The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyŏng by Lady Hyegyeong

The translation by JaHyun Kim Haboush is fluid, and her wonderfully analytical introduction gives the reader useful background material, as well as insightful interpretation. Lady Hyegyong writes of a life that none of us could have lived, yet her words and feelings are the same as those expressed and experienced by women in many time periods and many civilizations. Part of what makes these memoirs so gripping is the threat of erasure, present from the start. elucidates the intricate world of Korean courtits morass of age-old strictures, interfamilial rivalries, and just plain ill willthrough which Lady Hyegyong had to navigate, both in her life and writing. Haboush must be congratulated for an exemplary annotated translation that preserves the tone and color of the original texts. Undoubtedly, 'The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyong,' known as Hanjungnok (Records written in silence), is one of the most important and moving pieces of traditional Korean literature.

Reissued nearly twenty years after its initial publication with a new foreword by Dorothy Ko, The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyong is a unique exploration of Korean selfhood and an extraordinary example of autobiography in the premodern era. JaHyun Kim Haboush's accurate, fluid translation captures the intimate and expressive voice of this consummate storyteller. Presented in its social, cultural, and historical contexts, this first complete English translation opens a door into a world teeming with conflicting passions, political intrigue, and the daily preoccupations of a deeply intelligent and articulate woman. From 1795 until 1805 Lady Hyegyong composed this masterpiece, depicting a court life Shakespearean in its pathos, drama, and grandeur.

Lady Hyegyong's memoirs, which recount the chilling murder of her husband by his father, form one of the best known and most popular classics of Korean literature.

The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyŏng by Lady Hyegyeong