In 1731, she received the title Hwapyeong (和平), which means "peace".[1]
In 1738, the 14th year of King Yeongjo's reign, she married Park Myeong-won (박명원, 朴明源; 1725–1790), fourth son of Park Sa-jeong (박사정, 朴師正; 1683–1739), from the Bannam Park clan (반남 박씨; 潘南朴氏).[2] On February 20, 1742, she left the palace and moved to her in-law's residence.[3]
Princess Hwapyeong's wedding was extremely grand, and her dowry was allegedly ten thousand times more extravagant than that of her elder sister, Princess Hwasun's. As a wedding gift, the King bestowed upon her the Ihyeon Palace, but she declined the gift.
She left no surviving children of her own, but King Yeongjo made the third son of Park Myeong-won's eldest brother her adopted son.[4]
In her memoirs, Princess Hwapyeong's sister-in-law, Lady Hyegyŏng, described the Princess as being gentle and particularly kind towards her and Crown Prince Sado.
The Princess was uncomfortable and distressed by the fact that she alone was showered with paternal affection and that her younger brother, Crown Prince Sado, was not. Whenever King Yeongjo found fault in Sado, Princess Hwapyeong would side with her brother and pleaded ceaselessly with the King to be lenient. She was the main protector of Crown Prince Sado and is said to have eased the relationship between her father and the Prince in favor of her brother.
Princess Hwapyeong died during childbirth on June 24, 1748. Her father King Yeongjo hastily visited her residence and was informed that nothing could be done.[5] The King was devastated and inconsolable.[6] He suspended all court affairs to mourn for her and even moved his residence from Gyeonghuigung (慶熙宮) to Changdeokgung (昌德宫), in order to be near the location of the funerary observance.[7] He visited her residence frequently and broke down on five occasions before Princess Hwapyeong's burial.[8] King Yeongjo made great efforts in seizing the most auspicious location for the burial ground of his daughter. He forcefully acquired a piece of ancestral land owned by the Paju Yun family, who had been staying there for generations, and evacuated hundreds of civilians from nearby villages to make way for Princess Hwapyeong's tomb.[9]
Princess Hwapyeong was buried in Munsan Village, Paju, Gyeonggi Province. Her elaborated funeral proceedings were comparable to that of a State Funeral.[10]
Lady Hyegyŏng claimed that during her first pregnancy she often dreamt of Princess Hwapyeong coming to her bedchamber, sitting next to her and sometimes smiling at her. When her first son was born, he bore the same birthmark as Princess Hwapyeong, and King Yeongjo took him as the reincarnation of the Princess.[11]
Yearning for my elder sister, Princess Hwapyeong [12]
The flowers of the cherry trees are blooming in spring, brilliant leaves among scarlet petals. For how many times did my sister come to my rescue in my plight? Other though keen, yet helpless. I have only so few sisters born of the same mother. (We were like) wild geese having fun flying across the Sushui River together. Till the Mujin year (1748), I have been showered in your grace. And now, all of a sudden, you passed away. How sad! I do not know how my elder brother looked like. Who else could allay my sorrow? Morning drums thundered. I could not fall asleep. Sound of the pan (hitting the bells) in discord. Before they teach, Daoist priests must first learn. Looking back to the days (we had at the) waterfront pavilion, I was in a daze throughout the night. I eschewed my own desolation to console my grieving mother. Riding on chariots, sorrows soared into the ninth Heaven. Feathery flags fluttering along the celestial path. Illness did not erode the filial piety in you. You would remind me to be diligent in my studies. Even in dreams, you would send regards to inquire about His Majesty's health. Should I be happy or mourn? I must be looking haggard, for tears are streaming down my cheeks as if a river breached its banks. Who had no brothers? To whom could I pour out my heart to? In the northern garden, the moon shore on the pine forest. Underneath the eastern hill, wild birds shrieking. How could (a bird) fly with broken wings? It is such a pity that yellow birds did not have a hundred lives. The flock of wild geese is shrinking with just three of us left. Tree branches rustling, I sink into deep melancholy. Are dreams real or is reality a dream? Embraced by the cherry blossoms, I coalesced my thoughts to let bitterness fade with time. Times flies relentlessly, like the river that flows and never returns.
