Lady Hyegyeong of the Pungsan Hong clan, known as Queen Heongyeong, was a Korean writer and Crown Princess during the Joseon Dynasty.
20 Facts About Lady Hyegyeong
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Lady Hyegyeong was the wife of Crown Prince Sado and mother of King Jeongjo.
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Lady Hyegyeong Hong was the great-great-great granddaughter of Princess Jeongmyeong, a daughter of Seonjo of Joseon and Queen Inmok.
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Lady Hyegyeong was taught to read and write vernacular Korean by an aunt-in-law, Lady Shin of the Pyeongsan Shin clan.
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Lady Hyegyeong Yi was unwilling to submit her nine-year-old daughter for consideration, but her husband insisted.
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Lady Hyegyeong Hong thought that she would be too young to be successful, but she was summoned to a private audience with the crown prince's mother and eldest sister.
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The nine-year-old Lady Hyegyeong Hong moved into a pavilion outside the palace, where she was tutored for a month by her parents and palace staff.
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Lady Hyegyeong recalls that, as early as 1745, Prince Sado was displaying strange behaviours, at several points losing consciousness.
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Lady Hyegyeong gave birth to a son in 1750, but he died in 1752.
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Lady Hyegyeong, who was five months pregnant with Princess Cheongseon, ran to collect her son.
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Lady Hyegyeong attempted to support her husband in his illness.
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Royal Noble Consort Yeong wanted to speak to Prince Sado, but was persuaded not to, as Lady Hyegyeong said she feared for her own safety if he found out that his wife had spoken to others about it.
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When he left, Lady Hyegyeong returned to her son, where she later heard a eunuch requesting a rice chest from the kitchens.
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At this, Yi San ran outside to beg for his father's life and Lady Hyegyeong attempted suicide with scissors, but was stopped.
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Lady Hyegyeong then went to the wall next to the courtyard where Sado was being sentenced by King Yeongjo and listened to her husband beg for his life.
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Lady Hyegyeong then listened to the sound of Sado trying to get out of the chest.
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Lady Hyegyeong wrote a letter begging clemency of King Yeongjo for herself and Yi San.
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Lady Hyegyeong was carried to a palanquin, where she fainted.
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Eight days later, Prince Sado was pronounced dead and Lady Hyegyeong returned to the palace for the mourning rituals.
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Lady Hyegyeong wrote The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyeong, detailing her life as the ill-fated Crown Princess, her husband's descent into madness and the deeds for which he was eventually put to death.