Crown Prince Sado

Crown Prince Sado was a crown prince of Joseon Dynasty Korea. The second son of King Yeongjo (r. 1724-1776), he became heir to the throne at the age of one, his elder brother having died some years earlier.

Sado was married at the age of ten to a young girl from the Hong clan. His wife later came to be known as Lady Hyegyeong. Their second son would later become King Jeongjo (r. 1776-1800).

Sado differed strongly with his father in their political views. This conflict would grow violent, resulting in the death of the Crown Prince by his father's hand when Sado was 27 years old. The details of the conflict, and the circumstances of his death, remain unclear, however. These political disputes were recorded by Sado's wife, in her now-famous memoir, Record of Sorrowful Days (Hanjunglok).

References

• Hyeonjeong Kim Han, In Grand Style, San Francisco: Asian Art Museum (2013), 57-61.