The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyong

"The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyong: The Autobiographical Writings of a Crown Princess of Eighteenth-Century Korea This East Asian classic is a bit different from the novels picked so far: it’s a set of memoirs from Joseon dynasty Korea (1392-1897). The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyong is a fascinating and intimate read. It is also a unique historical document that brings to life deadly court politics and human tragedies, including the executions of her brother and uncle, and the terror caused by her psychopathic husband. At times, numerous bodies of people he killed or injured were carried from the palace daily. The first memoir is the most personal, written in 1795 when the author turned sixty, and is addressed to her nephew. It very affectionately describes the author’s childhood, and how she was forced at the age of nine to leave her loving family home and move to the royal palace to be married to Crown Prince Sado. The fourth and final memoir is by far the most famous. It was written in 1805 to explain the complex and agonising events leading up to the death of her husband in 1762. Amid rumours and political intrigue, Lady Hyegyong — as the only surviving eyewitness — has decided that it is necessary for her grandson, the current king, to know what happened. She details the difficult relationship between Prince Sado and his father King Yeongjo, and Sado’s mental illness and increasingly violent behaviour. With the safety of the dynasty in the balance, Prince Sado’s parents conclude that he must be eliminated — but not by a normal criminal execution, which would have raised questions about the legitimacy of his descendants’ rule. He was ordered into a rice chest which was sealed, where he died eight days later. Lady Hyegyong views her terrifying husband with much sympathy. Her grief is very moving, as are her descriptions of the conflict between being a good wife and a good mother, and the recognition that the demands of public duty come before compassion for individuals."