Hyegyŏnggung Hong Ssi - The memoirs of Lady Hyegyŏng: the autobiographical writings of a Crown Princess of eighteenth century Korea

Acknowledgments

This project was very long in the making, and I have benefited immensely from the comments, criticisms, and suggestions of my friends and colleagues. They are too numerous to mention here, but I would like to thank first the late Professors Chong Pyonguk and Kim Tonguk of Seoul National University and Yonsei University respectively, and Professor Kim Yongsuk of Sukmyong University for their encouragement and help. Gari Ledyard and Catherine Swatek read the entire manuscript and made many valuable suggestions. Patricia Ebrey, Laurel Kendall, Susan Mann, and James Palais read parts of the manuscript and they, too, made insightful comments. I would like to thank them all. I would also like to express my appreciation to Wolfgang Bauer, Edward Seidensticker, and Pei-yi Wu for answering my queries and sharing interesting ideas.

During the course of working on this manuscript, I used various libraries and archives and received invaluable assistance from scholars and librarians. I would like to thank Professors Yi T'aejin and Han Young-woo, the former and present directors of the Kyujanggak Library at Seoul National University, Mr. Yi Sangun also of the Kyujanggak, the entire staff of the Library at the Academy of Korean Studies, Ms. Amy Lee and Mr. Kenneth Harlan of the C. V. Starr East Asian Library at Columbia University, and Mr. Young-key Chu of the East Asian Library at the University of California, Berkeley. I would also like to thank Mr. Joseph Newland of the Asia Society, Ms. Chee-yon Kwon of the Sackler Gallery, and Mr. Kim Sontae of the Bureau for the Preservation of Cultural Properties in Seoul for helping me acquire illustrations. I would like to express my gratitute to Homer Williams for assisting me with several computer problems. Sheila Levine and Laura Driussi of the University of California Press offered me encouragement, expert professional counsel, and enthusiasm. I am grateful to them. I feel particularly indebted to Carolyn Hill, who edited my manuscript with meticulous care and admirable skill. Finally, I would like to thank the National Endowment for the Humanities, which provided me with a grant, and the Korea Research Foundation, which supported the publication of this book.

Appendixes

Appendix 1: Genealogical
Table of the Yi Royal House

Appendix 2: Genealogical
Table of the Hong Family

Appendix 3: Genealogical
Table of the Kyngju Kim Family

Translator's Note

Naming conventions in eighteenth-century Korea were extremely complicated. It was impracticable to follow Lady Hyegyng's usage faithfully in my English translation, and so I have made various modifications. Sometimes it has meant anachronistic usage, sometimes substituting for Lady Hyegyng's usage a more commonly known name. For instance, she refers to her husband by the name of his shrine, Kyngmogung. Since he is popularly known as Prince Sado, I used this name instead.

There is one rule to which I try to remain faithful. That is, during the eighteenth century, one's given name unaccompanied by one's family name was used almost exclusively as an expression of contempt or in referring to someone who is at least one generation junior or much lower in social class. Thus when Lady Hyegyng says Kwiju or Hugym rather than Kim Kwiju or Chng Hugym in referring to those persons who were archrivals of her family, she is explicitly displaying her contempt. She also refers to her nephews by given names, but in this case, this is because she is their elder. She does not refer to her younger siblings by their given names because they are of the same generation as she. She refers to them as my older brother, my second brother, my younger sister, and so on.

Members of the royal family are referred to by the titles they were given, Queen Chngsng, Princess Hwap'yng, and so on. These were not regarded as given names but as titles. These titles changed with station, but I have adhered to one form whenever possible. An exception is Chngjo, Lady Hyegyng's son. He is referred to as the Grand Heir, the King, the present King, and the late King, depending upon the situation. Another exception is Princess Hwawan, often referred to by Lady Hyegyng as Madame Chng. I have followed her usage.

When a person is identified by a full name, I have placed the surname first, followed by the given name. I have also followed Korean custom in referring to married women outside the royal family by their maiden surnames. When this was not practicable, I have used their husbands' surnames.

In referring to age, I translate se as being in a certain year or I used true age in English usage. Fifteen se, for instance, becomes he was in his fifteenth year or he was fourteen years of age. In traditional Korea, time was also measured in sixty-year cycles.

Principal Persons

THE HONG FAMILY

HONG HYNBO (16881740). Lady Hyegyng's paternal grandfather. He was a descendant of Princess Chngmyng, King Snjo's daughter, and had a respectable official career that included an appointment as Minister of Rites.