao (王晛與王皓之母)
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passages 98, 101
Child of Mother of Wang Xian and Wang Hao (王晛與王皓之母)
mother 母 · maternal line
Strongly inferred · History of Jin 135, passage 101
Child of Lady Ren (任氏)
mother 母
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passage 131
Sibling of King Sinjong of Goryeo (晫)
younger brother 弟 · Uncertain siblings
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passage 132

Career and standing

Duke of Yiyang 翼陽公
Held
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passage 98
AD 1172 大定十二年三月
Invested as king
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passage 120
aged and ill 衰病
AD 1197 承安二年 · Aged and ill
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passage 132
AD 1170 大定十年
Usurpation
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passages 98, 114
Deposed
AD 1197 是歲
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passage 134

Places and affiliations

Polity Goryeo · Relation Of
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passage 126

Works and attributed material

AD 1197 承安二年
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passage 132

Events and relationships

Ceded throne
AD 1197 承安二年 · Political · Actor · With King Sinjong of Goryeo (晫)
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passage 132
Deposed
Political · Usurper · With Wang Xian (王晛)
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passages 98, 110
Requested exemption from birthday and congratulatory exchanges
AD 1183 二十三年 · Diplomatic · Petitioner
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passage 131
Sent thanks envoys
Diplomatic · Sender
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passage 126
Suppressed revolt
AD 1175 to AD 1176 頃之 · Military · Suppressor · With Zhao Weichong (趙位寵)
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passage 126

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · History of Jin 135, passage 126

References in the histories

Search passages

History

19 passages

History of Jin, Chapter 135Volume 135 Biographies 73: Foreign Countries 2: Goryeo, Explanation of the Language of the State of Jin, Official Titles, Human Affairs, Art, Classes of Objects, Family Names · 19 passages

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十年，王晛弟翼陽公皓廢晛自立。 In the tenth year Wang Xian's younger brother, Duke Hao of Yiyang, deposed him and seized the throne.

十一年三月，王皓以讓國來奏告，詔婆速路勿受，有司移文詳問。 In the third month of the eleventh year Wang Hao memorialized to announce his abdication. The court ordered the Basu Route not to receive him and instructed the relevant offices to send formal inquiries.

高麗告曰：「前王久病，昏耄不治，以母弟皓權攝國事。」 Goryeo reported, "The former king had long been gravely ill and senile, unable to govern, and had entrusted state affairs to his uterine younger brother Hao as regent."

皓嘗作亂，晛囚之，二也。 Second, Hao once rebelled and Xian had him imprisoned.

今晛不遣使，皓乃遣使，三也。 Third, Xian sends no envoys while Hao does.

朝廷賜晛生日使，皓不轉達於晛，乃稱未敢奉受，四也。 Fourth, when the court sent a birthday envoy for Xian, Hao refused to forward him and claimed he dared not accept the mission.

是皓篡兄誣請於天子，安可忍也。」 This is Hao usurping his elder brother and falsely petitioning the Son of Heaven—how can this be endured?"

皓實篡國，囚晛於海島。 Hao had in fact seized power and imprisoned Xian on a coastal island.

靖至高麗，皓稱王晛已避位出居他所，病加無損，不能就位拜命，往復險遠，非使者所宜往。 In Goryeo, Hao claimed that Xian had abdicated and retired elsewhere, that his illness was worsening, that he could not come forward to receive the imperial message, and that the route was too dangerous and remote for an envoy.

靖竟不得見晛，乃以詔授皓，轉取晛表附奏，其言與前表大概相同。 Jing never saw Xian. He delivered the edict to Hao, obtained Xian's memorial indirectly, and forwarded it—the wording matched the earlier petition.

丞相良弼、平章政事守道曰：「待皓祈請未晚也。」 Chief Councilor Liangbi and Privy Councilor Shoudao dissented: "Let us wait until Hao himself petitions—it is not too late."