Eulogy written by King Jeongjo
Eulogy written for Park Myeong-won, Prince Consort Geumseong and Princess Hwapyeong[13]
My second aunt was virtuous and kind. My deceased grandfather loved her dearly. (He) married (her) into an illustrious family, gifted a fine residence (to the couple) and showered them with precious jade and gold jewelries. Husband and wife loved and respected each other like the harmonious resonance of the lute and psaltery. (My aunt's) character was as exemplary as that of the Queen of King Wen. The ladies-in-waiting praised her for her devotion to her brother. She helped him on various matters, going back and forth using all means to do whatever she could. When the female phoenix demises, the male phoenix retreats.[a] But your legacy lives on. Returning to the Palace of Lu, I could still recall your sincere advice. You were diligent in your duties and courteous to your subordinates. If I visit your tomb and find it in a derelict state, I would not be able to sleep in peace and it would bother me for another ten years. Well-versed in Cheng-Chu classics, you never failed to be genuine in sharing your thoughts (to me). Whenever I look over to the mountains (where you are buried), I see a pearl in the dragon's mouth. Capable man were summoned (to select the location) through divination. It would bring abundant peace and prosperity to our descendants for many years to come. You had been the pillar for our country and brought honor to your clan. Having an illustrious career, and accomplishing all "four beautiful elements", you drew admiration from your colleagues. Now I am revisiting Paju with mixed feelings. How could the praises on your tomb stone sing enough of your achievements? Due to the strict code of conduct, I could only pass by your grave in a chariot. Thus, I have specially asked your nephew to pour you (on my behalf) yet another glass of wine.
^When Yeongjo arrived at the residence of the Princess, he was apprised that nothing else could be done to save his daughter. He alighted the chariot in tears.(《承政院日记》英祖24年6月24日：乾隆十三年戊辰六月二十四日巳時, 上幸和平翁主第時……大駕詣主第下輦時, 潛然下淚。諸承旨, 與兵判, 皆達曰, 病患雖重, 豈至深慮乎? 上曰, 已至於無可爲之境云矣。)
^Lady Hyegyong described King Yeongjo as appearing to be ready to give up his own life. JaHyun Kim Haboush, ed., The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyŏng: The Autobiographical Writings of a Crown Princess of Eighteenth-Century Korea. University of California Press, Berkeley, 1996. ISBN0-520-20055-1
^英祖68卷, 24年7月1日：內局入侍, 上曰: "米飮之屬不順下, 而每多沓沓時矣。 展謁太廟然後, 可得少安矣。"(The servants came to serve the meal. The King said "I have no appetite for food or drinks and I cannot put myself at ease. I feel slightly better only after visiting the ancestral temple.")
^英祖68卷, 24年(閏7月 29日：辛巳/上幸和平翁主第。時, 翁主葬日將至, 故欲爲一訣, 遂臨其第, 前後哭臨凡五也。(The King visited the residence of Princess Hwapyeong. The funeral ritual of the Princess was about to commence and the King wished to bid his daughter farewell. He broke down on five occasions during his visits.)
^英祖68卷, 24年閏7月3日：乙卯/命戶曹, 買坡州士人尹得聖家山。尹氏庄舍在於坡州馬山, 五世相傳。 時, 翁主卒逝, 上使宗臣識堪輿術者南原君 等相地, 以尹家庄後爲吉。 上命版曹, 出銀給民家, 百戶皆毁撤。 【史臣曰: 翁主有淑德而卒, 上以止慈之義, 爲之痛惜, 此則天理之(常)〔當〕然。 哀不可過, 過則非禮, 況人君乎? 自翁主卒逝之後, 過二旬始許賓對, 前後過中之敎, 記注不能盡記。 蓋群臣無見憚於上者, 致上有此失, 惜哉! 且死則葬不食之地, 使翁主賢乎, 宜循其志, 以成其美, 奪人家世守之地, 又毁數百民家, 夫以上爲民之德意, 猶有所掩而未之思歟?"】(The King ordered the Board of Taxation to acquire the mountain in Paju, which belonged to Yun Dokchong's family. The Yun family's residence is located at Mt Ma in Paju county. They had lived there for five generations. When the Princess passed away, the King sent royal family members with geomancy knowledge to select a plot of suitable land for burial and the mountain behind Yun's residence was identified as an auspicious site. The King ordered the Board of Taxation to compensate the farmers for giving up their land. Hundreds of families were displaced and their properties destroyed. [The historian comments: The deceased Princess was virtuous and the King was despaired over her death. This is the natural law of the universe. However, it is inappropriate for even commoners to mourn excessively, not to mention the ruler. Only two days after the demise of the Princess did the King start to receive his Ministers. Their discussions were too lengthy to be recorded here. It is a pity that the Ministers were afraid of the ruler and thus failed to offer him proper advice, resulting in this situation. Moreover, the deceased should be buried on infertile lands, which could have propagate the virtue of the Princess and preserve her good name, Seizing ancestral land and destroying farmer's homes tarnished the reputation of the King. How can the King ignore this and not reflect upon his actions?])
^英祖68卷, 24年8月2日：甲申/葬和平翁主, 儀物之盛, 亞於國葬。(Princess Hwapyeong was buried. Her funeral proceedings was so extravagant, only to be superseded by the State Funeral.)
^JaHyun Kim Haboush, ed., The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyŏng: The Autobiographical Writings of a Crown Princess of Eighteenth-Century Korea. University of California Press, Berkeley, 1996. ISBN0-520-20055-1
