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Queen Sindeok (; 12 July 1356 – 15 September 1396), of the Goksan Kang clan, was the second wife and queen consort of King Taejo; the first monarch of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. She was queen consort of Joseon and was honoured as Queen Hyeon () from 1392 until her death in 1396. She was a political advisor of King Taejo and had a great influence on the founding of Joseon. She was posthumously bestowed the title of Sindeok, the Dignified Empress ().
Lady Kang's uncle, Kang Yun-chung, was Taejo's uncle-in-law and son-in-law of Yi Ja-heung, Grand Prince Wanchang (Yi Chun's eldest son and Yi Jachun's older brother). Through this relationship, she was able to come into contact with Yi Seong-gye and soon became his second wife during his time on the battlefield.
After hearing this, Yi Seong-gye, who was deeply moved by this, looked carefully at the woman, and her outstanding beauty. For a while, Yi Seong-gye was mesmerized by the woman's wisdom and beauty. The woman at the well was Lady Kang. This story is the same as the story of the meeting between King Taejo of Goryeo and Queen Janghwa. Queen Janghwa and Queen Sindeok are the second wives of the founder of the country, respectively, and are misleading in that they are the daughters of powerful local nobles, or the willow leaf tale handed down from many provinces is related to Yi Seong-gye, or that it may have been.
Lady Kang was eventually arranged to marry Yi Seong-gye prior to or in 1371. At the time of the marriage, Lady Kang was around 21 years younger than Yi. Because Queen Sinui had died in 1391, Lady Kang raised Lady Han's children as her own despite them being around her age.
In March 1392, in the lunar calendar, when Yi Seong-gye fell and was seriously injured while riding a horse in Haeju, Chŏng Mong-ju had tried to assassinate him. Lady Kang had them sent Yi Bang-won, who was living beside the tomb of his birth mother, Lady Han, to Haeju in haste and get Yi Seong-gye safely to Haeju.
Lady Kang was also the one to mitigate the relationship between Yi Seong-gye and his fifth son, Yi Bang-won, from his first marriage. It was said that Lady Kang suppressed the anger of Yi Seong-gye, who severely rebuked Yi Bang-won for killing Chŏng Mong-ju by sending an assassin in April of that year. This is a symbol of Lady Kang's resourcefulness and determination, and it can be said that it shows the serenity to do anything for her purpose of establishing a new country.
With the founding of Joseon, Lady Kang eventually became the first Queen Consort of Joseon on August 25 in 1392 (the 7th day of the 8th lunar month) and was given the title of Queen Hyeon (현비, 顯妃; Hyeonbi meaning Illustrious Consort). She was also known by other titles such as Queen Kang (강비, 康妃; Kangbi) and Princess Boryeong (보령택주, 保寧宅主; Boryeong Taekju).
However, it was not the eldest son or the sons and daughters of Queen Sinui. Yi Bang-won, Prince Jeongan could not accept the fact that the second son of his father's second consort would become the crown prince. However, Yi Seong-gye still appointed Queen Hyeon's son, Yi Bang-seok as the next heir. Yi Bang-won, the most politically ambitious, was outraged.
Her death affected King Taejo immensely and held a mourning rite. The king built a small hermitage next to her tomb to pray for the Queen's happiness, and had offered incense and tea every morning and evening. As soon as the Heungcheonsa was completed, it became a daily routine for King Taejo to visit the tomb of his wife and temple. After visiting the tomb and temple, the king would spend the evenings with the remaining sons of Queen Sindeok, and would wait to hear the sound of the bell from the temple to put ashes on Queen Sindeok's tomb before going to bed.
Not only that, but during the Sura era, it was only after hearing the sutras pray for Queen Shindeok's happiness that King Taejo finally lifted a spoon and ate, showing sincerity and recovery to his wife.
Prime minister Chŏng Tojŏn, planned to kill the sons of Queen Shinui to protect his position in the court and the position of the Crown Prince. Yi Bang-won, having heard about the plan and with the help with his wife, Queen Wongyeong, he came to palace where he killed Chŏng Tojŏn and Queen Sindeok's two sons. The Prince also killed his younger half-sister's husband, Yi Je, and those who supported the prime minister. Princess Gyeongsun was soon forced by her older half-brother to become a nun.
The anger of the princes and princesses of Queen Sinui fought against Queen Hyeon and her children where it reached a climax. In the end, that anger continued even after the Queen's death, and later became the cause of Taejong's institutionalization of the Seo-eol ban and the Jeok-seo discrimination. This event is known as First Strife of Princes.
The Queen bore Taejo three children; two sons who died in the strife and a daughter who lived to her twenties or thirties.
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