EALC 275: Masterpieces of East Asian Literature Lecture #24: Memoirs of Lady Hyegyông 1 Nov. 13, 2013Memoirs of Lady Hyegyong • -Consists of four autobiographical narratives • -Lady Hyegyong 惠慶, an 18th century noblewoman • -Born in 1735 and in 1744, she married Crown Prince Sado (1735-1762) at age 9 • -Documents her turbulent life at the center of Choson dynasty politics and family drama at court • -Narration as a mode of empowerment • -Appropriated for each memoir a genre that hitherto been used almost exclusively by menMemoir of 1795: Family Instruction, 1 • -Memoir #1: written by Lady Hyegyong in 1795 when she reached her 60th birthday • -Her son, King Chongjo 正祖, was on the throne at this time • -Memoir #1 takes the form of a family injunction • - Addressed to her grandson, King Sunjo 純祖 (r.1800-1834), 5 years old at the time of writing. • -Departs from the usual form of family injunctions in the Korean tradition which were purely instructional and written in an impersonal voiceMemoir of 1795: Family Instruction, 2 • Motivations for writing the memoir: • -Contains advice and exhortations to the younger generation • -Nostalgic recollection of her childhood and her natal family’s history (especially of her mother and father) • -A defense of her family and herself against repeated political attacks • -An expression of her deep sense of guilt over her family’s downfall • - An attempt to reestablish her family’s moral legitimacy so that the younger generation can continue an honorable family traditionCourt and Family Drama King Yongjo 英祖 Crown Prince Sado Lady Hyegyong 惠慶 Chongjo 正祖The Court’s Dark Secret • The crown prince died in a rice chest after 8 days of confinementA Young Girl Becomes Bride to the Crown Prince • The frugality and ritual decorum stressed by her family (pp.52-55) • Golden age of childhood: Precocious little girl with well-developed sense of propriety (p.56) • Her candidacy as bride to the Crown Prince (pp.57-63): the visits of many lesser known relatives and former servants • Why does the success of her candidacy make the family sad and worried? • A prosperity that brings sadness, her parents must maintain a formal ritual distance with their socially elevated daughter, use of honorific language by parents to address daughter (pp.61-63). Loss of intimacy and regular contact.Father favored by King Yongju and acts as a tutor to Prince Sado • Only short visits by Hyegyong’s father to her daughter allowed • Father explained famous writings and well-known historical events to the Crown Prince (p.70) • Her father especially praised the loyalty of the Chinese minister Zhu Geliang to Liu Bei (p.75) • Zhu Geliang was the epitome of the loyal minister in Chinese historyLady Hyegyong gives birth to two sons and two daughters • At age 17 and 18 (p.74): First son dies, second son eventually becomes King Chongjo. • Premonition of difficulties in the future • Daughters born at age 19 and 21 (p.77), both become princesses.Oblique and Guarded References to Prince Sado’s Mental Illness • Prince Sado’s filial piety displayed at mother’s funeral (p.79) (p.82) • Manifestation of “strange symptons” (p.77) (p.82) • Temper that was nearly impossible to calm down • Lady Hyegyong’s depression, lapse in maintaining proper dress (p.78) • Symbolic meaning of clothes-social roleTroubles Deepen • Father defends the Prince against the King Yongjo’s Criticism: • Father temporarily dismissed, Lady Hyegyong severely reprimanded • Death of Queen Chongsong and Queen Dowager Inwon (pp.80-81) • Lady Hyegyong’s feelings of isolationPolitical and Family Disaster • Prince Sado’s Execution/ Cosmic Disaster • Prince Sado’s execution is described in terms of a cosmic disaster (p.85) • Princess and her son are reduced to commoners (p.86) • Princess contemplates suicide, but is prevented by her son from doing so (p.89) • “…Heaven and Earth clashed and the sun and moon turned black. When this calamity happened, how could I desire to live even one second longer!” (p.85)Chongjo’s Impossible Choice • In the wake of his father’s execution, King Yongju forces Chongjo to renounce his legal parents (Lady Hyegyong and Prince Sado) to become the adopted son of another prince, Hyojang. • Yi San (2007): Korean historical TV drama • Part I: http://www.dramaload.com/korean-drama-yi-san/watch-yi-san-episode-38-18909/ • Legitimacy of political lineage (Prince Sado has become a criminal) at stake • Conflicts with his natural feelings for his birth parentsKing remarries and Lady Hyegyong’s Family is Attacked Again • New Queen’s family members resent Lady Hyegyong for having entered the palace first (p.99) • Father’s loyalty to King (p.93) • Father allowed to retire • King Yongjo passes away (p.100)Past Debt to Her Father Looking to the Future, 1 • -Reflects on her life since she entered the palace as a young girl (p.104) • -Acknowledges her father’s financial support to help manage Prince Sado’s mental illness (pp.104-105) • -Expresses disillusionment with official service (p.107) • -Pride and hope for her children and grandchildren (pp.109-110)Past Debt to Her Father Looking to the Future, 2 • “One might ask, ‘Who has not been loved by one’s parents and who does not love one’s parents?’ Nevertheless, I feel my case was unique. I had left my parents early, and this seemed to make them think of me always. Not long afterwards, I lost my mother. Taking upon himself the role of mother as well, my father did not forget me, even for a moment. Even in the smallest of matters, he was mindful not to go against my wishes. That fate held great sadness in store for me came to be a source of supreme pain for him, and he redoubled his efforts to please me.” (p.104) • Conflicting Confucian Roles: • Father: Loyal Minister to the King and Kind Father to his Daughter • Hyegyong: Wife to the Crown Prince and Filial Daughter to her FatherFamily Honor Restored? • An Official Visit to Prince Sado’s Tomb: • On Lady Hyegyong’s 60th birthday her son take his mother on a visit to Prince Sado’s tomb • This is a major procession and memorial event celebrated in a painting completed at that time • The role of chief mourner fell to Lady Hyegyong’s grandson, Suyong 純祖 (pp.112-115)Friday: Quiz #8 Fri. (Nov.11):